Some signs of gambling addiction

One often associates gambling with casinos, but the truth of the matter is that gambling includes not only casinos and card rooms but bingo games and lotteries as well. At least 85 per cent of Americans have gambled once in their lives, and nowadays, due to the introduction and increased popularity of online gambling sites, there has been a marked increase of at least 600 per cent in teenagers and college students who are into gambling. Gambling is also legal in 48 states. So there is little wonder that those who start out gambling as a form of diversion eventually become problem gamblers, and ultimately become pathological gamblers.

Of course, as with all addictions, pathological gamblers, or those who are clearly addicted to gambling, often deny that they have the addiction. So, it is best for someone to be knowledgeable on the different signs and symptoms of this type of addiction. First of all, gambling addiction begins as an escape or a solution to a predicament, and is not limited to just financial problems. These problems can range from simple boredom to psychological problems like feelings of inadequacy, failure, or lack of control. And because it is in gambling that they find brief and temporary feelings of control, power, and success that addicts find it more and more difficult to find a better and more permanent solution to their problems.

One telltale sign of gambling addiction is when it becomes more important than family in fact, it becomes the only important thing. Time that could otherwise be spent with family is now spent on gambling. Even time that should be spent in the office or in school is also spent on gambling, and during idle times, one’s thoughts are often preoccupied with gambling.

A gambling addiction can wreak veritable havoc on one’s financial situation. To continue gambling, the addict will frequently end up using all of his finances in service of another round of play, even to the point of bankruptcy or, worse still, theft.

In almost cases, those who become pathological gamblers are unable to control themselves. They think that this is where they will strike it rich, but unfortunately their definition of rich is not just a couple of thousand dollars richer, but lifestyle-changing rich. So often times, they continue playing even after their money has run out, because of the illusion they have set in their minds of that unimaginable wealth.

Casinos have also been able to profile problem gamblers. They are the people who are likely to have outbursts during a game, they play way beyond the average of three hours, and they constantly go to the ATM machines to get more money as their bets tend to become higher and higher.

There are also signs with regards to the gambler’s habits. Gamblers would often resort to lying and even becoming very evasive or secretive. One scary sign that shows how much impact it has caused on one’s life is changes in one’s behavior. According to studies done by Gamblers Anonymous, at least 48% have considered committing suicide and 1/3 of those have actually attempted it.

Do you have a gambling problem? Here are some of the signs to look out for , brought to you by the true Canadian online casino

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