Gambling addiction is an obsessive and compulsive behaviour which involves a person being addicted to gambling. Whether the gambling involves betting on horse racing, casino black jack tables or slot machines, the sufferer falls victim to compulsively seeking the ‘high’ gained from gambling.

Why do people become addicted to gambling?

Gambling addiction is like any other addiction. As with drug addicts and alcoholics, gambling addicts suffer from a disease – it is incurable and progressive. Yet with treatment and a daily programme of recovery, it can be arrested and maintained.

When a gambling addict engages in gambling and the related behaviours that go with it, they experience an escape from their feelings. Addicts are individuals who very often do not know how to cope with their feelings and emotions. Thus follows behaviour to take them away from the present, leaving their emotional capacity hollow. The disease of addiction can be described as a “hole in the soul” – a spiritual void which gambling addicts attempt to fill with destructive behaviour and short-term highs.

Surprisingly, many gambling addicts describe the pull of gambling addiction as involving losing at gambling more than winning, although winning does provide an incredible high. The loss of money and possessions fills them with a desperate need for hope of gaining control again, leading them to act out compulsively on gambling behaviour over and over again.

What happens when a person is addicted to gambling?

Unable to control their obsessive and compulsive gambling, addicts are taken to a very dark place, which grows increasingly worse over time. Losing families, jobs, houses, cars and all other possessions, but mostly self respect, the gambling addict is left in a place of total unmanageability where their life has suffered complete destruction. Suicide is common amongst gambling addicts as they see no other solution to their habit and loss of livelihood. Even though they want nothing more than to be free of their compulsion to gamble, they cannot stop, they do not know how to stop, and cannot see a life free of gambling.

How does a gambling addict recover?

As with any addiction, for a person who is a gambling addict to begin recovery, they will need to stop their gambling behaviours in order for healing to begin. However, the problems which a gambling addict needs to deal with are in fact, not gambling. The obsessive and compulsive behaviours are not the problem – they are a symptom of the disease of addiction, revealing that something is very wrong within the person. As with drug addicts and alcoholics, the behaviour is caused by the addiction. The behaviour is not the cause. Yet a gambling addict will need to stop the behaviours to begin recovery, as the behaviours provide the escape from their problems which they seek, allowing them to avoid the true problem.

Moving to other cities or locations (known as geographicals), staying away from casinos and other places associated with their addiction and other external elements which can be blamed may seem the right route to wellness. But the addiction is within the gambling addict and will surface wherever they are, no matter what they do, unless they treat the underlying problems and issues.

Gambling addiction and rehabilitation centres

Many gambling addicts are admitted to in-patient treatment facilities or out patient therapy programmes, depending on the severity of their problem. One on one therapy and group therapy in a nurturing environment is a highly successful treatment method for gambling addiction, allowing the gambling addict to address their underlying issues.

Treatment in a rehab facility is also beneficial as they are able to heal in a nurturing environment with other sufferers who can provide support, insight and relate to their problems and feelings. In a treatment facility, a gambling addict is able to learn a new way of life, without the need to use gambling as a way of escaping their problems.

However, learning a new way of life in a facility is just one part of recovery from gambling addiction. For a gambling addict to maintain abstinence from gambling, a programme of recover needs to be adhered to on a daily basis. As mentioned before, gambling addiction is an incurable and progressive disease. It will not ‘go away; but can be arrested and maintained through daily recovery and vigilance.

The Twelve Steps of Gamblers Anonymous

The use of a Twelve Step Programme as used in the Twelve Step fellowship dealing with gambling addiction Gamblers Anonymous (GA), as well as intensive therapy is a highly successful method of treating gambling addiction, whilst allowing the sufferer the introduction to continued recovery and abstinence they need. Relapses do happen, but with a Twelve Step programme of recovery, a gambling addict is able to harness tools to help them cope with daily life, the problems and feelings they have been avoiding and difficult times without reverting to the destructive obsessive and compulsive behaviours which accompany gambling addiction.

The Internet has created a tremendous problem for anyone with a gambling habit. There are an abundance of easily accessible online gambling sites and activities. 24/7 access to gambling sites can be a disaster for a person who is trying to stop gambling. With an abundance of online casinos and betting sites, anyone with a gambling addiction and an Internet connection is faced with constant temptation to log on and just make one more bet.

Why can’t someone just stop gambling on their own? Do they enjoy losing money?

A compulsive gambler often wants to stop gambling. After all, he is losing his hard earned money, risking his relationships, suffering from mood swings and stress . . . But he can not just decide to stop gambling without help. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) – the American handbook for mental health professionals – Compulsive Gambling is a mental disorder that requires treatment.

How do you know if someone should stop gambling? After all, many people have control of their gambling and enjoy it.

