02:46 How has addiction become so accepted in society?

Through the normalization of gambling in advertising

Gaming and porn addiction has increased due the the improvement of broadband connections

If you have impulsive traits, it�s easier to become addicted to things through the internet

Tech development has lead to many difficulties in our society

06:33 Do addicts get easily addicted to other addictions?

50 � 80% of addiction presentations are complicated by some other disorder

E.g an addict could also be suffering from depression, overuse of phone and hangovers

It�s important to assess the person first � where they are at and what their needs are

There is a need for risk assessment

Substitution is when you withdraw from one abuse and move on to a different type (e.g. from alcohol to smoking)

The most common substitution is chocolate or cigarettes

It can lead to other behaviors, e.g. engaging in certain relationships as a means of distraction

Ideally you want people to engage in adaptive as opposed to maladaptive responses

Adaptive versus maladaptive � it�s about identifying if the response is causing harm to the individual or those around them

11:19 The relationship between personality types and addiction

Personality type is not predictive of addiction

Some classic traits are impulsivity and attention seeking

They are not deterministic and can�t be simplified down to personality type

14:26 The legacy of Covid-19 on addiction rates

There is a lot of misunderstanding about psychiatry and what they do

Withdrawal from alcohol addiction can be fatal, so it needs to be closely monitored

Covid provided �laboratory conditions� for mental disorders: physical isolation and stress

21:23 How can policymakers strike the balance between freedom of entertainment and rising addiction rates?

In terms of gambling, if you complete prohibit it, it will still lead to other illegal and more dangerous options

Banning gambling is completely unrealistic

We need to look into what protections you can put in place

If we continue to make AI more addictive, then we�re in trouble

It would be incredibly powerful to use AI to help identify gamblers that are addicted and need help

25:33 Cultural views on alcohol versus gambling

There are still cultural issues with alcohol consumption, despite many of the younger generations appearing to embody a healthier lifestyle

Gambling has accelerated at an alarming rate compared to binge drinking, due to discrete and easy access with technology

27:59 Advice to parents whose children are entering the phase of experimenting as teenagers

The message needs to be made clear that gambling can be a harmful activity

Fantasy Leagues can pose as a risk, but they are generally considered to be harmless

It�s about parents communicating and having conversations with their children

You get nowhere with a confrontational approach

Peer pressure doesn�t go away, no matter what age

It helps to raise awareness of any family history with alcohol or gambling abuse

It�s important to get down to the meaning of the abuse

Gambling can also appeal to the �get rich quick� messaging

36:17 Sports supplements with teenagers

It�s hard to know what the best measure is

There is a clear connection between addiction and ultra-running

The line is about identifying what is the harm (e.g. physical, psychological, spiritual, etc.)

42:15 Sports used as a coping mechanism

Mark Griffiths was one of the academic pioneers researching about exercise addiction

45:23 The neuroscience of addiction

There are multiple theories on it

The most accepted theory is the dopamine hypothesis: some individuals are predisposed to addiction because of dysfunctionality of dopamine circuitry

Addiction is defined as a biologically driven brain disorder

51:00 Some of the key factors that contribute to successful recovery

Have a support structure around that person

Consider 12 Step Movement or Life Ring

The key is to have one-to-one support as well group support

Talking therapies like CBT, Dialectical Behavioural and Acceptance Commitment Therapy

Human endeavor and determination gets people far

It�s incredibly rewarding work for Colin to see people recover

Yoga, pilates and mindfulness is an integral part of their program

It�s important to be open to different approaches

The role of self-compassion is important

59:54 The impact of well-known and public figures be open about their own addictions

It has had a huge positive impact in raising awareness

The next level up is to remove the stigmas behind different addiction types

We need to put mental health on the same level as physical health

01:04:23 What the future looks like for treatment and prevention

Review how AI can benefit assessment

Personalized medicine and develop targeted therapeutics

01:10:17 How Colin keeps a healthy separation between work and personal life

It�s such a privilege to work closely with people and effect change in their lives

Self-care is paramount, as well as work management and listening to what is going on in your world