Gambling Addiction

What is Gambling Addiction?

Addictions are quite well heard of these days and an addiction to gambling is one of them. But what exactly is it? Problem gambling also know as ludomania is by definition an urge to gamble despite the harmful and negative consequences or a desire to stop.

Why do People get addicted to gambling?

People can easily become addicted to gambling from the psychology of playing the game. It is usually split into 4 different areas: the high of thinking you can control chance, the excitement of maybe winning the jackpot, addicted to winning, and becoming addicted to the idea that your luck will change. Playing poker or any gambling game is a game of risk taking, and within any form of risk taking this gives people a high, especially if it pays off. Risk adds excitement, takes you away from everyday life, gives you something to focus on even if it is only for a short period of time. With risk you never know the outcome which is good and bad because there is nothing to stop you from playing just one more game, there is nothing in concrete to say that the next game you won't win, you always have the idea in your head that your luck will change and if you play one extra game, just one last time, you could win and all of it would have been worth it. But the problem with tomorrow is that it never comes its always tomorrow, the same is true for ‘one more game'.

How Do I know If I have Problems with Gambling?

The biggest problems with addiction is that it is a downward spiral. The game becomes a place where you can get away from the stress and anxiety everyday normal life can bring, but if you hit a losing streak you become more and more depressed and so you play more and more to escape the feelings of depression and to escape dealing with your responsibilities, and so it is a vicious circle.

How do you know if you have a problem or not? If you feel the majority of these statements describe you then it is advised to seek help and advice with gambling:

Do you lose time from work due to gambling?
Is gambling affecting your reputation?
Do you ever gamble to get money with which to pay debts or to otherwise solve financial difficulties?
Are you reluctant to use gambling money for normal expenditures?
Do you ever gamble to escape worry or trouble?
Have you ever sold anything to finance gambling?
Have you ever committed, or considered committing, an illegal act to finance gambling?
 
If you would like to talk to someone about your gambling problems to seek advice or help, call GamCare on 0845 6000 133. Here you can speak to a trained advisor for counseling support, information and advice, go to http://www.gamcare.org.uk/ to read more.