Everything To Know About Gambling Addiction

Problem Gambling

Problem gambling or compulsive gambling is an uncontrollable issue. It is defined by the situation when punters spend hours in front of the system playing casino games. Players who spend hours on gambling can develop addiction towards the game. This can lead to behavioral changes, psychological complexities, and compulsive behavior, which will surely have a devastating impact on a person’s overall health. On an average, it is seen that more than 80% of young enthusiasts in Australia participate in gambling, which afterwards becomes an addition.

Symptoms

If you are unsure whether you or your friends suffer from a gambling addiction, consider these symptoms.

Financial Signs

• Not much saving left.
• Look for alternatives to clear debts.
• Finding it difficult to meet the basic needs.
• Not providing the valuables to your dependents.

Emotional Signs

• Do not like to share things like before.
• Seems depressed or anxious.
• Constant mood swings.
• Restlessness.
• Lack of interest in hanging out with friends.

Behavioral Signs

• Ignores work-life or studies.
• Do not spend time with family or doing things they used to do.
• Stealing money.
• Having conflicts with others over money.
• Aversion towards family gatherings.
• Waking up too late.

Health-related Symptoms

• Difficulty in getting sleep.
• Does not like to eat food or binge eating.
• Headaches.
• Bowel issues.

Risk Factors

Usually, gamblers who have control over how they play do not develop any gambling addiction. However, if they develop, the risk factors associated with them are:

• Age:

It is more associated with middle-aged and young people. But the risk is higher in players starting gambling from their teenage years.

• Mental Health Disorders:

Players gambling frequently can suffer from anxiety, personality disorder, abuse problems, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), bipolar disorder, etc.

• Influenced by friends:

If your friend has a gambling addiction, there is a higher chance you can get it.
Personality Characteristics: People with certain personality characteristics, like a workaholic, highly competitive, restless, impulsive, etc., have higher chances to get addicted to gambling.

Diagnosis

If you doubt that you or your friend is addicted to problem gambling, ask for gambling help online. The process to evaluate the problem is:

• Visit A Doctor:

When you visit a doctor, you will need to answer some questions. After that, the response of the person can indicate if you are a victim.

• Reviewing Your Report:

The doctors will review your medical report and decide what medication the patient must be given. If so, you must visit a psychiatrist.

• A Psychiatric Assessment:

A psychiatrist will ask questions based on your feeling, symptoms, thoughts, behavior pattern, etc.

• The Right Diagnosis:

Depending on your status, the doctor will provide the right diagnosis, following which you can eliminate the addiction soon.

Gambling Addiction Treatment

There is no specific treatment that you should opt for to prevent gambling addiction. The gambling addiction treatment depends on what problems you are facing. The right procedure includes:

• Rehab Program:

These programs are specifically designed to help players overcome gambling addiction.

• Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy:

It concentrates on unhealthy gambling behavior that players can develop. In this gambling help tool, you will be taught how to get involved in several other things instead of only investing time in betting. It helps in solving financial, personal, and work-related issues. The therapy seems to be quite effective if you get it from the right place.

• Underlying Conditions Treatment:

Compulsive gambling can lead to exacerbation of such mental issues, like ADHD, anxiety, depression, or OCD. If you have any of these problems, the treatment is to opt for medication or therapy.

• Counseling Or Family Therapy:

The counseling sessions can help you with specific issues, like career or marriage. It also lays the foundation for finances and relationships.

Self-Help For Gambling Problems

Two kinds of people affected by gambling addictions can be recognized. One group knows that they have developed a gambling addiction, but are scared to accept it. Another group is those who never claim that they have developed a disorder. Realizing that you are addicted to gambling is the first aspect. Also, if you do not make up your mind, there is no way anyone can overcome it. The self-help for gambling addiction is:

• Developing Positive Thinking:

Do you prefer gambling when you are upset or feeling bored? Do you like gambling when you are stressed out working the entire day? The development of healthy habits and positive thinking can help you overcome addiction.

• Seeking Guidance For Underlying Mood disorder:

Stress, depression, anxiety, abuse, etc., can lead to problem gambling. Therefore, it is better to address them first.

How Casinos Encourage Responsible Gaming?

Many punters may not notice that a reputed and licensed website always encourages responsible gaming. It is an exciting way to spend free time, but playing continuously can affect your lifestyle. The ways casinos encourage responsible gambling are:

• Maintaining A Higher Deposit Limit:

Some casinos maintain a higher deposit limit ensuring responsible gaming.

• Including Account Restrictions:

Some websites have higher account restrictions for time you spend on the site, which means they do not want you to get addicted to gambling.

Resources And Support

In case you develop a gambling addiction, there are a few support facilities and resources to get help. They are:

1. Gamblers Anonymous Australia – https://gaaustralia.org.au
2. Gambling Help Online – https://www.gamblinghelponline.org.au
3. Gambling Therapy – https://www.gamblingtherapy.org/en
4. Lifeline – https://www.lifeline.org.au/

Final Thoughts

Gambling can be a great sport, only if players do it responsibly. Don’t gamble for extended hours, rather, try to keep the time limit into consideration. Just in case, you are doubtful about your gambling practices and think that you might be going overboard, try restricting yourself. Place your bets and try your luck, but without affecting your overall well being. That’s the true spirit of gaming and every avid gambler should strive to achieve it.