The Risks of Gambling Addiction
Gambling is a popular pastime that involves betting money, and often other assets like cars or property, on events with uncertain outcomes. It can be enjoyable, but for some people, it becomes a problematic habit that interferes with their work and social life. Problem gambling can also lead to other issues such as debt. If you’re concerned about your own or a loved one’s gambling habits, there are services that can help.
The risk of gambling addiction can be high, whether you’re betting on a lottery, casino games (like slots), sports betting or any other form of gambling. Depending on your personality and the type of gambling you engage in, some forms may be more addictive than others. But all forms of gambling share some common features that can lead to problem gambling, including:
When people gamble, their brains receive a natural reward called dopamine every time they make a winning bet or play a game well. The reward helps them learn from their successes and keep trying, but it can also overstimulate the brain if someone gambles too much or is on a losing streak. This change in brain chemistry can cause the person to gamble even more just to feel that same rewarding feeling.
Many people use gambling to socialise with friends, escape their worries or stress, or just have fun. However, for some it can become a serious problem and lead to financial ruin or even suicide. Pathological gambling is now recognised as an addiction – and one that’s highly dangerous – and has been moved to the ‘substance-related disorders’ section of the DSM-5 mental health manual.
Some people are able to walk away from a casino, but for those who can’t, it’s important to seek help. The first step is to strengthen your support network. You can do this by meeting new people, joining a sports team or book club, or taking up a hobby. It’s also helpful to try and get therapy to deal with any underlying issues that could be triggering your problem gambling, such as depression or anxiety.
Whether it’s in an actual casino or online, the chances of winning are not as good as they’re made out to be. Unlike in films, the chance of winning doesn’t increase or decrease based on previous wins and losses. Every individual turn is an independent event with a fixed, random chance of either a win or loss. Despite this, many people still believe that the more they gamble, the more likely they are to win, or at least to balance out their losses with a win. This is a false belief known as partial reinforcement.