LETTERS AND COMMENT
‘ Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results , as Einstein may or may not have said . And so in September the minimum unit price in Scotland rose from 50p to 65p .’
BY REASON OF INSANITY
‘ Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results ,’ as Einstein may or may not have said . And so in September the minimum unit price in Scotland rose from 50p to 65p to counter the effects of inflation , with MSPs having voted to retain it past the original legislation ’ s ‘ sunset clause ’ and the Scottish Government proudly announcing that ‘ our world leading policy has saved hundreds of lives ’.
Odd then that the most recent tally of alcohol-specific deaths in Scotland is the highest number since 2008 ( DDN , Oct , p4 ). Even Public Health Scotland ’ s own report on MUP acknowledged that some alcohol-dependent people were opting to cut back spending on food and other essentials in order to buy alcohol , which should have surprised absolutely no one . And so the alcohol death figures continue to go up , and defenders of MUP continue to say it ’ s saving lives . It will be interesting to see just how long they can continue with this . My money wouldn ’ t be on them stopping any time soon . I agree that something needs to done to tackle this – better treatment provision would be a start . It just seems that MUP really isn ’ t it . Iain Rogers , by email
CRYING WOLF ?
With regards to the Parliamentary group article ( DDN , Oct , p19 ), I think that the term ‘ hazardous drinking ’ is used , frankly , to ‘ cry wolf ’. When people employ the term they do not explain that it can refer to an adult drinking as little as five large glasses of wine or five pints of ‘ premium ’ lager spread over the course of a week . The correct term in the UK is now the less impressive sounding ‘ increasing risk drinking ’.
Whilst a brief intervention could be of benefit in order that people make an informed choice I would urge caution in setting the ‘ radar ’ on such people as I believe it deliberately overstates the problem and leads people in the field open to accusations of puritanism .
Another way this is done is by using the term ‘ binge ’, the definition of which involves drinking far less than people assume from the common use of the term .
This is not to say that I am not acutely aware of the harm alcohol can do to individuals , families and communities . Niall Scott , homelessness psychologist , Manchester
ALL OR NOTHING
I enjoyed Mark Gilman ’ s article ( DDN , Oct , p25 ), but he says that the worst mistakes he ’ s made in his life are when he ’ s been clean and sober and seems to blame this state of mind , and his association with 12-step mutual aid , for derailing his life .
That seems to me as nonsensical as me saying my life fell to pieces when I was given advice and support on harm reduction . We each follow one path at a time and make choices we aren ’ t always proud of .
So while I understand Mark ’ s need to distance himself from a position where he lived through the lens of abstinence , I ’ d be more comfortable if he accepted that we don ’ t always need to believe in one modality and reject the other . That takes me back a decade to the harm reduction v recovery wars and isn ’ t helpful . Martin Ludlow , by email
ADDICTION BY DESIGN
I was very interested to read ‘ Bet Your Life ’ by Cheryl Williams ( DDN , July / Aug , p14 ). I do not work in the addiction treatment sector but found the article online during my work as a software developer working in digital product design .
As someone who works in software development and in the past has used online gambling platforms , I wanted to share some insights into how online gambling companies design their platforms to keep people coming back . There ’ s a lot of psychology at play in these designs , often borrowed from online gaming , and it ’ s set up in a way that can make gambling seriously addictive for many users .
One big technique they use is called ‘ variable rewards .’ It ’ s that idea where rewards – like winning money – come randomly , so players never know when they ’ ll hit the next jackpot . This unpredictability really gets people hooked because it builds anticipation and keeps them playing ‘ just one more time ’.
Then there ’ s ‘ gamification ,’ where gambling feels more like a video game than a traditional bet . Players get points , levels , and achievements just for playing , so it ’ s not just about the money but about feeling like they ’ re progressing or unlocking something . It ’ s easy to get lost in it without noticing how much you ’ re actually spending .
They also borrow a social proof element from gaming , with things like leaderboards or live win updates . You ’ ll see messages showing that someone else just won big , which makes it feel like wins are happening all the time and gets players thinking , ‘ Why not me next ?’ It ’ s a powerful way to encourage people to keep trying .
On top of that , there are all the little design tricks – bright colours , celebratory sounds , animations – that make every win , even tiny ones , feel like a big deal . As well as time-limited bonuses or daily rewards , which nudge people to log back in regularly so they don ’ t miss out . With all these features it ’ s easy to see how people get drawn in without realising how much they ’ re spending . But instead of blaming the individual , it ’ s crucial to recognise these designs are set up to encourage addictive behaviours and there should be a lot more information and safeguards in place to protect users of these sites . Steve Parker , by email
CAREER COMPANION
I am currently a prisoner and read your publication whenever I can get hold of a copy , as I now see it as essential reading . I have recently begun a Prisoners ’ Education Trust ( PET ) course on alcohol and drug counselling and using my lived experience in being an ex-drug user and dealer , this is a career I hope to pursue on release later next year .
I am also about to begin a prison job working with drug users across the prison . Name & prison supplied
DDN welcomes all your comments . Please email the editor , claire @ cjwellings . com , join any of the conversations on our Facebook page , or send letters to DDN , CJ Wellings Ltd , Romney House , School Road , Ashford , Kent TN27 0LT . Longer comments and letters may be edited for space or clarity .
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