Obsession – Unable to Stop Gambling. It appears that your loved one is constantly talking about.
Not everyone who gambles will go on to develop a problem; for some, though, this seemingly harmless activity can become a crippling obsession that has the potential to destroy their life. It is all good and well to enjoy a flutter on the horses every now and then or to play a line on the lottery every week, but just when does gambling become an addiction?
Signs & Symptoms of Gambling Addiction. It can be difficult to identify when casual gambling becomes a problem. This is because gambling addiction can cause a person to become more secretive and lie about their behaviors. With the introduction of online gambling, it can be even easier to conceal when it becomes problematic.Signs. Most people who gamble do so with no harmful effects. They set limits and stick to them. However, for a small percentage of the population, gambling can become more than a game, and lead to serious consequences for both the gambler and their family.
- Gambling addiction is a behavioral addiction, which often means that most of its symptoms and signs are related to a person’s mental health. That can be said about most of the symptoms we have listed above, but there are other psychological signs of problem gambling that we will list in this specific article.
- Several signs indicate when normal enjoyment of gambling transitions into a problem. The earlier the process is identified, the better the chances for a successful recovery. Although compulsive gambling is hard to overcome, many people are able to manage their illness with professional help.
What Is Problem Gambling?
If you have ever thought about how and when gambling becomes an addiction, think about your gambling habits and how it is affecting your life. If you have control over your gambling and have not developed an unhealthy obsession with it, then you probably do not have much to worry about. On the other hand, if your gambling has started to have a negative impact on various parts of your life – such as your relationships, your work, and your finances – you could be in trouble.
Gambling addiction is also known as compulsive gambling or problem gambling and is, as all addictions are, an illness of the brain. It is referred to as an impulse control disorder because those affected will feel compelled to gamble, even when they know that to do so will have negative consequences for themselves and/or their loved ones.
Individuals with a gambling problem will gamble regardless of how much money they have or what mood they are in. The affected person may even begin to do things that he or she would not normally have ever contemplated, such as stealing money in order to satisfy their impulse.
What Are the Signs of a Gambling Addiction
If you are worried that you or someone you love might have an issue with gambling, there are a number of signs to look out for. These include:
- Spending more money than you can afford on gambling
- Lying to family members and friends about gambling habits or feeling guilty when gambling
- Chasing losses in a desperate attempt to claw back money that could not afford to be lost
- Being unable to control the ability to stop gambling once started
- Spending most of your free time gambling or thinking about gambling
- Neglecting various areas of life in favour of gambling
- Borrowing money from family members and friend to allow the continuation of gambling when available funds have been spent
- Needing to bet higher amounts in order to get the same feelings of excitement
- Stealing money to feed the obsession with gambling.
If the above signs are familiar to you, then you may be in need of assistance with the problem. It is worth talking to a professional at this point for the advice and information this person could offer regarding the various programmes available that can help get your life back on track.
Gambling Myths and Facts to be Aware Of
Many myths surround gambling addiction that prevent those affected from getting the help they need to stop. One such myth is that you only have a gambling addiction if you gamble every day. In reality, gambling addicts can go for days without gambling. If you were wondering when does gambling becomes an addiction, the simple answer is when it begins to cause problems in the lives of those affected. Problem gamblers do not have to gamble every single day. Some will only do so every now and then, but if the individual is unable to stop once started, and if their gambling causes negative consequences in their life, then it is likely that there is a problem.
Another myth that surrounds gambling addiction is that it is only a problem if the gambler is betting money that he or she cannot afford to lose. This is not the case. Just because a person may have more disposable income than the next does not mean that he or she cannot be affected by a gambling addiction. The problems that result from a gambling addiction are not limited to financial ones. Gambling addiction can cause the destruction of relationships and can lead to poor mental health. Many gambling addicts will suffer with depression and some will even develop suicidal feelings.
So, Who Is Affected by Gambling Addiction?
A common misconception regarding gambling addiction is that it only affects those who are weak or who have no willpower. In fact, this is a common misconception that can be applied to any type of addiction. Nevertheless, addiction is not something that just affects weak people or those with a poor moral character.
It is, in fact, an illness of the brain and it can affect absolutely anyone, in the same way that illnesses such as cancer or diabetes can affect anyone. What you need to remember is that nobody chooses to become a gambling addict and not everyone who gambles will develop a problem. There are many people who can gamble responsibly, but there are those for whom it can have devastating consequences.
Since gambling has become much more accessible online, increasingly more people are becoming affected. Below are a few statistics from the Gambling Commission regarding gambling habits of people here in the UK (correct at the time of this writing in 2017):
- 48% of people have gambled in the past four weeks.
- 53% of men have gambled in the past four weeks.
- 44% of women have gambled in the past four weeks.
- 17% of people have gambled online in the past four weeks.
- 97% of online gamblers gamble at home.
- 55% of online gamblers gamble using a laptop.
- 43% of online gamblers gamble using a mobile of tablet device.
- 26% of online gamblers have bet in-play in the past four weeks.
- 5% of people aged 16+ in England identify as problem gamblers (2012)
- 7% of people aged 16+ in Scotland identify as problem gamblers (2015)
- 1% of people aged 16+ in Wales identify as problem gamblers (2015).
