SportsTalk, October 20th. After being deeply affected by the “gambling scandal”, Tonali is trying to get back on his feet. Gambling addiction is the “demon” that knocked him down. Helping Tonali is Professor Gabriel Sani, head of the Department of Clinical and Emergency Psychiatry at the Policlinico Gemelli Hospital and a professor at the Sacred Heart University in Rome. The Italian media “Gazzetta dello Sport” conducted an interview with Professor Sani. He talked about the work that Tonali and other players need to do in terms of psychological construction.
——Professor, you are also the director of the Cepid Center, a new addiction treatment center that opened earlier this year . First, can you explain how you arrived at the diagnosis of “gambling addiction”?
“We are talking about a pathological addiction that has clearly identifiable characteristics on an objective level and is internationally documented. The most obvious characteristic of defining a tool is that it completely loses pleasure in what it is doing, and is replaced by being ‘forced’ to do it.”
——What kind of treatment method should be adopted for the patient?
“The road to treatment begins with welcoming and acknowledging the patient, even before the patient arrives. It includes A series of multidisciplinary, customized treatments involving psychiatrists, psychologists, and treatment teams in a harmonious manner.”
——Why don’t the people closest to him and those around him realize this problem?
“One of the hallmarks of this disorder is pathological lying: whether out of shame, fear, or self-blame, a person often Will hide everything, even from those closest to them. In fact, especially from themselves, because they are willing toIt will definitely bring you pain. The first step to getting out of trouble is to recognize the problem and share it with someone. ”
—For professional football players, can training with teammates help?
“Once the walls of silence are broken down, living a healthy lifestyle according to your own desires and abilities in a familiar environment will definitely help. Therefore, professional football players can find comfort by training with teammates who support each other. ”
– Football players, by the way. They are the rich, famous, acclaimed boys on the pitch, they are the most Vulnerable?
“This disease affects everyone, no distinction. The pressure and responsibility placed on young players comes from external pressure and media attention. In this case, the ‘antidote’ becomes the adrenaline that comes with gambling. It becomes something you can no longer live without, a compulsive, uncontrollable behavior with ultimate benefits that have nothing to do with addiction. ”
——Tonali is the youngest patient you have treated, or is this disease becoming more and more common among young people? More common?
“We are noticing a decrease in the age of all types of addicts, even into minors. ”
– Tonali seems to bet a lot, sometimes even AC Milan, he always bets Milan to win, why ?
“Because the gambler has his own sense of ritual, he follows a vicious cycle. Sandro often bets on Milan to win because of this, as part of his good luck ritual, which is called superstitious thinking. ”
——As a football player, can Tonali return to a high-level career?
“Not only that, if he achieved what he is today under this burden, then once he gets rid of this burden, he will be able to realize his potential and even do better than before. ”
——Will his story be helpful to the young people who witnessed all this?
“Of course, his image is very contagious, and sharing his story can allow many young people to recognize themselves from him and his disease, and start to Facing illness. ”
