- How Can You Tell If You Have A Gambling Problem
- How Can You Tell If You Have A Gambling Problem Resulting
- How Can You Tell If You Have A Gambling Problem Solving
- How Can You Tell If You Have A Gambling Problem To Be
- How Can You Tell If You Have A Gambling Problem Finding
- How Can You Tell If You Have A Gambling Problem Affect
Problem gambling does not have to mean you are totally out of control; it is any gambling behaviour that disrupts your life or the life of your loved ones. The impacts of problem gambling can be far reaching and can include: Debt or other financial problems. See full list on gamblinghelponline.org.au.
Are you gambling too much? How can you tell if you are? On this page, I’ll be discussing seven signs you might be gambling a little too frequently.
But I want to make something clear before you continue. This article isn’t aimed at problem gamblers. Some gamblers have a real issue on their hands and need to seek help immediately. If you have even the slightest idea that you might have a problem, don’t hesitate to seek professional help.
This article is for players who can easily control their gambling, including those who might just need to take a break or back off for a short while. Although the focus is often on gamblers that can’t stop and end up losing everything, the majority of gamblers don’t gamble with money they can’t afford to lose and treat their gambling as a form of entertainment.
But even when you’re a responsible gambler, sometimes you need to watch for one or more of the signs below. Once you notice them, you can either take a break from gambling or gamble less.
1 – Chasing Losses
I hesitated to include chasing losses on this list, but ultimately decided it was too important to skip. Many gamblers chase losses as a habit. But keep in mind, chasing losses doesn’t necessarily mean you’re gambling too much.
The problem is when you start chasing losses even if it’s something you usually don’t do. Most gambling activities are for fun and not necessarily for profit. And because of a casino house edge, players lose in the long run.
When you chase losses, you simply lose faster. It puts your bankroll in danger, and you need to understand how short term and long term probabilities work. This way, you don’t run out of money.
2 – Losing Sleep
It’s often difficult to link loss of sleep with one particular thing, but if you start having a hard time sleeping, consider whether it has anything to do with gambling. Losing can leave you in a state of unrest, and it’s possible that your sleep patterns are affected by it.
I’m not a doctor or psychologist, so I can’t help cure your sleep issues. But you need to be aware that it’s at least possible gambling could be the reason you’re not sleeping well.
Another possibility is that you’re neglecting sleep because you’d rather gamble.
If you’re working full time and have normal responsibilities in your life, it can be challenging to find enough time to gamble as much as you want.
3 – Hiding Your Gambling
This is a big one, so pay attention. Any time you hide your gambling activities from people, especially the people who’re most important in your life, it’s a clear sign that something is going on.
If you’re hiding some or all of your gambling from your spouse and/or loved ones, you need to figure out why you’re doing it. You have to be completely honest about this and dig down to the root cause.
I recommend using this extra time away from your normal gambling activities to figure out why you feel the need to hide your habits. I’m not here to judge, I’m simply here to educate. You might have a legitimate reason to hide your gambling, but it’s usually a sign you may be gambling too much.
4 – Gambling When You’re Tired
Most people who gamble are guilty of gambling when they’re tired at least a few times. I’ve done it too many times to count, and I usually don’t regret it. Occasionally, I’ll make a bad mistake because I’m tired, but I only continue gambling when I’m tired in situations where I still have an edge.
Here’s an example of when I’m most likely to gamble when tired.
The main thing I enjoy at the casinos is a good game of poker. I’m able to play well enough to be an overall winning player, but I’ve never dedicated enough time and effort to be able to play full time. One of my most profitable strategies is to find games with bad players. This gives me an edge most of the time.
In a game filled with bad players, I tend to play as long as the game is good and I’m able to continue playing better than my opponents. In a good game, I’ll play when I’m tired most of the time. Only when my profitability goes down because of being tired do I quit playing.
5 – Behind on Your Bills
When you’re a gambler and you’re behind on your bills, it’s time to take a close look at what’s going on in your financial life. The first thing you need to determine is if you’re a winning or losing gambler. If you don’t know the answer, then it’s safe to assume you’re a losing gambler.
