How do I know if I have a gambling addiction problem?

Perhaps you have ever asked yourself, after placing a sports bet, playing the lottery or going to bingo with friends and family; if you have a gambling addiction problem. This is a relatively common cause of concern among those who from time to time get involved in these types of activities and notice how little by little they become routine.

And it is that gambling addiction or gambling addiction is, in addition to one of the most harmful disorders that exist and currently, one of the alterations most common psychological disorders in Western societies, and represents a true public health problem that affects more and more young people. Furthermore, as happens with other addictions, they lead the person to develop a series of beliefs about self-deception so as not to have to face the reality that it is necessary to attend therapy and get out of that loop of dependence. Therefore, in this article we will review several tips to know if you have a gambling addiction, focusing on seeing what the symptoms of gambling addiction are and its most common ways of expressing itself.

Am I a gambler? Signs to know if you suffer from gambling addiction

People who develop this type of addiction to gambling or sports betting usually present a series of characteristics. shared feelings that can be summarized in psychological and physical symptoms of discomfort, as well as distorted ways of interpreting the reality. Let's see what they are.

1. Obsess

One of the first signs that there is a pathological addiction to gambling is becoming obsessed with betting all the time or participating in games of chance all the time, in the sense that Intrusive thoughts about what it feels like to play those games appear over and over again in the person's consciousness..

People who have a case of gambling addiction constantly think about gambling to the point of focusing their lives on betting and games of chance. This means that in the long run they end up thinking and talking all day long about their unhealthy obsession.

• Related article: "What is an obsession? Causes, symptoms and treatment"

2. Deny the problem

Denying that there is a problem is another of the classic characteristics that people addicted to gambling and in general with any type of addiction usually present.

In these cases, the person will try to hide the problem from him by all means and You will always look for excuses to minimize your addiction or distract attention from the problem that has been developing for a long time..

Denying your addiction to friends and family only postpones the problem further in time and makes it deeper and deeper.

• Related article: "The 8 types of cognitive distortions"

3. Urge need to play

The need to play at all times, at any time of the day regardless of what one is doing is also another sign of people addicted to gambling.

This need is so great that the person completely loses control of his will and is unable to stop his uncontrollable impulses to bet or play.

4. Humor changes

Mood changes and irritability are common in cases of gambling addiction and also any other addiction, both chemical and behavioral.

These are manifested in great discomfort when the person cannot play or carry out the behavior to which he is addicted and in a tendency to show a hostile and frustrated attitude at the slightest setback.

5. Absent

The person who develops a case of gambling addiction invests a large amount of time in his addiction, which makes him absent for many moments of the week or even the day.

This means that you will not be able to engage in other daily activities or attend to your daily responsibilities.

6. Change of habits

Changes in habits, then, are common in cases of gambling addiction since much more time is spent playing or betting, to the detriment of carrying out other activities that were previously carried out normally.

People with gambling addiction tend to sleep less, neglect their personal, social or family members and frequent new social circles where they can easily display their new addiction.

7. borrow money

Repeated bets and games of chance require a large investment of money, which is why people with gambling addiction usually borrow it once they have lost it. This means that many times They can get angry or irritated easily if they are not able to access that money or if someone decides to refuse to lend it.

8. Constant justification of losing money

Losing money is another of the common phenomena in people with gambling addiction problems and constitutes one of the origins of the discomfort, pain and frustration that these people feel. Given this, the individual who has developed gambling addiction creates externalizing explanations about the causes of his or her problems in this sense: bad luck due to third parties, an unfortunate coincidence that will not be repeated repeat, etc.

That is why we say that gambling addiction erodes a person's mental health and also their personal economic and financial situation, causing greater effects on their psychological state.

9. Tendency to get into debt

Debt is the logical consequence of the constant loss of money, a phenomenon that ends up destroying all types of social relationships in the person addicted to gambling.

By borrowing money and systematically wasting it, the person with gambling addiction ends up being left alone with no one to agree to lend him more money. In many cases, people value the idea of ​​taking their own life when they reach personal and economic ruin.

10. Abandonment of self-care

The unhealthy obsession with gambling also has devastating effects on personal care and the most basic personal habits such as personal hygiene, self-image and healthy habits such as playing sports or eating well.

People with gambling addiction tend to neglect the most basic basic care such as taking care of themselves or washing themselves, since their lives focus exclusively on gambling and nothing else.

• Related article: "Selfishness or self-care?"

11. Feeling generalized anxiety

The development of anxiety symptoms or serious disorders associated with it is usually common in cases of gambling addiction.

This anxiety is just one of the psychological symptoms that the person can develop over time as their addiction progresses, others can be insomnia and sleeplessness. emotional hunger.

12. Develop self-destructive habits

As we have indicated, gambling addiction results in the person neglecting obligations. essential daily activities such as going to work, attending to personal and social responsibilities or relatives.

Likewise, it is also common to develop destructive habits such as the consolidation of other addictions. Some of these may be the alcoholism or addiction to tranquilizers.

13. Frequent distractions

Being obsessed all day with betting and gambling makes it possible for the person to end up not paying attention to other aspects of their daily life.

This means neglecting or not paying attention at work, at family gatherings, when caring for children, or at meetings with friends.

14. Development of physical symptoms

Gambling addiction is also related to the development of a series of physical symptoms of discomfort that contribute to worsening the person's mental health. Some of these symptoms may be excessive sweating, tachycardia, muscle pain or tension, agitation or insomnia.

15. Tolerance development

Most addictions, when they reach a peak, end up generating the phenomenon of tolerance.

This phenomenon consists in the fact that the behavior or substance to which one is addicted no longer exerts the same effect of well-being on the person's body and that is why it is necessary to increase the dose or bet larger amounts of money in the case of gambling addiction

Are you looking for psychotherapeutic help for gambling addiction?

If you want to have professional psychological assistance for gambling addiction, contact us.

In Cepsim Psychological Center we can help you.