CALDA Way for Said

Home CALDA Way for Said

Profile

Name: Said
Gender: male
Age 42
Place of residence: Arabian Peninsula
Relationship status: unmarried, single
Profession: leading position in a family company

Challenges

Upon his entry to the CALDA Clinic, Said describes his ongoing occupation with his gambling addiction. His addiction consumes his entire thoughts and feelings, almost like an obsession. He analyses his reaction to wins and losses highly precisely. He tries to create correlations between cause and effect and to draw conclusions for the next game. Said speaks of flashbacks whenever he emotionally reverts to moments of losing or winning. The notorious development of strategies on how to balance losses or increase wins is comparable with hyperarousal. He is anxious and has difficulties getting to sleep.

In the morning, Said feels defeated, while his gastrointestinal tract reacts with sensitivity. He complains about increased hair loss, diffuse joint pains and mouches volantes (vitrous opacity). Social contacts and other leisure activities suffer as a result of his gambling addiction. In his management position in a family company, Said is only inputting half his potential. Finally, he starts to take large amounts of money from the company for gambling and to lie to his father. As a result, Said develops feelings of shame and guilt.

Since his childhood, the oldest son in the family has experienced the pressure of high expectations. He is a good student. During his education in America, Said comes into contact with casinos through friends. During his study time, the gambling increases and after completing his studies with excellence, Said plays alone more and more. He experiences an instant buzz. Gambling increases his sense of self-awareness. Elegant clothing, shows and expensive dinners transport him to a different world and have a great fascination on him. After his return to Arabia, several years of on and off with excessive games and breaks in games with high profits and losses follow. Said plays in the biggest casinos in the world. His unlimited credibility increases the downwards spirals with incredible additional losses.

Objectives and Diagnosis
Therapy Plan
Progression of Therapy
Conclusion and Continuation of Treatment

Objectives and Diagnosis

Objectives
Said wants to quit gambling, lose weight and find joyful energy again.

Diagnosis
Upon his entry to the CALDA Clinic, Said is diagnosed with internal post-prandial stomach cramps. Mentally, a so-called pathological playing is present. The orthomolecular analyses show an increased risk of diabetes type 2 and cardiovascular diseases and a slight weakness in the adrenal glands. Furthermore, manifest micronutrient deficits are present and a deep anti-oxidative capacity. The circadian rhythm has been shifted.

Therapy Plan

Our team of experts develop the following therapy plan for Said after carefully checking all results:

For Said, a finely tuned micronutrient substitution is put together in three phases – initial phase, restoration phase and retention phase. A personalised nutrition and lifestyle plan supports weight loss and emotional stabilisation. The psychoeducation about addiction and its consequences, neurobiochemical correlations and stress management are highly important. Under instruction of the coach, the 12-step program from Gamblers Anonymous is carried out.

Progression of Therapy

At the beginning of the therapy, relaxation techniques such as progressive muscle relaxation based on Jacobson and relaxation hypnosis facilitate the entry into and establishment of a viable therapeutic relationship. Through stress management, chronobiological measures, alpha stimulation and psychotherapy, we can achieve emotional stabilisation and normalise the circadian rhythm. Said needs clear guidance, as he is continually trying to digress into his analytical-logical pattern of thought. Using clinical hypnosis and EMDR and incorporating the subconscious, we can reach the emotional level. Shame, guilt, sadness and anger become perceptible

Trauma-therapeutic techniques are used to process key events with enormous financial losses. The challenge is to incorporate the intensive endorphin-charged moments of wins equally and to make the long-term negative balance noticeable. The targeted development of resources that can satisfy Said’s willingness to take risks in an almost equal measure to gambling reduce the risk of recurrence.  The gift of an excellent educational imagination allows Said to develop symbols and metaphors that he deeply embodies through self-hypnosis.

The coaching of the 12-step program from Gamblers Anonymous including the identification of highly risky triggers, cross addictions, recurrence prophylaxes and the development of positive cognitions supplement the psychiatric-psychotherapeutic work in an excellent way. The relationship to his parents, which is linked with feelings of guilt and shame, is also highlighted. A positive future vision helps to place the focus on coping strategies.

Towards the end of the therapy, Said begins to develop specific projects for future commercial success and to create a book of duties. Specifically putting together glycemically balanced meals reduces inner unrest and contributes to balancing mood. Moderate cardio training and yoga help with weight loss and stress breakdown. Attention is given to a regular day/night rhythm with alpha stimulation before going to bed. Sleep quality is thus improved, while inner unrest and fear are reduced.

Conclusion and Continuation of Treatment

Said is highly motivated during the entire course of therapy. The biochemical restoration can be completed. It will include the nutrition and lifestyle plan, yoga and acupuncture, as it has contributed to a massive improvement in his body feeling and fitness. His mood is significantly lifted. Diverse techniques for resource activation are firmly established. The 12-step coaching is continued. Said has found contact with his feelings, learning to withstand them, to deal with them and to grow with them. He has to pay attention to a balanced work-life balance. The Continuing Care Program includes regular Skype sessions with the personal coach and a re-evaluation of the micronutrient mixture three months later.