Gambling Addiction – How To Recognize The Problem and Deal With It

Frequently Asked Questions

What is it like having a gambling addiction?

Despite the numerous gambling rehab options and advice for dealing with gambling addiction, some of the most prominent side effects of being a gambling addict are often not clearly explained. If you’re a gambling addict, you probably lead a double life. You know gambling is bad for you, but over time, your social and family life slowly disappear. Your double lives begin to merge and your casino addiction or sports gambling addiction takes over. You begin experiencing the downside of gambling, including clinical depression and even suicidal thoughts.

Is gambling a mental illness?

Often referred to as a hidden illness, a gambling disorder doesn’t have the same physical symptoms as drug/alcohol addiction. Gambling addicts typically deny or downplay the problem. However, pathological gambling is classified as an impulse-control disorder. Gambling addiction symptoms include everything from sleeping problems to extreme headaches and weight loss. 

For many people, gambling is nothing more than a leisure activity. But it turns into a problem when a person can no longer control their gambling habits. It quickly begins affecting their relationships, finances, and their professional life. As the gambling addiction worsens, addicts lose control of their life.

Why do people get addicted to gambling?

Many factors contribute to compulsive gambling, including mental health disorders, certain types of medication, as well as personal traits. Compulsive gambling is more likely to develop in younger people, which is why child gambling and addiction is one particular area of public concern.      

How bad is a gambling addiction?

Pathological gambling can have adverse consequences on a person’s psychological and physical health. People who struggle with this addiction often experience distress, migraines, depression, intestinal disorders, and other anxiety-related problems. Much like other addictions, the consequences of gambling addiction can make a person feel helpless and despondent.

How do you beat a gambling addiction?

There are a number of steps that one can take to overcome a gambling addiction. Start by admitting you have a problem. Once you do that, you should consider visiting a gambling addiction forum to learn about other people’s struggles and eventually join a support group. You should also consider CBT, which provides addicts with cognitive tools to help them resist the urge to gamble.

Can a gambler ever stop?

Everyone can stop gambling, but it takes a lot of determination. For many compulsive gamblers, stopping is not the biggest challenge – it’s staying away from gambling in the long run. This is more difficult in the digital age, with a rich selection of platforms fuelling the online gambling addiction.