Chasing -It's not just about the money: Clinical reflections

Abstract

Henry Lesieur's book, The Chase: Career of the Compulsive Gambler (1984), focuses on the financial aspects of pathological gamblers' increasingly desperate need to win or get even. This essay suggests that the concept of "chasing" can be extended to explore how gamblers chase in their attempt to meet emotional and spiritual needs. Clinical case examples are presented and implications for treatment are discussed.