What Type of People are Most Likely to Become Addicted to Gambling?
Any kind of risky, addictive behavior that leads to self-destruction is the breaking point when one has to consider going to therapy. As mentioned above, the real cause of gambling addiction is still unknown, but there are some indications as to who is most at risk of developing this kind of addiction.
The most vulnerable people is this scenario are:
- People with OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder) or hyperactive disorder (ADHD), which can affect people’s understanding of responsible gaming.
- Those who have grown up in a hostile environment with negative influences.
- On medications or drugs called “dopamine agonists,” which can have negative side effects that lead to compulsive behaviors.
- Extremely restless or impulsive, both traits that could make people more susceptible to developing an addiction.
- Problematic teenagers – many of whom are actually underage – who started gambling at a very young age.
Another factor can be gender. It’s proven that men are more likely to develop addictive behavior than women because they’re more willing to take risks in many life situations. Once someone realizes that they’re suffering from addiction, it’s time to consider going to therapy.
Gambling Therapy: Key Things You Should Know
When someone finds out that they have a gambling problem, the next step is to seek help from the Responsible Gambling Council or a similar professional organization that can help them overcome the situation they’re dealing with.
Going to therapy is extremely important, because continuing to gamble once you’ve lost control can create many serious complications. Aside from the potentially devastating financial side effects, it can cause feelings of anxiety, uselessness, unimportance, and depression.
Many people who don’t get adequate professional help on time suffer from various financial, relationship, and legal problems – sometimes as serious as imprisonment. Some deal with poor health and work performance, while others lose their job just because they don’t know how to stop gambling. Suicidal thoughts, anxiety, and panic attacks are among the other symptoms.
The Best Kind of Therapy for Problematic Gamblers
If you’re worried about your gambling, the best thing to do is go to a mental health professional who has experience in treating addicted gamblers. There are also numerous counseling groups, as well as inpatient and outpatient programs. Until you try, it’s hard to know which approach will work best for you.
The keys to successful therapy are persistence, patience, and learning how can you gamble responsibly without arousing further addictions. This is probably one of the most important things any gambler has to know.
It is also crucial to know that when it comes to therapy, each patient requires a different approach. It is an individual process that can take lots of time, effort, and willpower. Cognitive behavioral therapy is one of the most common treatments that have helped people to get over the hardest gambling times.
CBT’s effectiveness lies in the fact that it helps change the patterns that cause the problematic behavior. There are also alternatives to treatments, such as exercising, working on an inner peace, eating more healthily, and finding other activities instead of gambling.
The “Gamble Responsibly” Campaign – Raising Awareness
In a world where everything is available online, just a click away, remaining responsible and level-headed while gambling is crucial. That’s why there are lots of advertisements and campaigns everywhere you look that promote safe gambling and help raise awareness of all the warning signs that may lead to a serious addiction.
One of the first things that many advertisers tend to convey is how to play safely and responsibly. There are several charity programs to help people be more gambling aware. Such organizations provide a wide array of information, support, and help to people who are gambling too much.
These programs – as their names usually suggest – are designed to raise awareness of gambling addiction and provide adequate education, research into gambling problems, and treatment for those in need. Donations to these organizations fund all the activities that are necessary to help addicts deal with their struggles.
Responsible Gambling Week – A Campaign Promoting Safe Play
This is an annual weeklong campaign created by the gambling industry. It’s designed to motivate gamblers to know their limits, learn how to bet safe, and remember when to stop.
According to some research, between 2% and 3% of Americans are dealing with gambling addiction at any given time. That means that there are approximately 6 to 9 million people in the USA who are true addicts.
If you consider that only a small percentage of those people actually go to seek professional help, you’ll realize that there are millions of addicts in desperate need of recovery programs and long-term treatment.
Disclaimers for Online Gamblers – A Detailed Explanation
The “Gamble Responsibly” disclaimer on many gambling websites contains general information, which includes:
- Reminder to bet responsibly – including the minimum legal age for gambling in that jurisdiction.
- Warnings – information about all the possible risks while gambling.
- Legal waiver – neglecting any kind of responsibility for any money loss.
The text itself includes detailed information and an explanation of the dangers for anyone who’s actively gambling. It is used to remind people of the potential financial risks when playing online gambling games.
Understanding what can possibly go wrong is essential for every gambler. And it goes without saying that there is never a way to guarantee wins and profits when gambling.
