Anyone from any walk of life may have gambling issues. Your gambling goes from a casual, harmless diversion to an addiction with serious consequences that is unhealthy. A gambling addiction can strain your relationships, interfere with work, and lead to financial catastrophe, whether you bet on sports, scratch cards, roulette, poker, or slots at a casino, on the track, or online. You can also do stuff like running up big debts or even stealing money to gamble that you never thought you would.
An impulse-control disorder is gambling addiction, also referred to as pathological gambling, compulsive gambling or gambling disorder. You can't control the temptation to gamble if you're a compulsive gambler, even when it has detrimental repercussions for you or your loved ones. Even if you know that the odds are against you or you can't afford to lose, you will gamble whether you're up or down, broke or flush, and you will keep gambling regardless of the consequences.
Of course, without being totally out of control, you may still have a gambling addiction. Gambling is any gambling activity that interferes with your life. If, in spite of significant consequences in your life, you are obsessed with gambling, spending more and more time and money on it, chasing losses, or gambling, you have a gambling problem.
Sometimes, a gambling addiction or problem is linked with other mood problems or behavior. Many issue gamblers often suffer from drug addiction problems, unmanaged ADHD, stress, anxiety, depression, or bipolar disorder. You'll still need to fix these and any other root factors in order to solve your gambling issues.
Although it can seem like you're helpless to quit gambling, there are plenty of things you can do to solve the problem, fix your relationships and finances, and ultimately regain control of your life.
Signs of gambling addiction
Gambling addiction is often referred to as a "hidden disease" because there are no visible physical signs or symptoms such as addiction to narcotics or alcohol. Problem gamblers often usually, often to themselves, dispute or minimize the issue. You can, however, have a problem with gambling if you:
Feel the need to keep your gambling secretive. You could be gambling in secret or lying about how much you are gambling, believing that others are not going to understand or that you are going to impress them with a huge win.
Have trouble keeping your gambling under control. Will you walk away if you start gambling? Or are you forced to gamble until your last dollar has been expended, raising your bets in a bid to win back lost money?
Even when you don't have the money, gamble. You can gamble until you spend your last dollar, and then move on to money you don't have, money to pay your children's bills, credit cards, or things. You may feel tempted to borrow, sell, or even steal items for money-gambling.
Have your friends and family concerned about you. Denial keeps the gambling epidemic alive. Listen to them closely if friends and family are concerned. Asking for support is not a sign of weakness. If they have gambled away their inheritance, many older gamblers are hesitant to reach out to their adult children, but it's never too late to make changes for the better.