Most gamblers lose money in the long run. If you’re doing anything other than counting cards at the blackjack tables, betting on sports, or playing poker, the odds of you being a winning gambler are almost non-existent.
Even if you play poker or bet on sports, the odds that you win in the long run are small. The only way to know for sure is to track all of your play and expenses.
If you find that you’re a breakeven or winning gambler, you probably don’t need to stop gambling until you’re caught up on your bills. But even if you’re a winner, you still might be able to earn more doing something else, like working, rather than gambling.
On the other hand, if you’re like most gamblers and lose more than you win, you need to gamble less until you get your bills taken care of.
It takes a responsible and educated person to make a decision like this and follow through.
6 – Experiencing Social Issues
It can be difficult to recognize how your gambling can change your social relationships. But if you never think about it, you’re never going to see it happening. Have you noticed more disagreements or strife in your personal relationships lately? Are you fighting with your spouse, friends, co-workers, or boss?
Gambling isn’t always the cause of social issues, but losing can make you irritable and defensive. As I stated in an earlier section, I’m not able to diagnose and help correct social issues, but I do want to help you understand that gambling can have an impact on them, and I want to help you watch for the signs.
Don’t hesitate to cut back on your habits for a short time if there seems to be more chaos or disagreement in your life.
7 – Losing Too Much Money
This is probably the easiest sign on the list to recognize and act on. If you’re losing more money than you want, it’s time to gamble less. When your losses become too high, it might even be time to stop gambling for a period of time.
I recommend taking a break and spending the time learning how to be a winning gambler. You can find books, articles, and videos that help you develop the skills you need. Look into playing other games like poker, blackjack, or sports betting, and see if you have the skills needed to start winning.
How Can You Tell If You Have A Gambling Problem
If you’re already a gambler, the odds are that you don’t want to stop. So, why not learn how to come over to the profitable side so you can continue gambling for the rest of your life?
Conclusion
I like to gamble and I don’t plan to stop doing it. But I’ve taken a few breaks over the years and looking back, I don’t regret any of them. The more you gamble and the older you get, the better chance you have of recognizing when you’re gambling too much.
How Can You Tell If You Have A Gambling Problem Resulting
Use the signs listed above to help you learn when you need to slow down or take a break. You can always start gambling more later and, if you use your time wisely when you slow down, you might even learn how to improve your long-term results.
Gambling, for some people, is a leisure activity that offers a night out on the town enjoying time with friends and family, with a distant possibility of winning money. For other people, the stakes are higher. After all, gambling is a $40 billion dollar industry in the United States. In Las Vegas alone—the unofficial gambling capital of the world—the casinos bring in over 10 billion dollars from people placing bets. Though many of those people only gamble once in awhile, there are people who make gambling the center of their universe. In other words, they are addicted to gambling.
The temptations to gamble are everywhere and you don’t need to be in a casino to try your luck. Every state in America, with the exception of Utah and Hawaii, offer some type of legalized gambling—from old-school slot machines to sports-betting apps and everything in between. The accessibility to gambling has only amplified with the Internet. Based on various surveys in recent years, it is estimated that two million people in the US are addicted to gambling. But that figure has the potential to increase at anytime, because those same surveys revealed as many as 20 million people noting that their gambling habit had begun to interfere with their work and social life. That type of behavior falls into the category of “compulsive gambling,” which is the stage before gambling addiction.
What is Compulsive Gambling?
“The shortest version is that compulsive gambling is, as its name implies, a compulsion,” says Lance Dodes, MD, author of THE HEART OF ADDICTION: A New Approach to Understanding and Managing Alcoholism and Other Addictive Behaviors. “Compulsive gambling leads to an addiction, which is a psychological symptom that is well-understood and treatable with psychotherapy oriented toward that understanding. It is not a biological, genetic or moral issue, and it is not fundamentally different from other compulsive behaviors or addictions.”
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How Can You Tell If You Have A Gambling Problem Solving
Usually, people start out gambling for fun, and then they lose money they didn’t mean to, and they end up chasing that loss until all their money is gone. And in many cases, people are gambling because they have faced emotional and financial losses and they are trying to console themselves.
