Choices Counseling Center

08/10/2026

Different Games, Same Hook
At first glance, gambling in a casino, buying lottery tickets, betting on the Internet, trading cryptocurrency, and day trading stocks may look completely different. But they have something important in common: they all can create the belief that money can be made quickly and easily. The person begins thinking, “Maybe this is my opportunity to turn a little money into a lot of money.” That is the get-rich-quick hook.
Another similarity is the emotional excitement that comes from uncertainty. Will the stock go up? Will the cryptocurrency take off? Will the lottery numbers hit? Will the casino give me a winning hand? In each situation, the person is waiting for an uncertain outcome, and that uncertainty can produce excitement, anticipation, and sometimes an intense desire to keep going after a loss.
Finally, all of these activities can lead to chasing. A person loses money and begins thinking, “I can get it back if I just make the right move.” The focus changes from making a reasonable financial decision to recovering what was lost. At that point, the activity can become less about investing or entertainment and more about the emotional pursuit of winning back money. Different names, different platforms, different rules—but sometimes the same psychological hook: risk money now for the hope of getting much more money back quickly.

Mike Mooney
Sent from my iPhone

07/23/2026

Why Recovery Is Worth It – Looking at the Pros and Cons
When someone is caught up in problem gambling, it can feel like gambling is giving them something. It may provide excitement, a temporary escape from stress, or the hope of winning back money. But those short-term rewards usually come with a much bigger price. Gambling often leads to financial problems, broken trust, anxiety, depression, and feeling trapped. Recovery isn’t always easy. It takes honesty, patience, and the willingness to change old habits. There may be cravings and difficult days, but those challenges become easier to manage with time.
The benefits of recovery are much greater than the benefits of continuing to gamble. Recovery gives people the chance to stop living in crisis mode. Instead of worrying about the next bet, they can begin paying off debts, rebuilding trust with family and friends, sleeping better, and feeling proud of themselves again. Many people rediscover simple pleasures they had forgotten about—spending time with loved ones, enjoying hobbies, laughing, and experiencing peace of mind. They no longer have to live with the guilt, lies, and fear that gambling often brings.
As you think about your own recovery, ask yourself this question: “Where will gambling take me if I keep going, and where will recovery take me if I stay committed?” Gambling usually promises happiness but delivers pain. Recovery asks for effort, but it gives back something much more valuable: freedom, self-respect, healthier relationships, financial stability, and hope for the future. Recovery isn’t about giving something up—it is about getting your life back, one day at a time.

Mike Mooney
Sent from my iPhone

05/09/2026

Many problem gamblers tie their self-esteem to winning and competition. Gambling can become more than just trying to make money — it becomes a way to feel important, successful, or worthy. Winning gives them confidence and emotional validation, while losing can feel personal and damaging to their sense of self.

Because of this, gamblers may continue chasing wins not only to recover money, but also to restore their self-worth. Over time, they may begin to believe that winning means they are successful and losing means they are failures. In therapy, an important goal is helping clients separate their value as a person from gambling outcomes and develop healthier sources of confidence and self-esteem. If you or someone you know has problem gambling issues, call:
1 800 GAMBLER or call
Choices Counseling: 586 350 6800 for a free screening
Mike Mooney

01/11/2026

https://www.buzzsprout.com/2147808/episodes/18258614

In this episode of Double Down Michigan, MGCB Executive Director Henry Williams speaks with Mike Mooney, founder of Choices Counseling Center in Roseville, about his work helping individuals and families affected by gambling addiction. Drawing on ...

01/09/2026

https://jr-afternoon.simplecast.com/episodes/sports-gambling-addiction-rising-among-young-adults-pOS4Q0Yd

January 7, 2026 ~ Mike Mooney, Michigan Problem Gambling expert and CEO of Choices Counseling Center, joins Ryan to discuss the rise of sports gambling addiction among the younger generations.

11/21/2025

Gambling Withdrawal: Anhedonia and the Hijacked Brain 11/20/2025
Anhedonia is a psychological condition characterized by the inability to experience pleasure in activities that were once enjoyable. It involves a persistent loss of interest and pleasure in social, physical, and other activities, which can be a symptom of various mental health conditions like depression, anxiety and addictive disorders.
The main cause of anhedonia is a disruption in the brain's reward system, particularly involving the neurotransmitter dopamine, which involves a shortage of dopamine receptors. (the hijacked brain).
Symptoms
* Loss of interest: A diminished ability to experience joy in formerly pleasurable activities, such as hobbies, social interactions, or relationships.
* Lack of motivation: This can involve a lack of drive or desire to seek out rewarding experiences, leading to social withdrawal or an inability to make plans.
* Emotional blunting: A general feeling of emptiness, detachment, or being disconnected from emotions.
* Physical effects: Anhedonia can also be accompanied by other physical symptoms, such as unintentional weight changes or trouble sleeping.
* Impact on mental health: Untreated anhedonia can worsen other mental health conditions, and it is linked to a higher risk of self-harm and suicidal thoughts.
When a social player crosses the line into compulsive gambling, brain chemistry goes through some subtle changes. The high levels of pleasurable escape, excitement, stimulation and arousal experienced when "in action" with gambling appears to reroute dopamine away from other once pleasurable activities back to the highly enjoyable, rewarding experience of gambling. When a gambler attempts to quit playing the games, many players experience a "gambling withdrawal" where the negative symptoms of anhedonia are the predominant features with moods and emotions.
With the application of recovery principles, over time, these symptoms become less apparent and a return of normal brain chemistry is possible... We do recover!

09/27/2025

Compulsive gambling: Increased gambling obsession with diminishing returns
Compulsive gambling often follows a curve of diminishing returns-both
emotionally and financially. Early wins, vivid near-misses, and the novelty
of risk create a powerful surge of excitement. Over time, though, the brain
adapts. The same bet yields less thrill, and the gambler needs larger stakes
or more frequent play to recapture the original high. This is a classic
tolerance pattern: more input for less payoff. Increased risks and
unpredictable rewards keep hope alive, but each additional hour or dollar
tends to buy a smaller and smaller sense of satisfaction.

"Chasing losses" feels rational-get back to even and walk away-but in
practice, it increases risk without changing the unfavorable odds.
Escalating bets to recover quickly result in a paradox: the more intensely
one tries to dig out, the more entrenched the losses become.

Compulsive gambling also erodes the ability to hold financial goals in view.
Savings, debt payoff, education funds, a cushion for emergencies-these
long-term aims are gradually crowded out by the immediate, emotionally
charged task of placing the next bet. In that mindset, people often redouble
their efforts precisely when they should pause. Seen this way, compulsive
gambling is a machine that converts focus and resources into diminishing
emotional highs and widening financial setbacks. Mike Mooney

12/06/2024

The three phases of Internet Gambling:
One: the dating phase
Two: the honeymoon phase
Three: the domestic violence phase
In my professional capacity as a therapist, I act as your divorce attorney. If you, or someone you know has gambling problems, Michigan is in the process of changing the helpline number to 1 800 GAMBLER.