THE COUNCIL WELCOMES MAGGIE MAZZA

by Maggie Mazza, Communications Intern

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hi everyone!

This is Maggie Mazza; I am the new communications intern here at the Mass Council! I am very excited to gain experience in the communications field here with all these lovely people. I will be helping out with the Council’s social media campaign to gain more recognition for the Mass Council, and hopefully be planning upcoming events for the New Year.

This is my first week here, and I have already learned so much about compulsive gambling; which was an unfamiliar topic to me before. I was able to sit in on a G.A. meeting yesterday, and it was a very emotional and inspirational meeting to experience. It’s nice to be reminded how strong people are and what we can accomplish in life.

I am currently a senior at Suffolk University with a major in Public Relations (PR). After I graduate I would ideally like to work for a company such as Burton or Quiksilver in their PR field. I am originally from a lovely town in New Jersey by the ocean, and go back home every summer to enjoy friends and family at the jersey shore! I studied abroad in Cork, Ireland for 6 months last year, and absolutely fell in love with it. I will be returning back this summer, and hopefully once a year from now on!

I am ready and motivated to start the New Year with a new internship, and am very excited to learn more and gain experience here at the Mass Council!

THE COUNCIL WELCOMES SCOTT MELISSA

by Scott Melissa, Human Resources and Workforce Development Manager

Hello all. This is Scott Melissa, I have recently started working at the Council in their Human Resources department. I am also the Workforce Development Manager.

PUMPED to be here, and pleased to have this opportunity to contribute to my first blog!!!

I possess extensive relationship building and business development experience; with six years of experience working directly in nonprofit. I am excited to bring my unique blend of skills to this position. My background in business development will be instrumental in creating our partnerships and programs. I look forward to applying my knowledge in employee relations, recruitment, communication, and management in various Human Resources roles.

I have been a supporter of the Mass Council for over 5 years, and have helped out whenever possible through a variety programs. I personally believe problem gambling is overlooked in Massachusetts and the repercussions can be irreversible. Though I come from a biology background, my calling in life is to motivate people. The Mass Council has provided me with an opportunity to incorporate my passion with my beliefs, and give back to society.

Some Thoughts on Internet Gambling

by Sasha C. Russell, M.A., Program Specialist, Communications, The Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling

 

 

 

It’s 2013, and our lives continue to be inundated with technological advances nearly every day. The world is connected through computers and the ever growing World Wide Web. We can “1-click” shop not only through our computers at home, but the phones in our hand. We can talk to people we haven’t seen in 20 years, who were once only a distant memory, on Facebook, and even download and listen to music in an instant – the world is at our finger tips. People are becoming intertwined easier and, I have to say, in some cases, it’s a little scary.

For some, all this technology is hard to adjust to. As a 29 year old, I like to think I am pretty adept when it comes to technology, however, there are many times I ended up calling my 15 year old brother to help me fix whatever computer problem I am having. My younger siblings are miles ahead of me when it comes to using technology. This is part of what scares me when I think about the legalization of online gambling – how easy it will be for the younger generations. Dr. Mark Griffiths, a renowned psychologist who specializes in addiction and obsessive behavior, did a study (presented here) in the United Kingdom and found the majority of online gamblers are age 34 and younger – that was 55% of the study participants. This makes perfects sense, considering it seems that the older one is, the less technologically savvy they are (e.g. the example above about myself and my younger brother). Only 1 in 5 people over the age of 45 participated in online gambling.

So, what does this mean for Massachusetts? After strongly opposing the Reid-Kyl bill to make online poker legalized, Mass State Treasurer Steve Grossman is all for expanding the Mass Lottery into cyber space. This would allow people to buy Powerball and MegaMillions (just two examples) tickets on their computer or even on their smart phones with a credit card. During an interview on January 9^th on Boston’s NPR station, WBUR, (listen here) Grossman said he wants to open this avenue up to get more young, technologically advanced people interested in the lottery. One caller into the show was appalled by this. She questioned why Grossman would want to get younger people more interested in gambling, knowing the dangers it can pose. The caller angrily accused Grossman of just being a money maker, implying he had no concern about the younger population in this State. Grossman argued that the lottery needs to keep up with the times and grow as society is growing in regards to technology. He vowed to not let the 7,400 lottery retailers lose their revenue.

Both Grossman and the caller make valid points. According to Treasurer Grossman’s Online Products Task Force Final Report (read it here), on average people spend $720 per capita a year on the lottery. With private gambling companies trying to pass laws for legalized online gambling, Grossman is trying to nip that in the bud before some other gaming industry makes money off of Massachusetts residents. Kimberly Young, the director and founder of the Center for Internet Addiction and editor of “Internet Addiction: A Handbook and Guide to Evaluation and Treatment” said she understands the want to move forward technologically speaking – the concern then comes for people who may become addicted to gambling online, as many people are addicted to the internet in general. Like most people experiencing problems with gambling, online addiction is about escapism and anonymity. Both lead people to feel disconnected with the word around them, and in regards to online gambling this may cause people to feel disconnected to the money they are spending. While there is some level of that when using chips at a casino table or credit at a slot machine, it can be worse for online gambling because there will be no physical exchange of anything – next thing you know the bill shows up and you’re clueless to how much you have spent.