Problem gambling is characterized by a difficulty to limit the amount of time and money spent on gambling which leads to harmful effects on the gambler as well as those close to him or her. Compulsive gambling is now defined as persistent and recurrent maladaptive gambling behavior meeting five of the following behaviors:

1. Preoccupation. He/She has frequent thoughts about gambling experiences, whether past, future, or fantasy.

2. Tolerance. He/She requires larger or more frequent wagers to experience the same “rush”.

3. Withdrawal. Restlessness or irritability associated with attempts to cease or reduce gambling.

4. Escape. Gambles to improve mood or escape problems.

5. Chasing. He/She tries to win back gambling losses by gambling.

6. Lying. Lies to hide his or her gambling habit.

7. Loss of control. He/She has unsuccessfully attempted to reduce gambling.

8. Illegal acts. He/She has broken the law in order to obtain gambling money or recover gambling losses.

9. Risked significant relationship. Gambles despite risking or losing a relationship, job, or other significant opportunity.

10. Bailout. He/She turns to family, friends, or another third party for financial assistance as a result of gambling.

How Can you Help Someone Stop Gambling?

If you know someone who is gambling too much on the Internet, you can do a lot to help them. First of all, get rid of the constant temptation to get online and place bets. Fortunately, that does not mean you need to completely block them from the family computer or cancel yourInternet connection. If your loved one admits he/she has a gambling problem and they want help to stop gambling, you can agree together to start by blocking their ability to gamble online. By installing a good web filter, you can immediately block gambling and betting websites from your PC, virtually stopping them from reaching casino and other betting websites.   

The Internet has created a tremendous problem for anyone with a potential gambling problem. There are seemingly endless easily accessible online gambling sites and activities. Easy access to gambling is a potential disaster for a person with a compulsive gambling disorder or an inclination to having a problem with gambling. With an abundance of online casinos and betting sites, anyone with a gambling problem and an Internet connection is faced with temptation twenty-four hours a day.

Why is gambling a problem – why can’t they just stop?

A compulsive gambler often wants to stop. After all, he is losing his money, his friends, ruining his family . . . But he can not stop.  According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) – the American handbook for mental health professionals – Compulsive Gambling is a mental disorder that requires treatment.

How do you know if someone has a gambling problem?

Problem gambling is characterized by a difficulty to limit money and/or time spent on gambling activity which leads to harmful effects on the gambler himself as well as to others. Compulsive gambling is now defined as persistent and recurrent maladaptive gambling behavior meeting at least five of the following criteria:

1. Preoccupation. He/She has frequent thoughts about gambling experiences, whether past, future, or fantasy.

2. Tolerance. He/She requires larger or more frequent wagers to experience the same \”rush\”.

3. Withdrawal. Restlessness or irritability associated with attempts to cease or reduce gambling.

4. Escape. Gambles to improve mood or escape problems.

5. Chasing. He/She tries to win back gambling losses by gambling.

6. Lying. Lies to hide his or her gambling habit.

7. Loss of control. He/She has unsuccessfully attempted to reduce gambling.

8. Illegal acts. He/She has broken the law in order to obtain gambling money or recover gambling losses.

9. Risked significant relationship. Gambles despite risking or losing a relationship, job, or other significant opportunity.

10. Bailout. He/She turns to family, friends, or another third party for financial assistance as a result of gambling.

How Can You Help Someone with a Gambling Problem?

If the problem is that they are gambling online, you can do a lot to help them. First of all, get rid of the temptation. That does not have to mean getting rid of the family computer or cancelling the Internet connection.

If your loved one admits to a problem and wants your help to overcome the problem, you can agree together to start by eliminating the easy access they have to gambling online. Simply by installing an effective web filter, you can easily block out gambling and betting websites from your PC, virtually eliminating the problem. A web filter, such as Optenet PC, is a software solution, that you install and manage on your computer. It can be a fast and easy way to curb a problem that is just beginning or helping a serious compulsive gambler eliminate the immediate access to online casinos.

Why should you stop your gambling habit now? After all, it is fun for you and it provides a great escape for you. You work so hard during the week, and do you not deserve some fun?

The truth is that gambling habits that start off as just recreation  can turn into full-fledged gambling addictions and gambling problems. Not everybody who gambles for fun will become a gambling addict. However, there are some good reasons to stop gambling now.

You will prevent yourself from developing a full fledge gambling addiction if you stop your gambling habit now. If it is just a habit, but your trips to the casino have been increasing, you may actually have a strong chance of developing a gambling addiction.

If you stop gambling now, you will most likely realize that you have other interests that you have been neglecting. Gambling can take you away from more creative pursuits because of its’ powerful, mesmerizing, and addictive nature.

When you stop gambling, you will most likely focus more on your current responsibilities and realize that you may have been procrastinating different things in your life. Gambling has a way of pulling you out of the reality of life, even if it is just a bad habit and not a full fledged gambling problem.

Stopping gambling may make you also get more in touch with your true feelings and emotions. When you gamble, you can become numb to your feelings. Gambling has a way of putting you in a dream world, and stopping you from being authentic and honest with yourself and how you feel.

Lastly, if you stop your gambling habit now, you will save hundred to thousand of dollars per year. Even if your gambling is just a bad habit, and had not progressed to a gambling problem , you will still save a lot of money. If you add up how much money you have spent on your gambling in the past year, it may be a lot more money than you thought!

As stated previously, having a gambling habit does not necessarily mean that you have a compulsive gambling problem. It does, however, indicate that you are more at risk for developing an addiction to gambling. If you stop gambling now, you will see various areas of your life start to improve significantly.