What Should You Know About Gambling Addiction?
The gambling addiction that occurs in casino visitors is called ludomania. The psychiatric community considers it a serious illness. Like most other addictions, gambling addiction begins innocently and unnoticed. For example, a visitor to the casino wants a break from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, to relax and increase the balance. At the same time, adrenaline is released into the blood, with which the player gets a lot of positive emotions. This encourages him to return to the platform again and again. Read below what is the danger of game addiction and how to overcome it.
Causes of Gaming Addiction
If the addiction is not associated with the use of certain substances (alcohol, drugs, etc.), it is mainly based on psychological disorders. There may also be hereditary factors, difficult life experiences, hormonal malfunctions. If you want to eradicate the problem, you need to figure out what the root cause of the problem is. The causes pointed out by experts are represented in the table.
| Reason | Description |
| Weakening of control | The player is unable to regulate the state of excitement. He begins to play, and can no longer stop. |
| Psychological problems | For example, the person suffers from loneliness, inability to establish close contact |
| Problems with self-esteem | At the moment of gaining profits, the player feels better, he surpasses his surroundings |
| Hereditary factors | People whose relatives had similar problems more often become addicts |
| Physiology | We are talking about the peculiarities of the development of the nervous system, hormonal disorders, lack of certain substances in the body |
| Education | Children who were brought up in harsh conditions may be more susceptible to addiction |
| Striving to earn money in a hurry | Unwillingness to work like other people |
| Financial illiteracy | Inability or lack of desire to manage money properly |
It should be taken into account that ludomania is a progressive disease. At the first signs of the problem, it is necessary to contact specialists who will help restore the former state. Otherwise, the addiction will increase, completely depriving the player of a normal life.
Symptoms of Ludomania
You can meet many players in casinos who spend their time at their own pleasure and bet in a measured manner. Even if they lose, they do not get hysterical and calmly end the session. But things can change, which will cause problems in the future. In such a case, the main task is to timely notice the symptoms of gambling addiction. Some of them include:
- Regular thoughts about gambling. The gamer lives by thinking over previous and future bets, distributing income not yet received, being in a constant search for successful strategies.
- Difficulties in concentrating on the tasks at hand. The person is unable to control his actions and fully get down to work.
- Increased irritability. The mood is always at zero, each word of those around him causes anger.
- More and more time is devoted to the game. If initially the gambler spent one hour in the casino on weekends, now he plays every day.
- Increase in stakes. If before certain amounts seemed insane in relation to the world of gambling, now they are used for betting without regret and lead to defeat in most cases.
- Attempts made to combat ludomania have ended in failure. It is also possible if a player is weak in spirit and does not comply with the recommendations of experts.
- Increasing the mood during the game. If in the process of ordinary activities, the gambler is constantly bored and indifferent to the world around him, then when spinning reels he literally blossoms.
- The emergence of debts and credits. Gambler borrows money to make new bets
- Lack of fear of big losses. Visitor to the casino just plays, he absolutely does not care about defeat and the loss of a large sum.
- The emergence of cancellation syndrome. A person really suffers if he can not play for certain reasons.
- Limiting relationships with loved ones and friends. If someone tries to interfere in the life of a gamer and guide him on the right path, he becomes an enemy. The player may stop communicating even with his parents.
- Deterioration of appearance. This is caused by the fact that the person stops taking care of himself. He just doesn’t care how he looks at home, at work, or on the street.
- Worsening of sleep. The player is in constant tension, he is suffering from headaches. This contributes to a deterioration in sleep and quality of life in general.
- Rejection of familiar surroundings. If something interferes with the game, the addict is ready to give up any activities: education, work, family, and friends.
- The emergence of a single goal – to play in any case.
- Constant lying. The person does not tell the truth about when and how much he plays, what amounts he loses.
Sometimes the gambler cannot identify the symptoms on his own. It is possible that he does not treat it responsibly at first. In this case, it is recommended that family and friends closely monitor the player’s condition to indicate the problem in time. More details about symptoms, diagnoses and treatment methods are presented on the page https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Problem_gambling.
Types of Gambling Addiction
It is possible to avoid the development of addiction if you approach the game intelligently. Clearly set time and spending limits, do not give in to excitement. In addition, you need to find a reliable casino, the administration of which will always be on your side. For example, look at the review of spin247 to decide on the choice. The virtual hall presents information about the existing centers, where you can apply for help.
If a gambling addiction has made itself known, then experts distinguish several types of it:
- of land-based or online casinos;
- of slot machines;
- of sports betting;
- of lotteries;
- of card games.
In other words, a visitor of the institution may be indifferent to roulette or cards, but can not resist the slot machines at the same time. Everything is individual, and therefore, therapy requires the study of nuances.
Stages of Gambling Addiction
Ludomania develops gradually, so experts distinguish several of its stages. The deeper the player has immersed himself in his interests, the harder it is to get him out of this state. The main stages are as follows:
- Winning. It is about the euphoria of victories.
- Losing. The gambler tries to recover the lost funds, for which he borrows money or takes it away from the family.
- Recklessness. The gambler becomes irritable, and may go on a crime in search of a source of financing.
- Despair. The stage at which the gambler understands the seriousness of the situation, but can do nothing.
You need to fully control yourself and listen to others to avoid similar problems. Read about how addiction develops depending on the age of the player on the page https://www.therecoveryvillage.com/process-addiction/compulsive-gambling/gambling-statistics/.
Conclusions
Gambling addiction is a progressive disease that needs to be treated in a timely manner. Otherwise, the casino visitor will not be able to cope with the problem on his own and will get further bogged down in debt and negativity. Gambling should always be treated solely as entertainment. But you can not replace the usual communication, walks and meetings with friends.