Recently, I upgraded my phone to an iPhone 5 and there is a wonderful app called “Passbook.” This app has helped me spend lots of money on Starbucks, without even realizing how much I spent! I was able to download my Starbucks card on to the app with the option to load manually or have automatic re-loading of money on the card. I am thankful I chose manual. For the first couple of weeks that I had the phone, I would go to Starbucks, order my drink, they would scan my phone and I’d wait for my drink and go on about my day. For some strange reason, I felt I could suddenly afford Starbucks every day. I was thrilled. It wasn’t until my 3^rd $20 reload in two weeks that I took a step back and realized I can’t afford that much Starbucks every week and my bank account was depleting! That’s when I truly understood the danger that online gambling could pose for people. I had no connection whatsoever to the money I was spending with my Starbucks phone app. Young argues that this feeling could cause accelerated rates of people experiencing problems with gambling if gambling should be legalized online.

One reader left a comment on WBUR’s site saying part of the problem with paying by credit card is that it is hard to identify who is actually behind the card – making it harder to enforce age restrictions. Another concern with credit cards is what limitations will there be. As mentioned before the average person spends about $720 a year on lottery numbers – will access on smart phones increase that? In Iowa the online spending cut-off is $100 a day… So, the maximum a person can spend is about $52,000 a year – on one credit card? What if they have multiple cards?

In recent times studies have been done based on video game and general online addictions. Both addictions hold similar traits to that of a gambling addiction as it is, will online gambling intensify the problem for people that may now be crossing over through the different addictions?

What the actual outcome will be for now is unknown. Only time will tell how this may change the nature of gambling, addiction and the lottery. However, it is important to raise awareness. The Mass Council will be holding a public forum on February 7^th for anyone interested in discussing internet gambling and expressing thoughts and concerns. If you are interested in the forum, please contact us at 617.426.4554.

New Year, New You

by Sasha C. Russell, M.A., Program Specialist, Communications, The Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling

For most people, ringing in the New Year is a time of reflection and resolutions on how to make the upcoming year better than the year before. For many people in recovery, not only is this a time of reflection, but a time of strength. Another year, another day… it all adds up and each day you grow stronger. It is definitely not an easy process, so here are some ideas to keep you busy during the year and help the time go by.

Pick a new hobby or activity. I know that this is sometimes a scary commitment because some hobbies and activities can be quite pricey, but there are plenty of them that have no cost. One activity I have decided to do more is meditate. There are plenty of free apps for smart phones to help you, as well as websites and YouTube videos. I found this Guide to Meditation for the Rest of Us to be very helpful for the everyday person, like myself. Just taking 5 minute for yourself to sit back, close your eyes and empty your head can make all the difference.

Though it’s cold outside, it’s also good to make an attempt to go outside for at leave 10 minutes a day. This will be enough time to get a decent amount of Vitamin D in your system and naturally improve your mood. Pinterest is another great way to look for crafts that you can do using common items around the house.

Join or start a club or group. Going along with the common 12-step program theme of fellowship, making connections is a great way to build your strength and help pass time. Maybe you like to play kickball or really enjoy sci-fi books, why not join a team or start a book club? MeetUp is a great site to find others in your area who have similar interests and take part in activities you might enjoy.

Volunteer. Volunteering is good for the mind, body and soul. Many organizations look for volunteers year round. You can help people, animals or even offer to do some gardening or you can find places to volunteer whatever other skills you might have. I’ve often volunteered at local food pantries, when I was younger I baked muffins and cookies for hospital patients. There are plenty of ways to give back to the community and feel good about yourself, and create a stronger bond with your community as well.

As always, you should make sure that you are your number one priority. While committing to various activities and volunteer jobs, it’s important to have some “Me time.” Mediation is a good way, but also taking time out of your busy day to read a couple pages of a book or go for a walk – even if it’s around the block.

Setting weekly or monthly goals for you will help you take the next steps in your recovery process. If you give yourself something to aim for each week or month, you will feel accomplished when you finish. Goals could be as simple as, “I am going to email an old friend who I haven’t talked to in years.” Last year one of the Council members set himself a goal to write a handwritten notecard and snail mail it to someone every day of the year. Did he manage 365 days? No… but that’s ok, life happens. He did, however, send about 275 cards out – quite an accomplishment!

Keeping your goals and commitments realistic will help you keep motivated and moving forward.

Have a Happy and Healthy 2013!