The uncontrollable urge to continue gambling despite the negative effects it has on your life is known as compulsive gambling, also known as gambling disorder. When you gamble, you’re putting something you value at risk in the hopes of winning something even more valuable.
Like alcohol or drugs, gambling can cause the brain’s reward system to become overstimulated, which can result in addiction. If you have a compulsive gambling issue, you might keep chasing bets that end in losses, deplete your savings, and put you in debt. To feed your addiction, you might hide your behavior or even start stealing or engaging in fraud.
A serious condition that can ruin lives is compulsive gambling. Even though treating compulsive gambling can be difficult, many individuals who battle the disorder have found relief through professional treatment.
Symptoms
Signs and symptoms of compulsive gambling (gambling disorder) can include:
- Being preoccupied with gambling, such as constantly planning gambling activities and how to get more gambling money
- Needing to gamble with increasing amounts of money to get the same thrill
- Trying to control, cut back on, or stop gambling without success
- Feeling restless or irritable when you try to cut down on gambling
- Gambling to escape problems or relieve feelings of helplessness, guilt, anxiety, or depression
- Attempting to recoup lost funds by gambling more (chasing losses)
- Lying to family members or others to hide the extent of your gambling
- risking or losing important relationships, a job, or school or work opportunities because of gambling.
- Asking others to bail you out of financial trouble because you gambled money away
The majority of casual gamblers either put a limit on how much they’re willing to lose or stop when they lose. However, those who have a problem with compulsive gambling feel compelled to keep gambling in order to win back their money. This behavior spirals out of control over time. To get money for gambling, some people may resort to stealing or fraud.
Periods of remission, or times when compulsive gamblers play less or not at all, are possible for some people. However, without treatment, the remission frequently ends.
When to consult a physician or mental health expert
Have your friends, coworkers, or family members expressed concern about your gambling? Then pay attention to their concerns. You might find it challenging to recognise that you have a problem because denial is almost always a component of compulsive or addictive behavior.
Causes
It’s unclear exactly what drives someone to gamble compulsively. Compulsive gambling may be brought on by a confluence of biological, genetic, and environmental factors, as is the case with many other problems.
Risk factors
Despite the fact that the majority of people who play cards or place bets never develop a gambling problem, some factors are more frequently linked to compulsive gambling:
- Mental health issues Compulsive gamblers frequently struggle with substance abuse, personality disorders, depression, and/or anxiety. Additionally, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and bipolar disorder may all be linked to compulsive gambling (ADHD).
- Age. Younger and middle-aged people are more likely to suffer from compulsive gambling. The likelihood of developing compulsive gamblings increases if a child or teenager gambles. However, compulsive gambling can also be a problem among older adults.
- Sex. Men are more likely than women to engage in compulsive gambling. Women tend to begin gambling later in life and may develop an addiction more quickly. However, the ways that men and women gamble are starting to resemble each other more.
- Influence from family or friends The likelihood that you will develop a gambling problem is higher if members of your family or close friends do.
- medications used to treat Parkinson’s disease and restless legs syndrome. Dopamine agonist medications have a rare side effect that, in some people, can lead to compulsive behaviors like gambling.
- Certain personality characteristics You may be more likely to develop compulsive gambling if you are highly competitive, a workaholic, impulsive, restless, or easily bored.
Complications
Your life may suffer significant and lasting effects from compulsive gambling, including:
- Relationship problems
- Financial problems, including bankruptcy
- Legal problems or imprisonment
- Poor work performance or job loss
- Poor general health
- Suicide, suicide attempts, or suicidal thoughts
Prevention
Although there isn’t a surefire way to stop a gambling problem, educational programmes that focus on at-risk individuals and groups may be beneficial. If you are at risk for compulsive gambling, you may want to avoid gambling in any form, gambling-related people, and gambling-related environments. To help stop gambling Launch casino online from getting worse, seek help as soon as a problem arises.
