Gambling has become a multi-million dollar business in many parts of the world. And with the house always having an edge, there are typically more losers than winners. As online gambling continues to become popular, the gambling epidemic is only getting worse.
Taking risks is inherent in human beings. Whether individuals opt to take risks gambling or opening new business opportunities; human beings engage in activities of chance daily knowing full well that there may be potential risks and rewards.
Great otherwise unforeseen opportunities are discovered from taking risks. However, when this increased desire to take risks takes over your life, problems that cause harm tend to arise. When they do, something must be done to mitigate the problem.
What exactly is problem gambling?
For most individuals, gambling can be a fun way to unwind from the stresses of day to day life. The element of risk versus rewards is something that gives a lot of punters a rush of excitement. The fact that you stand a chance to walk away with huge winnings is usually a bonus.
However, as is the case with most activities, going overboard can transform what should be a great source of fun and enjoyment into a debilitating source of pain. This is exactly what problem gambling is; a compulsive behavior that has numerous negative physical, social and psychological repercussions.
In psychological circles, problem gambling is often referred to as the silent addiction. Unlike other addictive behavior such as excessive eating, drinking or drug abuse, the symptoms of problem gambling are hard to sass out or detect. A perfectly healthy person, with a well-to-do job, and a great family can be addicted to gambling for years without ever exhibiting any danger signs.
Problem gambling typically starts to manifest itself when troubles start arising in a punter’s life. Such problems vary but may include job loss, getting into mounting debt, relationship problems, stress, anxiety, depression, and even suicide. Problem gambling tends to start slow. However, gradually, it can take over a person’s entire existence, making it difficult to carry out normal day to day tasks.
Problem gambling is usually very hard to control. This is because the brain becomes conditioned to wanting more and more. If the situation goes on without any intervention, an individual’s brain wiring can become considerably altered and resetting one to normal standards can take months if not years.
How can you tell when someone that you love is in danger of developing a gambling problem?
As stated above, problem gambling is one of the hardest things to diagnose because it does not manifest itself in an apparent manner like other addictive tendencies. As such, it can be difficult to pinpoint when gambling has gone out of hand. A common reaction, however, among problem gamblers is the need to minimize or deny the problem.
Gambling addiction is generally harmful, both mentally and physically as individuals that live with this problem tend to experience feelings of depression, distress, apprehension, and other anxiety-related problems.
According to Kate Huber, chief editor at NJGamblingFun, ‘’some problem gamblers try to hide their gambling and some even go to the extent of lying about how much time or money they have dedicated to the practice. Problem gambling is not only harmful to the punters themselves, but others around them too’’.
Though hard to detect in the beginning, the good news is that several signs can notify you when your loved one has a problem. Here are 6 signs that indicate that someone you love may have a gambling problem:
Your loved one is obsessed
It starts small but slowly, gambling becomes an obsession. If your loved one is constantly talking about it and reliving past experiences, then there is a good chance that he or she could be a problem gambler.
Regardless of how many times they promise to quit, problem gamblers never actually do it. You will find them constantly making bets, even when they do not have the money or time for it.
He or she continues to lie about gambling
To avoid being found out, most problem gamblers will go to great lengths to conceal how much they bet. They may do so by hiding receipts, payslips or bank statements, especially if it is taking a toll on theirs or the family finances.
Household items and valuable suddenly go missing
As the gambling problem worsens, you may begin to notice things of value missing. Problem gamblers are known to steal from their loved ones particularly when they run out of funds to support their gambling habit.
He or she continues to gamble despite the consequences
If your loved one continues to gamble anyway despite mounting debt and financial problems, then they clearly have a problem. Your loved one may use guilt induction as a way of shifting blame for their gambling.
You notice unexplained mood changes
As mentioned earlier, gambling triggers the same release of feel-good chemicals as drugs. When this feeling wears off, your loved one might start exhibiting feelings of depression, nervousness, anxiety, and frustration. If left unchecked, these feelings can spiral quickly even leading to suicide.
Dysfunction in day to day life
Gambling can take a toll, especially when it has gone out of hand. When it does, you will start to notice your loved one having problems in their professional and personal life. He or she may start withdrawing from social life and even end relationships altogether as a result.
Final Thoughts
Gambling becomes a problem when an individual is no longer able to control themselves and when it starts causing a negative impact in any area of a gambler’s life. For people suffering from problem gambling, the need to gamble is equivalent to wanting a drink when you are an alcoholic or wanting to do drugs as an addict.
As such, if you suspect that your loved one might have a gambling problem, the best thing that you can do for them is find them professional help. A trained professional will be able to give them a detailed assessment of the problem as well as develop a treatment plan based on their personal needs. You must get them help sooner rather than later before the problem escalates.