As you can see, problem gambling affects many people across the United Kingdom. It is an illness that can affect anyone, no matter their gender, age, race, colour, or background.
What Help Is There for Gambling Addiction?
If you have become affected by a gambling addiction, getting help as soon as possible is very important. The sooner you get help, the sooner you can begin to get your life back on track. As with any other type of addiction, a gambling addiction is one that can quickly spiral out of control if not dealt with in a timely manner.
You need to remember that ignoring the problem will not make it go away. Gambling addiction will get worse if you do not do something about it right now. Call us here at Primrose Lodge today for information and advice about how to overcome your gambling addiction once and for all.
Odds of winning casino games. We offer superb programmes of treatment for many different types of addiction, including gambling addiction. Our professional and fully trained staff can offer helpful advice on the next steps you should take to put your days of gambling behind you once and for all. Call us now for more information on how we can help you if you are asking yourself “when does gambling become an addiction.”
Last updated: 10/25/2018
Author: Addictions.com Medical Review
Author: Addictions.com Medical Review
Reading Time: 4minutes
Compulsive gambling is often referred to as a “silent killer” simply because an addiction to gambling does not always readily stand out. The signs of gambling addiction are often overlooked as something else such as a desire to play games, an urge to win money or anything but a compulsive disorder that is out of control. Often times, the desire to gamble is so strong and the addiction is so serious that severe personal and social consequences, even death, can result.
It may be difficult to recognize the signs of gambling addiction for one reason or another. According to the US National Library of Medicine, chronic gamblers often lead seemingly normal lives but in the background, there is a serious problem at hand. Eventually, the addiction will cause destructive outcomes and there will be no mistaking the signs of gambling addiction; at that point, the biggest concern will be where to find help.
1. Obsession with Gambling
Betway casino online. Stealing in order to gamble is a sign of addiction.
One of the most common signs of gambling addiction is the obsession that comes with it. Gambling addicts are obsessed with gambling and may be preoccupied with gambling to a point in which they don’t care about anything else. Compulsive thoughts about gambling or gambling obsessively to a point in which it causes other problems in your life are just a few of the common signs of gambling addiction.
2. Unable to Stop Gambling
Have you tried to quit gambling, made an honest commitment to quit and failed? If you are unable to stop gambling despite your desire to do so, you could be a gambling addict. The inability to quit even when you want to is one of many signs of gambling addiction that most addicts tend to immediately overlook or write off as something else.
3. Gambling Despite Consequences
Has gambling caused problems in your life such as financial difficulties, loss of a job or relationship problems? Many addicts and their loved ones tend to overlook even the most prominent signs of gambling addiction such as those which are present when excessive gambling is causing consequences in life and yet the individual continues to gamble anyway.
4. Psychological Withdrawal when NOT Gambling
Sometimes, the signs of gambling addiction are very similar to the signs of other addictions such as a drug or alcohol addiction. Psychologically, when a gambling addict is not gambling, he or she may be irritable, depressed or restless. These are all signs of emotional withdrawal which results when an addict is obsessed with gambling and has a perceived “need” to gamble in order to be happy.
5. Gambling to Improve Happiness
Do you or does someone you know seemingly gamble in order to be happy or have fun? If gambling is a necessary component of your happiness or elevated mood, there’s a good chance that gambling addiction is to blame. This is one of many commonly overlooked signs of gambling addiction that both addicts and those who are close to them tend to mistake for some other problem. Gambling to mask problems, feel happy or otherwise improve your emotions is a sure sign that there is a bigger problem at hand.
6. Stealing or Otherwise Breaking the Law to Gamble
An addict will often break the law in order to have the money that they need to gamble or to recover their losses. Stealing, committing fraud or otherwise breaking the law to fuel the habit are all signs of gambling addiction that should not be overlooked and which could lead to greater consequences including jail time or probation.
7. Denying that there is a Problem
Denial is a common sign of addiction and to state that there is not a problem when there really is happens to be common ground amongst addicts. If you suspect that a loved one has a gambling problem and you have hard evidence to back it up yet he or she continues to deny the problem, it could be time to seek professional help.
8. Financial Problems
Io all games. One of the most prevalent signs of gambling addiction is financial problems that result from the compulsive gambling disorder. A friend may all off a sudden have problems with his or her personal finances or they may ask to borrow money often. Compulsive gamblers depend on others to provide them with money either to gamble or to pay expenses because they lost their money gambling.
9. Mood Swings
Compulsive gambling, especially when the gambling takes place as part of a double life in which friends and family are unaware, can lead to excessive mood swings. Mood swings are often overlooked or mistaken for upset that is not the result of the addiction but most often, mood swings are one of the signs of gambling addiction that should be spotted early on.
Gambling Risk Factors
10. Hiding Gambling Behavior
Gambling Disorder Symptoms
As compulsive gambling progresses, and the addict comes under scrutiny from his or her friends or family members, it is not uncommon for the addict to begin hiding gambling behaviors. Hiding the behavior is one of the more common signs of gambling addiction and also one that’s really hard for outsiders to spot because they don’t know what’s going on—but for the addict, recognizing that it’s wrong to hide behaviors from loved ones is a step in the right direction when it comes to finding help for a compulsive gambling disorder.