Psychiatrist and psychiatrist specializing in addiction psychiatry, Dr. dr. Kristiana Siste, SpKJ(K), stated that individuals addicted to gambling, including online gambling, require medical therapy because it can damage the brain.
Speaking to ANTARA in Jakarta on Thursday, the Head of the Psychiatry Department at the Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo National General Hospital said that gambling triggers an increase in dopamine, a chemical in the brain that creates feelings of pleasure.
"People who gamble need medical treatment, because addictive gambling behavior causes damage to the brain, especially in the left frontal area, the prefrontal cortex, which is useful for decision-making," he said.
Kristiana said that when the prefrontal cortex area of the brain is damaged, individuals tend to experience thinking errors or cognitive errors, resulting in wrong decisions.
