Counselling Service

When we experience something pleasurable, such as eating food or winning money, our dopamine neurons get excited. This helps the brain to learn about pleasure and rewards, and as pleasurable things often help us to survive, the brain attempts to predict when it will happen again.

While you play the pokies your brain is trying to predict patterns, trying to anticipate future rewards. But poker machines are completely random. There is no pattern to decipher. So the more you play the more your brain is flooded with dopamine. Your brain is constantly stimulated, just like someone using cocaine. Constantly playing pokies can create changes in your brain which can lead to addiction. If you are concerned about your gambling please contact Parramatta Mission Counselling Services West Gosford on 0408 679 351 or check us out at www.problemgambling.net.au/pmcounselling.html