Table of Contents
Gambling is undoubtedly one of the most popular entertainment options worldwide. In online and offline casinos, every year, millions engage in gambling. A gambler is willing to take risks for potential wins or profits. But at times, people tend to fall into the bottomless pits of gambling addiction without even knowing.
Gambling disorder is increasingly seen among gamblers nowadays. A problem gambler tends to engage in gambling despite repeatedly losing money. Problem gambling has much more impact than that of financial. It can develop into an obsessive gambling behavior, which can influence the personal and professional lives of the gambler.
According to the National Council on Problem Gambling, Gamblers Anonymous, and various gambling studies, it is possible to stop the gambling problem. But it takes a good amount of effort from the gambler and their friends and family. Compulsive gambling may take months and years to recover from completely. But it is essential to seek help at the right time through any gambling helpline to prevent your loved ones from sports betting and online gambling addiction.
Problem Gambling and Compulsive Gambling Addiction: How to Seek Help from Gambling Disorder?
Gambling disorder or pathological gambling is indeed an addictive disorder. Like any other addiction, people with gambling disorder exhibit severe addictive behavior. According to various gambling research, various risk factors can lead one to gambling in Australia and other parts of the world.
To know more about gambling harm and recovery from gambling, here are some insights. The following sections explain in detail how gambling prevalence affects a person addicted to gambling and how to seek help for compulsive gamblers.
Gambling Addiction: What is It?
Gambling addiction is an impulse-control disorder. Like every other behavioral addiction, gambling addiction is the inability to control specific behaviors. The time spent on gambling by a gambling addict will be relatively high. Compulsive gamblers feel an uncontrollable urge to engage in gambling despite its negative impacts.
People who develop a gambling problem will start spending unreasonable amounts of gambling money. This compulsive gambling may result in extreme addiction and can profoundly affect one’s mental and physical health.
Problems with gambling addiction are endless. Casino gambling online can essentially lead to immense economic loss. According to the economic impact study of gambling in Tasmania, a good number of gamblers struggle with severe financial losses.
Youth gambling addiction is rising at an unforeseen rate. Children and young adults are engaging in various types of gambling. Gambling indeed offers good profit occasionally. It is the sole reason for the young population to have exposure to gambling worldwide. But gambling is causing more damage than benefits.
Online betting on various gambling sites develops into a phase of addiction, which affects the health and well-being of the gamblers. The warning signs of gambling addiction include symptoms of anxiety. It will further worsen if not seeking gambling treatment.
Problem Gambling: Risk Factors that Lead to Gambling
Several risk factors make gambling happen in many people’s lives. Some of such factors that can lead to severe gambling addiction are as follows.
- Mental health issues
- Substance use disorder
- Personality disorders
- Age-related insecurities
- Financial struggles
- Peer pressure
- Entertainment
- Early winning
- Cultural factors
Gambling Disorder: Signs and Symptoms
Some many symptoms and signs can tell gambling addiction is present in a person. Some of them are as follows.
- Constant engagement in gambling
- High spending on gambling
- High Anxiety
- Constant lying
- Feeling restless
- Depression
- Risking personal and professional relations
- Financial burdens
Problem Gambler: How to Stop Gambling?
People struggling with gambling addiction might find it challenging to take control of their behavior and thoughts. They need peer support and optional cognitive behavioral therapy to return to everyday life.
However, there are many more recovery options available for people with gambling problems now. As gambling affects the physical and mental health of a person, a wholesome approach is necessary for recovery.
From minimizing gambling participation to avoiding money gambling altogether, the recovery ways are many. However, some people preoccupied with gambling may feel the urge to keep gambling no matter what. To treat gambling among such people, medications and therapy may be needed.
Australian gambling authorities have introduced various responsible gambling methods. For example, the problem gambling severity index helps people keep track of their gambling addiction.
If people with a gambling problem identify themselves as having apparent signs and symptoms, the National Gambling Authority advises them to refrain from all forms of gambling activities. They also suggest staying away from all kinds of gambling venues and seeking help immediately.
How to Help Someone from a Gambling Problem?
Helping people with the problem of gambling addiction can help them regain their lives. It is not an ideal condition to lose control of your life. As there are many treatment options available, like substance abuse treatment, it is only fair for people to support gambling addicts.
There are several institutions similar to Alcoholics Anonymous that provide professional treatment for gambling addiction. They focus on both prevention and treatment alike.
However, before proceeding to gambling addiction treatment, it is essential to diagnose whether the gambler has an addiction issue. For that, it is ideal to consult a health practitioner or expert with enough qualifications in the field.
A trained healthcare expert will collect various information from the gambler regarding the gambling frequency, gambling pattern, etc. They also carry out a detailed mental health analysis to find any signs and symptoms of addiction. After careful assessment, the health care practitioner provides a report on the possibility of gambling addiction in the person.
Once gambling addiction is diagnosed, it is time to fix a treatment protocol. There are many treatment options available, which should be chosen according to the intensity of the addiction. Severe addictions should have to be treated via regular behavioral therapy and medication.
Counseling, support groups, family therapy, etc., can resolve starting stages of gambling addiction. Some of the best options to treat and cure gambling addiction are as follows.
Self-help Groups
Self-help groups like Gamblers Anonymous are great at sharing issues with like-minded people. These groups provide ample emotional support to the patient.
Medications
Medications are highly helpful in treating the withdrawal symptoms that can exist during addiction recovery. Many patients experience depression, anxiety, and similar mental health issues during addiction. Medication is the most useful treatment option for such problems.
Therapy
Behavioral therapy is crucial to gambling addiction recovery. Behavioral therapy helps with replacing the negative notions of the addict with positive ones.
Final Word: Keep Gambling Responsibly
It is undoubtedly essential to seek professional help when coping with gambling addiction. However, recovered gambling addicts should pay much attention to not relapsing to the old ways. Restarting the old ways of gambling can only push you to deeper pits of addiction. For people who haven’t yet had any addiction history, it is better to stay away from gambling opportunities. If at all you are presented with a situation to engage in gambling, be responsible enough to stop at the right time.
FAQs
To keep gambling participation at a healthy level, you should keep a fixed limit on the amount spent. It is also advisable to check the time spent on gambling sites daily.
Sports betting can be addictive. Sports betting provides much thrill to the betters. So, players can tend to engage in betting repeatedly. This repeated betting can eventually lead to addiction.
