Gambling is one of the oldest human activities. It’s been around for a long time because it offers us excitement, feeds our competitive urges, and provides instant gratification when we win. Therefore, it’s no wonder why we came up with wagers about almost anything we do.
However, not all of it is fun and games. Gambling is a highly addictive endeavor. Considering the fact that most gambling games and activities involve money, it can prove to be a disaster for some people and their entire families.
If you are into gambling, it would be wise to keep track of your sensibilities towards it as well as your behavior. In case you are already feeling ‘hooked’ on gambling, there are solutions, but it is important that you understand how big of a problem that can be.
For that purpose, we’re here to talk about gambling addiction, how to recognize it, and what to do about it if it happens.
Why do we get addicted to gambling
The first step to finding a solution to the problem is understanding it. What we have to understand first is – why is it even possible for us to get addicted to gambling?
With drugs and alcohol, it’s easy to comprehend. These substances have certain chemicals in them that make our bodies and psyche addicted if we consume them for a sufficient period. But what about gambling?
Believe it or not, gambling addiction is very similar to substance addiction, with only one difference – the substance is created by our own bodies. When we do something that gives us pleasure and gratification, our bodies produce a hormone called dopamine. This hormone has a purpose to ‘reward’ us when we do something useful, for example, get a good grade in school, earn money, or solve a problem. When we do something that has a positive effect on us, dopamine makes us feel pleasure and sends the message – do it again.
When we gamble, we solve a certain problem, we fight the odds, and if we win, we earn money. Our body and mind interpret that as doing something useful and we feel the pleasure and the urge to do it again. That is how we can get addicted to gambling or many other activities that can activate the creation of dopamine, such as playing video games or eating chocolate.
Most gambling games are designed in a way to trigger our dopamine easily. For example, games on slot machines have fast-moving objects with bright colors for high appeal. The player pushes a button and waits to see if the objects match in a way that will earn them a score. They see the result, and within a moment, a second round begins for a new attempt of scoring. Pushing a button offers instant gratification, and the player continues to pursue the score, investing more money, constantly thinking of how to beat a slot machine and take home the jackpot.
It’s easy to spot why our bodies will produce dopamine too frequently when we play games like these too much. That is how gambling can cause addiction.
The telltale signs – how to recognize if you are addicted to gambling
If you are a frequent gambler, try and ascertain whether or not you feel and behave like the following:
- You are beginning to increase the amount of money in order to feel the same amount of pleasure as before. This can be quite problematic because it can drive you further and further into wasting money away, violating your quality of life drastically.
- You are starting to ‘escape’ from your problems, stress, anxiety, or dissatisfaction by gambling. If gambling becomes a solution to your life problems, it can lead to addiction fast.
- You feel preoccupied with gambling – your thoughts are fixated on it, your plans always involve gambling, and you are always trying to find a way to earn more money for further gambling. Try and determine if you fit this description as well.
- You feel bored, frustrated, restless, or tense when you’re not gambling. This can be a sign that you need gambling more than you want it.
- You are trying to gamble more in order to alleviate your losses.
- You’re beginning to lie to your close ones in order to hide your activities, your money losses, and your need to pursue gambling further.
- You’ve tried to cut back on gambling or stop it entirely, but you haven’t had success. People who get addicted need help from others. You shouldn’t blame yourself if you are not able to resolve it alone.
What to do if you realize that you are addicted to gambling
Call for help. Addiction is an illness, and like any other; you need your loved ones to you and professionals to help you overcome your addiction.
Telling the truth and coming clean to their families and friends is one of the biggest life challenges for addicts, but it is far better than continuing the circle of disaster that they were in before that. When addicts it to themselves and to others that they are not in control, that’s when they can begin to heal.
You can find different clinics and professionals that help people deal with these sorts of illnesses. They can help you get clean, take control, and begin your life anew.
