People suffering from a gambling addiction might do things they never did and planned. For example, they could be stealing money from family to gamble and having impressive debts. Gambling addiction is an impulse-control disorder. If you have such a disorder, you can’t control your behaviour when you want to play, even if it could lead to bad consequences for your life and family. A gambler with such a disorder will go on playing whether he wins or lose, even if he knows that the odds aren’t on his side and he cannot afford to lose one more time.
Another variant is also possible. You can control yourself and have gambling problems at the same time. Problems with gambling is a behaviour that continuously ruins your life in some way. For example, you can spend too much time on it or too much money. You can’t ignore disastrous consequences in your life. At this moment, you may have a feeling that you can’t stop playing, but there are many methods to stop gambling, change your habits, improve your financial situation, and control your life again.
What are the symptoms of gambling addiction?
So anyone can have a gambling addiction, and if you face it, you should take it seriously. How can you know that you have this kind of addiction? Gamblers can refuse to acknowledge they have a problem. However, pay attention to these symptoms:
- You can’t stop gambling. When you start playing, you can’t control yourself, and it is complicated to stop until you spend the last cent. Sounds familiar, then you have a gambling addiction.
- Playing when you are running out of money. If you spend almost all of your money on gambling, you can’t afford to buy some food and pay the bills. When you borrow money, you prefer to spend it on gambling.
- You don’t tell anyone about your gambling addiction. You keep it a secret or even lie about how often you play and how much money you spend on it. You may think your family and friends won’t understand you, or you could surprise them with a big win.
- You have problems and arguments with family and friends. If your family tells you that you have a gambling addiction and worries about you, you should listen to them. It could mean you have problems with gambling, and you should give up gambling or limit yourself.
These are the main symptoms of gambling addiction. If you understand that you suffer from this disorder and need help, you should ask for it immediately. It is never too late to avoid gambling and start a new life.
How to avoid gambling addiction
As we have already said, a gambling addiction could ruin your life. However, there are some tips to prevent you from gambling addiction. It is always easier to prevent a disorder than to find the way out of addiction later when your relations are ruined, you have huge debts, and you are psychologically down. Every gambler should play responsibly and follow these simple rules:
- Set yourself a time limit. You might set a limit on the time you are ready to spend on gambling every day, week, or month. For instance, it’s a good idea to set a time limit of 3 hours per week. When they are over, you should stop gambling immediately. You should pay attention to how lucky you were this day.
- Set yourself a betting limit. It is another fantastic method to control yourself. Say to yourself how much money you can spend this day or month. It will minimize your losses and make them predictable.
- You shouldn’t ignore built-in limits or restrictions at online casinos. These limits could also help you to avoid addiction and save money.
How to stop gambling?
If you understand that you already have problems with gambling, you should try to break the habit. It requires motivation, courage, and strength, especially if you are down, have lost your money, and ruined your relationships. However, you are not alone with the problem. Many people have stopped playing and changed their lives for the better. These are some steps to follow if you want to stop gambling:
- Don’t gamble when you feel down. It would help if you look for alternatives to gambling, like sports, friends, meeting new people, etc. People start gambling when they are lonely, bored, or stressed to manage their mood and problems.
- Don’t fight the problem alone. Find the people who are ready to support you. It is complicated to stop gambling without any support. You can rely on your friends, family, or colleagues.
- Visit support groups like Gamblers Anonymous. This 12-step program can help you to stop gambling and improve your life. You can know about the former gambler’s experience and how he has broken the habit.
- Help with mood disorders. If you have depression, anxiety, and stress, it could also lead to gambling addiction.
Gambling addiction is a disorder that might lead to terrible consequences like ruined relationships, huge debts, problems at work, etc. Every gambler should control himself and set time and money limits to avoid addiction. When you already have an addiction, don’t be shy to ask for help. It is too complicated to manage this problem alone. There are numerous ways to quit playing and change your life. Thousands of gamblers stopped playing, and you can do it.