Assignment Task:
An 80-year-old male patient, recently widowed, has developed a habit of visiting local casinos to combat loneliness and boredom. He reports spending increasing amounts of time and money gambling, and he has begun to borrow money from friends to support his gambling habits. He expresses anxiety and guilt over his behavior but finds it difficult to stop. What would be the most appropriate first intervention for this patient? Need Assignment Help? Group of answer choices Recommend immediate abstinence from all forms of gambling Prescribe an SSRI to address underlying anxiety and depression Encourage the patient to join Gamblers Anonymous for peer support Initiate Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focused on correcting gambling-related cognitive distortions