How Do You Know If You Have Gambling Problem
Posted : admin On 7/29/2022- How Do You Know If U Have A Gambling Problem
- How Do You Know If You've Got A Gambling Problem
- How To Tell If U Have A Gambling Problem
Either you believe you, or someone you know, might have, or be at risk of developing, a gambling addiction. Once addiction sets in, it can be incredibly hard to break. The best thing you can do is recognize the signs before things spiral out of control. These are questions you may be afraid to contemplate, but recognizing and admitting are the first steps to helping your spouse overcome a gambling problem and avoid further devastating consequences. A Gambling Problem: Recognizing the Signs. A gambling problem is defined as behavior that disrupts life, even if it’s not out of control.
Addiction comes in many different forms. An individual can become addicted to a wide variety of substances and experiences. To date, this blog has primarily discussed addiction as it relates to drugs and alcohol. But gambling is also something that an individual can become addicted to, which can have negative ramifications for the addict and those around them.
Like any other addiction, gambling addiction has warning signs. If you’re aware of these warning signs, you can detect the addiction and help yourself obtain the proper treatment. Here are five warning signs you can look for to detect gambling addiction.
1. You Gamble Money You Can’t Afford to Lose
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Usually, casual gamblers set aside a certain amount of money they can afford to lose. They have fun gambling until their budget is gone. Then they have the will power to stop, as they can’t afford to lose any more money. But addicts can’t stop at this juncture.
Gambling addicts will gamble all of their money, not just money they’ve allocated for gambling. They will start to dip into their essentials, like rent money or their family’s food budget. When you start to wager your livelihood this way, you might have a gambling problem.
2. You Try to Recover Losses With More Gambling
Gambling can turn your luck in an instant. You can have $1,000 and in an few hands you have nothing. But, there is always the possibility of hitting it big. You could win ten times your money in just one hand. Given this possibility, many gamblers have a hard time walking away during a cold streak. They try to win back all the money they’ve lost with more gambling, because they’re convinced that things could go their one in a moment. Sadly, this is rarely the case, and addicts tend to lose even more money.
3. You Prioritize Gambling Over More Important Things
Gambling is meant to be entertainment. It’s supposed to be fun. But when you cross the line and start to skip important events in favor of gambling, you have a problem. By important events, we’re not referring to sporting events on TV or casual hangout sessions. Rather, we mean significant life events, like your child’s play, or an anniversary dinner. When you choose gambling over important events like these, it’s time to seek help.
4. You Will Do Anything To Find Money
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Our first point was that gambling addicts wager money they can’t afford. But what happens when they lose the money they can’t afford? Does the gambling just stop? Probably not, which leads gambling addicts to extreme measures to find money.
How Do You Know If U Have A Gambling Problem
When someone is a problem gambler, an empty bank account won’t stop them from gambling. They’ll find money any way they can. This can mean borrowing from friends, stealing, forging, or other crimes that will get them money. How they get the money doesn’t matter, as long as they get it.
5. You Can’t Stop
An old poker saying is, “Know when to hold ‘em. Know when to fold ‘em.” Meaning, you have to know when to play and when you need to quit. Gambling addicts can’t follow this advice.
Just like an alcoholic or drug addict, the addict might know that he or she has a problem. But that doesn’t help. They simply can’t stop, no matter what. If you find yourself gambling even when you know it’s wrong, you need to get help.
Gambling addiction might not have immediate health ramifications like drinking alcohol or snorting cocaine, but that doesn’t mean it’s not dangerous. There are many problems that can arise from gambling addiction. If you or someone you know has a gambling addiction, call Prominence Treatment Center today for immediate assistance.
Obviously, not everyone who gambles has a problem. Many people enjoy gambling as a social activity without it threatening their financial security or family relationships. Nonetheless, gambling can lead to addiction and serious consequences for those who can’t control the impulse. With as many as 3-5 out of every 100 gamblers, and as many as 750,000 young people ages 14-21 having a gambling addition, gambling can be compared to handling fire — it can either be used to your advantage, or seriously hurt you.
How can you tell when someone you love is developing a gambling problem? At what point does it become an addiction? These are questions you may be afraid to contemplate, but recognizing and admitting are the first steps to helping your spouse overcome a gambling problem and avoid further devastating consequences.
A Gambling Problem: Recognizing the Signs
A gambling problem is defined as behavior that disrupts life, even if it’s not out of control. The reasons for excessive gambling vary, but many people use it to alleviate stress or feelings of incompetency. The following signs may indicate your spouse has a gambling problem:
- Increasing preoccupation with gambling that consumes excessive time and money
- Feeling the need to try to recap losses instead of calling it quits
- Gambling that has a negative effect on mood, behavior, relationships, and financial stability
How Do You Know If You've Got A Gambling Problem
Basically, there may have a problem if you’re worried about your spouse’s behavior. Once recognized, it’s important to calmly confront your spouse and discuss how to handle it together. Extreme responses of ignoring/passively enabling the problem, or issuing ultimatums are not effective because they will allow it to escalate. The confrontations can also make your spouse feel attacked and defensive, which could lead to covert gambling.
Ideally, gambling problems can be resolved without outside help. It’s important to pinpoint your spouse’s reasons for gambling and create a game plan for addressing their underlying motivations and trigger points.
The Defining Line of Addiction: Loss of Control
There is a fine but distinct line between a gambling problem and a gambling addiction, but it can be summed up in this phrase: loss of control. Someone with a gambling problem may be on the path to an addiction, but they are still able to maintain some sense of control. In the case of an addition, the impulse to gamble calls the shots. Here are the major signs.
- Obsession with gambling. Gambling becomes so important and all-consuming that it takes priority over financial stability, relationships, and physical well-being.
- Inability to stop. As with other addictions, your spouse may recognize they have a problem and even try to rein it in, but are unable to control it on their own.
- Psychological withdrawal. When addicts aren’t able to gamble, they’re likely to become restless, irritable, and otherwise disturbed.
- Secretive, dishonest, or illegal behavior. As a gambling addict’s finances get worse, they may resort to desperate measures to continue their behavior without detection or immediate consequences.
- Denial. Addicts often have difficulty admitting they have a serious problem. The illusion of control is what continues to twist their minds into rationalizing their behavior.
Your spouse might have a diagnosable compulsive gambling disorder if these signs describe him or her, and it may be time to seek outside help through group therapy sessions or individual counseling. Gambling can be a fun pastime, or it can be a serious problem too. It’s important to recognize the difference between a hobby, a problem, and an addition, and respond in a way that protects your relational and financial health.