Gambling addiction, also known as gambling disorder or compulsive gambling is when a person has the uncontrollable desire to gamble despite the negative consequences.

When someone gambles, it implies that they are ready to risk something valuable with the expectation that they will get something with a higher value.

Just like alcohol and drugs, gambling can disrupt the normal functioning of the brain’s reward system, which causes addiction in the long run.

Signs of gambling addiction

These signs of gambling addiction will let you know if someone has a gambling disorder or not.

Preoccupation with gambling

One of the ways to know when someone is addicted to gambling is when they are always preoccupied with it. This means they will constantly be scheming on how to get more resources to fund their gambling.

Lying to their loved ones

Another sign of gambling addiction is when the individual keeps lying to their family and friends so that they won’t find out about their gambling problem.

Withdrawal symptoms

When the person tries to stop gambling for a while, they are likely to experience some withdrawal symptoms like irritability, anxiety, restlessness, etc.

Poor productivity at work

People with gambling addiction tend not to be productive because their minds are always fixated on gambling. Therefore, they may be unable to meet up with work-related tasks or milestones because they spend most of their time gambling.

Risk factors

Not everyone who gambles ends up developing a gambling disorder. However, certain risk factors could increase someone’s chances of becoming a compulsive gambler.

For instance, if someone starts gambling in childhood or during their teenage years, they are more likely to develop compulsive gambling. Additionally, if your family or friend has a gambling problem, you are likely to develop one too.

Some personality traits might also increase the chances of developing compulsive gambling. For instance, if you are a very competitive person, or you’re highly stressed at work, you may drift towards compulsive gambling.

Treatment

Gambling addiction can be managed with the right treatment and professional by your side. Some of the programs available for gambling addiction include outpatient rehabilitation programs, inpatient rehabilitation programs, twelve-step programs, psychotherapy or cognitive behavioral therapy, etc.

When it comes to internet use, there are two sides to it. You can use the internet for beneficial purposes that will improve the quality of your life in different aspects.  

While you might spend much time online and get to the point where it can negatively affect you. One of the ways through which the internet harms some people is when they become addicted to it.

Some people struggle with internet addiction, as they might use it as a means to escape from their problems in reality. If you want to avoid being addicted to the internet, here are some cautious steps that you can take.

Set goals for your life

One of the ways to prevent internet addiction is to be more deliberate about your life. You can set some actionable and clear goals for your life, and follow them with much passion. When you spend some time on the internet, you will remember that you have some goals to meet, and it can help you caution your internet use.

Turn off or keep your devices during social activities

When you’re engaging in social activities, it is best to keep your devices away or turn them off. Some people are addicted to the Internet, and they find it hard to socialize with people in reality.

Hence, to avoid damaging your social skills, learn to stay around people without using your phone or other digital devices.

Delete social media apps on your phone

If you need to focus on work or other productive tasks, you might have to remove the social media apps on your phone. You may consider using your personal computer each time you want to use the internet so that you can limit your internet use.

Find healthier activities

Another way to prevent internet addiction from happening is to find other healthier interests. You can consider joining a book club, a music group, an art club, or any other thing that improves your quality of life.

When you spend time with these activities or interests, you may not have time to waste on the internet.

Technology has positively impacted our lives in more ways than we can imagine. You might be surprised to hear that even our mental health is not left out as technology has made some perks available to leverage.

The truth is, not everyone would have instant access to mental health treatment. But, technology can bridge that gap. This means that you can get help for mental health issues from the comfort of your home.

Here are some of these benefits

• Stress management

With technology, you can access efficient ways to manage stress and avoid any negative consequence that comes with ignoring what your body is telling you.

For many people, stress management boils down to taking addictive substances like alcohol and drugs which would help them feel relaxed.

They will discover eventually that these substances have temporary effects. With technology, you will find lots of beneficial ways to handle stress and remain productive in different aspects of your life.

• Mental health diagnosis

Many people don’t have the luxury of time to visit a counselor and check if they are dealing with mental health problems or not. Technology has made things easier when it comes to evaluating your mental health.

There are many apps/services that you can register on, and have someone attend to you. From any location you choose, you can get an accurate assessment of your mental health state. And you will also be directed on the best step to take.

