Online Gambling Addiction: Signs, Symptoms, and Treatment

The results of online gambling addiction can be disastrous, namely massive financial losses and mental health damage. The official classification of the condition is an impulse-control disorder, and even the severest of cases are perfectly treatable. Another matter is whether or not the individual can recuperate following the incurred financial losses.

Reasons and Causes Behind Gambling Addiction

There are biological, psychological, and social/environmental causes for gambling addiction. A study shows that gambling triggers several feel-good neurotransmitters. Players will feel the urge to go through the experience repeatedly. Still, at the same time, these neurotransmitters will weaken, demanding more and more activity for the same effect, creating addiction.

Gambling is not a problem existing solely in a person's mind; it becomes a biological need. People can also face various challenges in their daily lives, and relieving stress through hazardous, financially devastating gambling is, unfortunately, a genuine possibility. If some of the player's friends are engaging in real money betting, that would motivate their activity and fuel their addiction.

The Symptoms and Disastrous Effects of Online Gambling

Signs of gambling addiction include an obsession for placing real money wagers and a strong desire for wagering whenever unable to do so, regardless of the reason. Addicted gamblers could also neglect their job or steady source of funds, further impairing their financial state. In short, players battling gambling addiction will generally damage their lives in many ways - their relationships with people and people who are financially dependent on them, their psychological and, ultimately - financial condition.

Some noticeable physical effects stand out in the case of addicted gamblers, such as peptic ulcer and cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, heartburn, and possible worsening of already existing health problems. Many gamblers with the condition would eventually suffer from anxiety and depression and, unfortunately - quite possibly - suicidal thoughts. Sadly, many addicted gamblers have a history of substance abuse. The feeling of wasting not only one's money but also personal relationships is a massive weight that can produce unbearable guilt.

Treating Addiction on the Inside and the Outside

Treating gambling addiction is possible, but it is a difficult and complex process. Many people suffering from the condition will find it quite challenging to continue using the internet and resist the urge to place real money wagers. A good idea would be to pick a trustworthy individual - perhaps a spouse or a friend - to handle one's finances in the beginning stages of recovery.

Players must also restrict their access to gambling platforms - avoiding sites and deleting or blocking online casino apps on mobile devices. Socializing with other online gamblers should stop for a while. Then, bettors attempting recovery must fill their day with different activities to keep them distracted and hopefully interested. Avoiding stress is also advisable; many addicted bettors use gambling to take the edge off a difficult day.

Professional therapy, medications, and attending self-help groups will significantly increase bettors' chances of overcoming addiction. Players who struggle with stopping gambling should consider an inpatient rehabilitation program, requiring patients to spend a pre-determined amount of time in a rehab center that will ensure the person is not giving in to the addiction. Such a program could last between thirty days to a year. Therapy is beneficial because people can open up about their problems without becoming the subject of someone's judgment. Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, or CBT for short, is the most common treatment for addicted gamblers. The program involves social skills, problem-solving training, relapse, and cognitive corrections.

Taking medications can also be extremely useful. There aren't any drugs or pills that can directly heal addiction, but in all likelihood, the suffering individual may have an underlying condition or develop one due to his obsessive activity. The sooner those are gone, the sooner the road to recovery will become easier. Some of the most common prescriptions include mood stabilizers, serotonin inhibitors, and receptor antagonists.