So, whenever you see a “Please gamble responsibly“ message, remember what the site really wants to say: “We won’t be held responsible if you lose your money here.” If nothing else, this message should be a sobering reminder of the inherent dangers that come with gambling. And if you’re ever unsure about whether or not your gambling habits are under control, it’s probably time to take a break.
Tips for Gambling Responsibly
Playing safely should be at the top of everyone’s list when they decide to try their hand at gambling. That means not only understanding their own psychological and financial limits, but also making sure they gamble at a reputable venue or online casino.
There are plenty of tips that can help you maintain control over your gambling. If you keep each and one of these in mind, you’re much less likely to develop any addictive behavior.
Here’s what you need to know.
1. Set a maximum amount of money you’re willing to spend before you start playing
Have you ever wondered: How much does the average person lose gambling? You might be surprised to know that American gamblers lose an average of $500 to $600 over the course of a year. This figure includes everyone from occasional bettors to high rollers. Pathological gamblers can lose many, many times this amount.
In order to stop spending too much money on gambling, it is important to set a maximum amount you’d be willing to lose. Don’t take extra cash or credit cards with you when you visit a casino or sportsbook, because you’ll be at high risk of losing lots of money.
2. Decide how much time you’re willing to spend playing
Whether you’re waiting for the best days to go to the casino or you enjoy playing online, planning the amount of time you’re ready to spend gambling is important.
When someone has a huge problem of gambling, the check list for a successful recovery has to include a time limit. Limiting your budget is perhaps a more important step, but paying attention to how much time you’re spending entertaining yourself by gambling is also crucial. After all, the longer you spend gambling, the more likely you are to exceed your budget.
According to one study, setting a time limit on each gambling session can help you reduce the amount of time you play overall. All the participants who were questioned for that particular study were exposed to a pop-up that showed the “gambling responsibly” message.
3. Don’t let gambling completely consume you
Many people who gamble without restraint face monetary losses that later cause them anxiety, depression, nervous breakdowns, feelings of helplessness, panic attacks, self-doubts, and in extreme cases can even lead to suicide. It can be a slippery slope; one day you’re playing for fun, but not long later you could be in deep trouble.
If you do feel that gambling is starting to consume your life, it’s probably time to seek professional help. Even if you’ve been gambling responsibly online or in casinos in the past, your circumstances could change, leaving you more vulnerable.
It takes a lot of courage to admit that you have a problem that needs to be resolved ASAP. Most addicts will never admit that they need to go to treatment. Instead, many continue lying to people around them and accumulating worse and worse gambling debts.
4. Make sure your main goal is having fun, not earning money
One of the main problems when it comes to gambling is the motivation behind it. The biggest problems tend to occur when people start playing solely for the sake of money. That’s a warning sign, as it’s very difficult to gamble responsibly when you’re obsessing over where your next win will come from.
Most gamblers begin to spiral when they start chasing money over pleasure. Even when they do win, they might feel like they’re “on a hot streak” and eventually fritter away all of the profit they just made.
If your motivation for playing is simply to earn money, then it’s time to take action before your hobby develops into something much more serious and dangerous.
5. Don’t drink or use drugs while playing with others
This is one of the best tips for gambling responsibly. If you’re a passionate poker player who enjoys all the hedonistic charms of casinos – such as alcohol, cigars, and drugs – then you could easily be tempted into gambling too much.
Alcohol can have a huge impact on the human brain, especially when combined with drugs. If a person consumes such substances during play, it can encourage them to play aggressively and erratically. They might even seek that extra adrenaline rush by investing too much money, then inevitably losing it.
This is especially important for all those who are addicted to repetitive gambling and who can often hear phrases such as: “Please stop gambling on slot machines while drinking or doing drugs.” This can become a vicious cycle; the longer a person gambles, the more they drink, and the more likely they are to continue taking bigger and bigger risks. You wouldn’t drive drunk, and you shouldn’t gamble drunk.
Don’t Be Ashamed of Therapy – it’s the Best Thing You Can Do
When someone gets into excessive gambling, help from a professional should be their first port of call. If you’ve noticed that you lose control and are starting to gamble too much money, there’s no need to feel bad for reaching out to a therapist or a psychologist.
Not being able to gamble responsibly is a huge problem that requires lots of time, willpower, persistence, professional help, and motivation in order to be solved once and for all.
Remember, nothing in excess is good for the soul or the body. You need to find the right measure to enjoy the charms of gambling without putting yourself, your finances, or your family at risk.