There is a misconception among many people that problem gambling, another term for gambling addiction, is not a big deal. “Most people don’t realize that problem gambling is a real disorder, just like alcohol or drug addiction,” says Shelia Moran, director of communications and marketing at First Choice Services, a nonprofit agency in West Virginia dedicated to mental health issues and problems. “They think it’s just a bad habit that can be easily ended. The good news is that we find most people who get treatment are able to successfully stop gambling.”
Gambling and Co-Existing Mental Health Conditions
Sadly, it is estimated that over 80% of people who suffer from some type of gambling addiction never seek treatment, no matter how bad their problem is. Other statistics reveal that while there are people who do seek treatment for their gambling addiction, over 70% end up returning to the world of betting. People with this type of disorder are more likely to suffer from other types of mental health and substance abuse issues. Many gamblers also have an alcohol disorder or addiction, and over half were nicotine dependent.
The emotional toll it takes on people is devastating, and in many cases a gambling addiction can also bring bouts of depression, and in extreme situations may lead to suicidal thoughts or tendencies. People with a gambling addiction are also prone to anxiety, high stress and extreme sadness. When a gambler loses everything, their life will suddenly become hopeless and they fear what the future might bring.
Gambling Addiction Symptoms and Signs
As with other addictions, there are warning signs to look out for. These include:
- Keeping gambling habits a secret
- Having trouble controlling their gambling habit
- Continuing to be involved with a gambling habit when they cannot financially afford to do so.
- Resorting to illegal activities to pay for their gambling habit
Physical symptoms of excessive gambling include problems sleeping, weight gain or loss, dark circles under the eyes and extreme headaches.
How Can You Tell If You Have A Gambling Problem To Be
How can you tell if someone has a gambling disorder? The American Psychiatric Association has developed guidelines and says that a person requires at least four of the following issues to take place during the past year:
- A person feels the need to gamble with an increasing amount of money in order to achieve the desired excitement.
- A person becomes angry, restless or irritable when someone tells them to cut back on their gambling, or to stop it altogether.
- A person will have unsuccessfully tried to cut back or stop gambling on their own.
- A person has frequent thoughts about gambling, including reliving past gambling adventures, planning their next gambling outing, and thinking of ways to get money to gamble with.
- A person will often gamble when they are feeling distressed.
- After a person loses money, they return to try and “get even” (referred to as “chasing” one’s losses)
- A person will not hesitate to lie to hide their gambling activity.
- A person will jeopardize or lose a significant relationship, job or educational/career opportunity because of gambling.
- A person will begin relying on others to help with money problems caused by their gambling habits.
Treatment Options for Gambling Addicts
If you suspect that someone in your life is addicted to gambling or a compulsive gambler, you should know that there is help. Here are treatment options to consider:
How Can You Tell If You Have A Gambling Problem Finding
- “Behavior therapy and cognitive behavior therapy are recommended for compulsive gamblers,” says Katie Hurley, LCSW. “Behavioral therapy uses systematic exposure to the behavior to teach skills to reduce the urges, while cognitive behavioral therapy focuses on identifying unhealthy and irrational thoughts and replacing them with positive/adaptive ones. Family therapy is another option,” Hurley explains.
- Apps can help instill healthy habits and encourage consideration of events and emotions that lead to compulsive behaviors. Addiction AVERT app can help curb cravings. BreakFree can help people who use their smartphones to gamble spend less time on their phone.
- Adaptive coping strategies like exercise, deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, mindfulness, and meditation are all positive options. There are even meditation apps that can help anyone who doesn’t know where to start.
According to the American Psychiatric Association, as of 2016, there are no FDA-approved medications for the treatment of gambling disorder. There is, however, emerging scientific research that has shown that medications can be effective in reducing the intensity of urges and cravings for gambling.
Finally, Gamblers Anonymous has been beneficial in the lives of people who have an addiction; however, they must first admit they have a problem, which is often times the most difficult thing to do. If someone is unable to find an accessible chapter of Gamblers Anonymous, Alcoholics Anonymous addresses many of the same behaviors.
How Can You Tell If You Have A Gambling Problem Affect
Just as anyone can become addicted to gambling, anyone can stop.
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