Birches Health's Bobbe McGinley in Business Insider Crypto Addiction Story

Birches Health clinical director Bobbe McGinley is featured in a new Business Insider feature story (paywall) about cryptocurrency trading addiction and the impact it is having on families across the U.S.

Here are some of the key details from the article and quotes from our own Bobbe McGinley:

• Crypto addiction can mirror gambling addiction, driven by excitement and potential financial gain.

• While navigating the notoriously volatile crypto market, some can't see the excessive risk that lies beyond what they see as opportunities to strike it rich.

• Many eventually get into trouble and need to seek professional help.

• Some counseling care providers like Birches Health now offer crypto-related services, which have become more popular in recent years, according to professionals in the space.

• Bobbe McGinley, clinical director of Birches Health, said, "These individuals often spend considerable amounts of time daily on trading activities (neglecting other areas of their lives) and highly value social status and success, being highly competitive."

• "Reported negative consequences are not rare and can be varied: from marital conflicts, financial losses and lawsuits to adverse psychological outcomes," McGinley added.

• Some clients are involved in illegal activity, which can result in their absences from therapy sessions. "Cryptocurrency frauds and scams, ranging from phishing, Ponzi schemes and pyramid schemes, to market manipulation, have been growing in frequency and magnitude over the past years, inflicting considerable financial losses on victims, and becoming an issue of significant concern," McGinley said.

• "Individuals involved often do not report for therapy, support, and assistance due to the complexity of their shame, and stress and anxiety about potential consequences," McGinley added.