August 16, 2026
I'm a Gambling Addiction Psychologist — Here's Why You Can't Stop Gambling | Dr. Michael Zhang
Dr. Michael Zhang is a PhD psychologist whose work focuses on gambling addiction and behavioral change in the modern digital environment — and in this episode of Locked In with Ian Bick, he tells the complete truth about what gambling addiction really is, why it starts, how online gambling and sports betting have created the most dangerous and most accessible addiction environment in history, what it actually takes for someone to finally get help and enter recovery, and what the psychological reality of rebuilding looks like for the people who make it through. _____________________________________________ #gambling #casino #psychology #addictionrecovery _____________________________________________ Connect with Dr. Michael Zhang: Website: https://incumental.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@drmikezhang Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.mikezhang TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drmikezhang LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmikezhang _____________________________________________ Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick: https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en https://ianbick.com/ _____________________________________________ Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction: Meet Dr. Michael Zhang 00:18 Dr. Zing's Background and Path to Gambling 01:15 Getting Into Gambling Treatment 03:47 Defining Gambling Addiction 06:13 Recreational Gambling vs. Addiction 06:55 Gambling in Prisons 12:22 The Gambling Industry's Reach 13:20 Prediction Markets: A New Gambling Front 14:17 Celebrities and Influencers Promoting Gambling 19:00 Understanding the Gambling Mode 20:55 Activating the Gambling Mode 23:10 Ian's Story: When Gambling Becomes Survival 24:29 The Birth of a Gambling Mode 26:00 Big Wins and the Illusion of Freedom 29:27 Naming the Gambling Mode 33:59 Naming the Recovery Mode 36:00 Gambling vs. Building a Life 38:28 The Elusiveness of Gambling Wins 41:40 Fake Wins and Real Worth 46:48 Rebuilding and Walking Away 53:20 The Message of Thanks and Goodbye 57:57 A Message to the Younger Self 01:04:09 Gambling and Suicidal Thoughts 01:07:14 Activating Recovery Mode 01:10:01 Supporting Loved Ones with Gambling Addiction 01:12:34 The Ripple Effect of Gambling _____________________________________________ To advertise on the show, contact sales@advertisecast.com or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/LockedInWithIanBicka
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