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Dr. Timothy Fong is a board-certified addiction psychiatrist, Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at UCLA’s Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, and Co-Director of the UCLA Gambling Studies Program. He also serves as President of the American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry. Dr. Fong specializes in gambling disorder, behavioral addictions, and substance use disorders, with a focus on understanding how addiction affects the brain and developing evidence-based strategies for prevention, treatment, and long-term recovery. Through his clinical work and research at UCLA, he helps individuals and families recognize addictive behaviors, overcome their consequences, and rebuild healthier lives.

Today on the show we discuss the alarming rise of online gambling addiction among young men, how big wins and near misses fuel the brain’s reward system, the warning signs that gambling has crossed into addiction, how shame and financial devastation can destroy families, the four pillars of lasting recovery, and how to rebuild trust and take back control of your life and much more.