Compulsive Gambling : Causes,Symptoms and Treatment

www.helpingpsychology.com

Compulsive Gambling:Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

http://www.helpingpsychology.com/



Going to a casino, a horse race or even betting on the outcome of a sporting event can be an enjoyable activity for many people.

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But at what point is the line crossed between a gaming enthusiast and a compulsive gambler?

One may only gamble with discretionary income, or save a small portion in the hopes of a big win.




While the other may spend an entire paycheck on a game, borrow money on the guarantee that they will double it, or even steal money or goods and pawn them in order to fuel their gambling addiction.




A compulsive gambler does not realize that he or she has a problem, and until they reach rock bottom, they are unable to take steps to change their lives.




The gambler lies about the amount of time and money spent gambling.

Friends slowly distance themselves until they are no longer friends, but strangers relationships are destroyed.

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The tension faced by owing money to a bookie, or from having to recoup losses, can only be relieved by more gambling.

He loses his means of employment and will even steal in order to get by.

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The vicious cycle continues, digging the gambler into a deeper hole until he or she loses everything.

Compulsive gambling affects 1-3% of adults in the United States.




The obsession usually begins in adolescence for men and later for women.

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With the arrival of the internet creating access to offshore sports and parlor betting, gambling has increased dramatically.


Pathological gamblers tend to have other problems like anxiety, alcoholism and depression, which exacerbate their gambling further, leading to legal issues stemming from job loss, divorce, bankruptcy and even time in prison.

Pathological gambling is a brain disease, which involves a disorder in the pleasure center of the brain, similar to that in alcoholics or drug addicts.

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After acknowledging that they have a problem, the second step that a compulsive gambler must take in order to recover is to consider individual or group psychotherapy, such as 12-step Gamblers Anonymous programs.

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Mood stabilizers and opioid antagonists similar to those prescribed for depressed individuals have also proven to be helpful.

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Compulsive Gambling : Causes,Symptoms and Treatment

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