Many people are tempted to continue betting on a game of chance despite having lost a lot of money. This is because most casinos offer the possibility of recovering what was lost, which may never happen.

Gambling addiction is a real problem that plagues most gamblers, especially now that there are online casinos. This is why we have decided to make an article dedicated to compulsive gambling, how to recognize it and treat it.

What is pathological gambling?

Addiction to games of chance or “gambling” is a behavioral disease in which people keep repeating some action that will bring consequences. The affected person ends up completely losing control over his actions and is driven by a possible benefit that he will never obtain.

Many classify it as a vice, but in reality it is a disorder, since the person cannot control his impulses when he continues playing. They could even end up involved in debt problems with the promise of paying off their debts by gambling.

It is recognized as a mental disorder that should be treated by experts in the same way as any other health problem. Since in most cases, the affected ends up falling into depression causing an unfortunate death if not treated in time.

How do I know if I have a gambling addiction?

To find out if you are really suffering from this disorder, it is best to see if you have any of the symptoms established for compulsive gambling. These symptoms may include the following:

• If you notice that you only think about gambling, you may already be suffering from this disorder. Constantly planning the next bets you will make, thinking about loans to bet more and thinking about bets even before sleeping or during a sexual act.
• Having the need to increase the amount of bets that are made, just to feel more excitement at the moment. Increase the sums of money in each bet even when there is a possibility of losing, hoping for some kind of miracle, looking for this same emotion in the game.
• Intending to abandon a bet and not being able to do so, when you feel that the bet is lost, the best option is to withdraw. But in reality it does not, if you see this happening, you may undoubtedly be suffering from this disorder.
• Feeling anxious, restless or irritable when trying to even leave a bet.
• If you notice that you start gambling to alleviate any feelings of guilt, depression or anxiety. Avoid problems and forget everything else when you go to play random.
• Try to recoup losses by betting even more money.
• Start lying to your family and friends, hiding things like debts or loss of real estate in games of chance. Failing to communicate that you’re having gaming problems and can’t stop.
• Give up your relationship, job, education and opportunities for preferring to play in any casino.
• Start asking family and friends for money to bail you out for gambling all your money.
• There is a noticeable difference between someone with problem gambling and a regular gambler, as the latter usually sets a maximum loss point and stops betting. However, someone addicted to gambling will have no limits, they will end up with their money and with the money of those who pay their debts.

What are the risks of pathological gambling?

As with other disorders, gambling can cause emotional damage to those who suffer from it. There are also certain risk factors that affect these people, such as:

• Some health problems: Compulsive gambling is often related to some anxiety and depression problems. In addition to the fact that those affected usually have problems with substance abuse, personality disorders, depression or anxiety. Bipolar disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder and hyperactivity are also often related.
• The age at which the vice is induced: This disorder is usually common in middle-aged and young people. There are cases where adults instill this habit in children, which increases the possibility of acquiring this condition.
• Gender: This disease is much more common in men, although in recent years it has seen an exponential growth with respect to other genders.
• Impressionable People: IF you have any friends or family members who are addicted to gambling, there’s a good chance you’ll end up getting involved too. This is because people with problem gambling seek to convince another to help them pay their debts.
• Some medications can cause the disorder: Medications used to treat Parkinson’s and similar illnesses often cause compulsive behaviors such as gambling addiction.
• Personal traits: People who are very competitive, impulsive and who tend to get bored easily tend to be more at risk of suffering from this problem. This can also include workaholics as they lack self-control.

What can happen if it gets complicated?

Once gambling addiction takes over your life, it can end up causing almost irreversible consequences such as:

• Total loss of any loving or friendly relationship, including family.
• Issues involving laws, incarceration, and loss of financial credibility.
• Difficult economic situations, this includes going bankrupt and ending up without a home to sleep.
• Deficiency in health, diseases and others.
• Loss of jobs due to poor job performance.
• Ultimately all of these things could lead to suicidal thoughts, failed suicide attempts, and death by one’s own hand.

Ways to treat gambling addiction

The treatment starts right when a person admits that they have this problem, otherwise, they will not be able to continue with the treatments. As with other addictions, those affected will not be able to leave their problems behind if they do it for another person, it must be their own action.

