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Episode details

Radio 4,23 Feb 2026,14 mins

Series Impulsive

6. Chasing Losses

Shadow World

Available for over a year

Lucy鈥檚 on her lunchbreak when she tries her first scratchcard - soon, she鈥檚 hooked. She鈥檚 never been interested in gambling before, but after a few months the glove compartment of her car is full of scratchcards. And then she starts gambling online鈥 Lucy鈥檚 taking a medication called Aripiprazole for her mental health condition. It鈥檚 a partial dopamine agonist - a different mechanism to the dopamine agonist drugs used for Parkinson鈥檚 and Restless Legs Syndrome that we鈥檝e heard about in previous episodes. But it鈥檚 got similar side effects. For Lucy, this means compulsive eating, hypersexuality - and a gambling problem that鈥檚 spiralling out of control. Details of organisations offering help and support with some of the issues raised are available at bbc.co.uk/actionline. If you have any concerns about medication you鈥檙e taking, speak to your doctor. Presenter: Noel Titheradge Producer: Lucy Burns Editor: Matt Willis A 麻豆社 News Long Form Audio production

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