06 Apr Gambling Addiction: Everything You Need to Know
Are you or your loved ones find it hard to control their urge to gamble or are you suffering from gambling addiction?
Then don’t worry here in this article we are going to tell you everything about gambling addiction signs, symptoms, and treatment.
What Is Gambling?
Gambling is a type of game or activity in which one risks money and valuable objects intending to win money. For instance, cards, lotteries, bingo, internet gambling, dice, video lottery terminal, private sports betting, sports lotteries, betting on billiards or pools, casino games, and many more.
Many people play it for fun on special occasions by knowing that they will lose or gain, so that’s why they bet only that sum of money that they can afford to lose.
However, for some individuals gambling can lead to many other serious problems if they get addicted to it.
But the question is how one can find out if he is addicted to gambling or not. So, let’s talk about this gambling addiction.
What Is Gambling Addiction?
Gambling addiction is also known by the names of compulsive gambling, pathological gambling, and gambling disorder, which is the unmanageable yearning to keep playing gamble, not caring about any economic situation of life.
According to DMS-5 which is the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder, 5th edition, gambling disorder is the first recognized non-substance behavioral addiction.
You know that gambling addiction is not only harmful to your economic condition but also psychological and physical health.
Those who are addicted to gambling might experience migraine, depression, distress, intestinal disorder, and many other anxiety-related problems.
More to this gambling addiction may also lead to the feeling of despondency and helplessness and this might lead to attempts at suicide. And also it can negatively affects your relationship with your loved ones.
In that case, you must consult a professional psychiatrist in Patna for a proper counselling.
Now let’s proceed further and look at the symptoms of gambling addiction.
Symptoms Of Gambling Addiction
If you are in confusion about whether you are suffering from gambling addiction or just playing for fun then you can find it out in this section of this article, we are going to tell you about some signs and symptoms of gambling disorder.
Gambling addiction symptoms may include the following:
- Lying to family or friends to satisfy the urge of gambling
- The irritable or restless feeling when trying to hold oneself from playing a gamble
- Chasing losses without thinking you might lose more money in the process
- Can risk any important relation, school, job, or work opportunities for gambling
- Asking for financial help from others as you lose all your money in the gamble
- Gambling to escape from any kind of situation or negative feelings such as helplessness, anxiety, depression, or guilt
- Trying to control gambling but not getting any success
- Always try to gamble, when the sum of the amount you have an increase
- Always planning to do gambling activities and thinking of making more money through gambling
- Feeling guilty after playing a gamble
- Not even think twice to steal money for gambling
- Can sell any valuable possession for gambling
It is also seen that it is not necessary that those who are suffering from gambling addiction, gamble frequently. But the thing is when these people start they cannot stop themselves.
Even after reading the above risk factors you cannot figure out if you are a gambling addict or not then there is a page for gambling addiction tests, named PSYCOM.
There they will ask you some yes and no questions and your email id, then after submitting your answers and email id they will let you know whether you are ok or an addict.
But keep in mind this is not a diagnostic tool after their reply we recommend you to go and consult your doctors for better help and diagnosis.
Now you know about gambling addiction and its symptoms. So let’s look at the reasons which can cause gambling addiction.
What Causes Gambling Addiction?
It is still not known what causes gambling addiction but the following are some risk factors that we think can cause someone to gamble.
- Mental health issues like bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, attention deficit, substance misuse problems, depression, or anxiety.
- If your nearer or dearer ones play gamble then there are chances of you might doing gamble.
- Age can also be one of the factors as it has been seen that gambling disorder is more common among youngsters and middle age people.
- Side effects of some medications used to treat Parkinson’s disease and restless legs syndrome.
Now you might be wondering if gambling addiction can be cured or not. Yes, gambling addiction can be cured. How? This we are going to tell you in the coming section of this article.
So be with us till last to know about the treatment for gambling addiction.
How Is Gambling Addiction Treated?
As we told you earlier that gambling addiction can be treated but for this, you need to learn how to develop a healthy and balanced relationship with money.
If you think you have a gambling addiction then leave this go and talk with a therapist they will help you in your recovery and develop control of your urge.
Following are some treatments which your doctors might tell you:
Inpatient Rehabilitation Program
This treatment will help you to leave your gambling addiction if you find it hard to avoid any casinos or other gambling venues.
In this treatment, you will need to stay with the treatment facility for at least 30 days to a year, depending on your condition.
Outpatient Rehabilitation Programs
Outpatient treatment is the best and most comfortable treatment for your addiction as in this you don’t need to leave your daily routine.
In this, you have to attend the classes of your facility while doing your daily jobs, school, and many other necessary things.
Twelve-Step Programs
If you are financially weak and cannot afford rehabilitation programs then there is an effective and cheap treatment also available which is a twelve-step program.
In this program, you will meet a group of members who leave their addiction to gambling which might lead you to inspire from then and leave your addiction.
Psychotherapy Or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
In this treatment, you will be given counseling which will help you to open up and change yourself to feel detached from your gambling addiction.
Medication
As we told earlier, gambling addiction can also be caused because of some mental health problems such as bipolar disorder, stress, depression, and many more.
If you have a gambling addiction because of these conditions then you might need to take some medication to cure your gambling addiction.
So these are some treatments that might help you to leave your gambling addiction. If these don’t work, consider going to the best de addiction centre in Patna.
Conclusion
Gambling addiction can leave a negative impact on your financial condition, physical health, relationships, and mental health. So, if you want to spend a beautiful and happy life then try to leave your addiction as soon as possible.
It is recommended to get treatment from the early sign as it will help you leave and prevent gambling from becoming worse.
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