Dealt A Bad Hand: Gambling Addiction

Gambling can be a fun way to spend time with friends, family, or even by yourself. If you have good luck or skill, it can also be a way to make some extra money. Some people, such as professional poker and blackjack players, are able to make a full-time living through gambling. The allure of potentially easy money is what often tempts a person into giving gambling a try. For many people, losing a few games or a small bit of money every once in a while keeps the habit in check. They are able to gamble here and there and, most importantly, can stop whenever they want to. For some people though, the high and rush of excitement that gambling provides is a bigger payout than the monetary payout they may receive. This is when gambling can become an addiction.

Understanding Gambling Addiction

Gambling becomes an addiction when it starts to overtake other aspects of a person's life and when it causes behavior changes in a person outside of their normal personality. A gambling addict will often experience highs similar to those of drug addicts. Gambling addiction is serious because it can lead to increasing financial problems, legal problems, job loss, and problems with relationships when it is not caught and dealt with early on. Gambling can cause health issues due to stress, anxiety, sleeping problems, and depression. People who are addicted to gambling are also more susceptible to drug and alcohol abuse, and the resulting problems caused by the addiction can make some people more likely to contemplate suicide.

Myths/Fact/Warning Signs

There are many myths about gambling addiction, such as one must gamble every day in order for it to become a problem, or gambling is not a problem if the person gambling can afford it. The truth is that problem gamblers may gamble on a regular basis or infrequently, and gambling becomes a problem when it begins to negatively affect the other areas of a person's life. Warning signs of gambling addiction include preoccupation with gambling, attempts to win back financial losses, gambling in an attempt to get money to take care of financial obligations, lying to family or friends to cover up the behavior, needing higher and/or more frequent payouts to get a sense of excitement, inability to stop gambling behavior when wanting to, and breaking the law to get money for gambling.

How To Get Help For Yourself

If you realize that your gambling habit is beginning to negatively affect your relationships or is starting to dominate your life, it is time to consider seeking help for the problem. The first step is telling someone, either a friend or a family member. Let them know that you realize that you have a problem with gambling and wish to seek help before the addiction further damages your life and relationships. If you feel too ashamed or embarrassed to tell a friend or family member, you could contact a therapist on your own or attend Gamblers Anonymous or another similar program.

How To Get Help For Someone You Love

Watching a friend or loved one suffer from the consequences of a gambling addiction can be devastating. You may feel the need to help them out financially if they owe a lot of debt, or you may feel frustrated or angry with them for not taking charge of their finances and habits. Either way, you must realize that you cannot change their behavior, that only they can do that. What you can do is set boundaries in regard to money requests or managing money and get support for yourself if you feel overwhelmed by a loved one's problem. You can also try to get the person to see how their gambling addiction is negatively affecting their life and relationships, and when they are ready you can help them find an appropriate therapy or counseling program.

Maintaining Recovery From a Gambling Addiction

Maintaining recovery from gambling can be difficult, but it is not impossible. If your main purpose for gambling is stress relief, a better option to relieve that stress is through exercise, meditation, or deep breathing. If the reason you gamble is to have excitement or an adrenaline rush, it would be better for you to engage in a challenging sport or hobby. If you think you can solve your money problems by gambling, you will quickly find out that the odds are not in your favor and you would be better off seeking help from a credit counselor. You may become tempted to gamble when going through recovery. You can overcome these temptations by distracting yourself with other activities, seeking support from other people, and by using visualization to think through the potential consequences.

Questions and Answers About Gamblers Anonymous

What is Problem Gambling?

It's Not Whether You Win Or Lose, But How You Play The Game

California Council on Problem Gambling

Compulsive Gambling

When Gambling Becomes a Bad Bet

Signs of Gambling Problems

Recognizing Problem Gambling Signs Among Your Friends and Loved Ones

Problem Gambling in the Workplace