The title image is a symbolic image.
A woman from England suffers from a neurological condition. She seeks help to do something about her symptoms. In the process, she becomes addicted to gambling but receives a hefty compensation.
What problem does the woman have? The lady from England suffers from Restless Legs Syndrome. This is a neurological condition that affects the legs (via NHS).
- Affected individuals have an urge to move constantly. If they do not, it can lead to uncomfortable tingling in the legs, and sometimes even involuntary twitching.
- In severe cases, the symptoms can occur daily and significantly restrict the lives of those affected.
- Neurologists suspect that the condition is related to the chemical substance dopamine. Dopamine is responsible for increasing motivation and anticipation in people and controls muscle movements.
In milder cases, the NHS (National Health Service of England) states that it is sufficient for those affected to exercise, quit smoking, or find a healthy sleep routine. Patients with more severe symptoms are prescribed medication to regulate the dopamine level. However, this went drastically wrong for the aforementioned woman.
Woman becomes addicted to Candy Crush, receives compensation
What did the medication lead to? The medication that was prescribed to the woman acts as a dopamine agonist: it activates dopamine receptors and thus regulates the dopamine level. However, this can lead to 17% of all users of the medication developing a disorder in impulse control.
The woman seems to belong to the 17% of those affected: she became addicted to the mobile game Candy Crush and other virtual slot machines within a few weeks. The lady from England presumably invested her money in digital gold bars. In Candy Crush, these can be purchased for real money to acquire moves, tickets, lives, boosters, or new levels. How much the woman actually spent is unknown.
However, we know what the NHS reimbursed her: The national health service of England paid the woman an amount of almost 206,000 euros.
Why did the NHS have to pay this amount? The woman’s expenses are said to be due to medical negligence. She was switched to a medication called pramipexole. However, as the NHS admitted, her general practitioner did not inform her that gambling addiction could be a possible side effect.
Here you can find help for gambling addiction & prevention:
– BZgA – Federal Centre for Health Education
– Playing Responsibly (BZgA)
– Check Your Game (BZgA)
Additionally, the woman’s general practitioner prescribed her double the recommended dose of pramipexole.
MMORPGs also pose the risk of making players addicted. The possible reasons for this and where you as an affected person can seek help is explained by MeinMMO in collaboration with a psychologist in the following article: Why are MMORPGs addictive? We asked a psychologist