With this in mind, you can start with the treatments that usually help to eliminate this self-destructive behavior. Treatments include several methods, such as:

• Psychological therapies: There is a type of therapy called cognitive behavioral therapy, which can be very useful to treat this addiction. The therapy seeks to expose the type of behavior that dominates the player, in this way some skills can be learned that reduce the impulse to play. It focuses on identifying irrational and negative situations that can affect the person to replace them with positive behaviors that can be useful for life.
• Use of medications: Since the majority of players with problem gambling have problems with anxiety and depression, the use of antidepressants and mood stabilizers can help. This will also help people with bipolar disorder and other psychological problems. The use of medications like these and narcotic antagonists are often really effective when it comes to treating people with gambling addiction problems.
• Attend some self-help groups: Talking and letting off steam is often a good way to get rid of most gambling-related problems. Many people discover that they really have a problem after going to a self-help group, since they can meet people with similar situations. You just need to talk to the specialist who is treating you and request information about these groups and the days you can attend group therapy.

Depending on the degree of severity in which the affected person is, outpatient programs can be included. This type of program is the same as the one used to treat drugs, so that the patient spends some time in the hospital to gradually eliminate the need to play from his body.

Many may require constant vigilance due to the great need they have to leave the place to continue betting on games of chance. Some may even require the use of medications similar to those applied to those with drug addiction problems.

How to prevent it?

Being aware of your actions is often a good way to avoid becoming addicted to gambling. Keep in mind that a few years ago, gambling was not treated as a real disease, in fact, it was simply ignored and these people ended up being left out.

But now that you know what’s involved, you’ll be able to act before you start feeling the urge to keep playing. Setting limits is usually an excellent method to prevent this disease, unique game schedules, maximum amount of loss and a good game plan will help you.

Devoting time to each aspect of your life is also necessary to avoid this problem, do not let the game dominate you. Let it just be a simple fun time in your life, don’t play daily and go out with your friends and family.

If you have enough ability to control yourself in the game, we recommend you enter this website 파워볼사이트. You will be able to place your bets from the comfort of your home, without having to spend too much time on it, avoiding falling into this terrible addiction.

Remember that everything starts from your position, if you have already read this article and noticed that you have any symptoms, it is best to talk about it with the person you trust the most. Your family can become unconditional support, as well as your partner and best friends, talk to them and if necessary see a doctor.

How to help someone with gambling addiction?

If you are friends with someone who has the symptoms described in this article, chances are you want to help them. The usual thing is not knowing what to do in this type of situation, since many times people with an addiction problem will not admit their problem, they can even be aggressive.

One of the worst mistakes friends and family make is to give a gaming addict some financial help. This to help you pay your debts and get out of any problem, many even promise that they will stop playing after helping them financially.

It is very difficult when they later realize that everything is a lie and they are actually using the borrowed money to continue playing. To avoid all this, here are some tips for those who want to help end this terrible addiction:

The first thing is NOT PAY your debts

This is the most common mistake, many believe that they are helping by paying their debts or covering up their lies, but it is quite the opposite. The truth is that they are making the disease continue to grow, it is best that everyone takes responsibility for their actions.

It seems a bit selfish but this will be for the best, because if the addict realizes that he does not have to pay the consequences of his actions, then he will continue to spend all the money. Even if he ends up getting involved in legal trouble, you must bear the consequences and understand that his actions are actually detrimental to your life and health.

Help him ask for help

Many believe that they don’t really have a problem, or that there simply isn’t a solution to their condition. The truth is that gambling is a type of disease that can be treated and cured, although seeking help is often a really difficult step.

In most situations the person is forced or socially harassed to go to treatment. The best option is to support and patiently make him understand that going to a doctor may be a good idea.

Prevents you from spending more money

If you are a direct family member or their partner, prevent them from spending more money on bets, completely control the accounts. This way you can prevent him from taking all the household income to continue feeding this horrible addiction.

Know the problem to help

If you notice that the person is already too immersed in this addiction and does not want to go to treatment, then you can learn. Request information at the treatment sites, in this way you can learn infallible methods that will undoubtedly help.