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“When I’m not angry I am anxious”: The lived experiences of individuals in a relationship with a non-help-seeking problem gambler—A hermeneutic phenomenological study
journal contribution
posted on 2020-08-01, 00:00 authored by B J Riley, S J Lawn, Beth CrispBeth Crisp, M W BattersbyAlthough the negative effects of problem gambling (PG) are well-documented in respect of gamblers themselves, less research has focused on the experiences of their partners, particularly in situations where the gambler is not help-seeking. Data were drawn from 15 in-depth interviews of partners living with a non-help-seeking problem gambler. Through a hermeneutical-phenomenological analysis, nine central themes emerged: social activity, realization, role conflict, stigma, denial, health issues, disconnectedness, hypervigilance, and security. Findings indicated that living with a non-help-seeking PG partner was characterized by chronic worry, exhaustion, relationship conflict, and an overwhelming sense of isolation. Partners found it exceedingly difficult to reliably detect their partners’ gambling behavior, resulting in chronic hypervigilance, and were reluctant to seek help due to stigma. There is a need for programs that provide both guidance for partners to help protect their well-being and evidence-based strategies to help motivate non-help-seeking problem gamblers to acknowledge their problem and seek help.
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Journal
Journal of social and personal relationshipsVolume
37Issue
8-9Pagination
2529 - 2550Publisher
SAGE PublicationsLocation
London, Eng.Publisher DOI
ISSN
0265-4075eISSN
1460-3608Language
engPublication classification
C1 Refereed article in a scholarly journalUsage metrics
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