• Counseling

You can get a reputable counselor online. Some of them operate the hybrid system where you can make bookings either to meet up physically or virtually. All you need do is look out for counselors with a good track record and book a session with them.

The advent of technology has made almost everything easier and faster. Some of the services that are several miles away can be accessed with a few clicks.

One of the problems that this generation currently struggles with is addiction. Sadly, technology has made it worse because many people don’t see addiction as something to worry about.

Some people are changing the narrative that addiction is that dirty little secret that you cant do without. This is why people who are addicted to drugs or alcohol do not really care even though it affects different aspects of their health.

Here are some points that show how technology has caused addiction problems

• Peer pressure

Many people are addicted because of peer pressure and with the help of technology, the media space has made people comfortable with various addictive habits. Therefore, if you are not indulging in any of them, you will feel left out and inadequate.

People like these eventually bow to peer pressure to have a feel of what they are supposedly missing out on.

• False information

Another reason why people get addicted is because of the lie that tech has sold through the media space again. For instance, many people get the impression that once you are addicted, you will be able to do certain things you couldn’t do in your normal state.

Someone in the music space might be led to believe that you can only do well excellently in front of a large crowd if you have taken some drugs or alcohol.

Hence, when they make this a regular habit, they become addicted in the process.

They will find it difficult to break free because they are reliant on this and their brain reward system looks forward to receiving more of those substances.

• Hiding the truth

Technology does not seem to focus on the truth behind these addictive habits, because some of the companies involved need to sell their products and services.

Hence, these organizations focus more on marketing their offerings and using technology to shield them from exposing the addictive side of using what they have to offer.

Unarguably, technology has affected relationships adversely and those who were not patient enough to figure things out have had to end their relationships.

It would also interest you to know that asides romantic relationships, technology has affected relationships between family members, friends, acquaintances, co-workers and the likes. To fix this mess, it is crucial to strike a balance between using technology and maintaining our relationships.

Below are ways to fix the negative effects of technology

Effective Communication

No one likes discussing with someone whose mind is not in the conversation. When you are having interactions with people, it is vital to put away distractions for that moment. Discussions cannot last forever and what you are doing on your devices can wait except if it is very urgent.

In that case, you can take permission from the person you are discussing to either postpone the discussion or give you some minutes to complete your task.

Setting priorities with technology use

If you discover that your partner or friends always complain about how you use the internet or your phone in general, it is necessary not to ignore these complaints. You should not overlook this because if everyone is complaining about the same thing, then you need to make corrections.

To help yourself, you can set a strict schedule for yourself when you attend to other tasks without the intrusion of technology use. This would help you to be productive in other areas of your life.

Prioritize talking time with your romantic partner

If you are physically or virtually present with your partner, you need to show them enough respect by limiting your technology use for that moment. Your partner needs to know that you value them enough to hold conversations without being distracted by any external factor.

One of the ways to prevent conflicts in relationships is to avoid doing things that are conventionally not right. Using technology the right way averts relationship issues.

Technology has affected all aspects of our lives positively and negatively. For our relationships, there are positive and negative effects that technology has on it. The fact is, there is no definite answer as to if technology has affected our relationships positively or negatively because there are two sides to it.  

Positive effects of technology on relationships

Better offline interaction

As against the conventional saying that technology destroys offline interaction, it has made communication easier for several people. These days, people become close pals online before they meet offline, and it helps foster a better communication because they have interacted quite intimately online.

Better relationships

Good online activity and interaction breeds better relationships. People discuss all sorts of things like education, marital lives, views on recent happenings and others. Hence, it is easy to find people who have similar interests as yours. And when you meet in realty, it becomes easier to bond than before.

Keeps communication with old friends alive

If you have lost contact with some old friends, you can link up with them online. All you need do is search them out with their names, or contact them through mutual friends.

Negative effects of technology on relationships

Decline in intimacy

Intimate relationships come with their difficulties and with the change in technologies, it can infuse more strain in modern relationships. Sometimes, the way individuals use technology can cause problems between them and their partners, which causes conflict in the relationship.

Distraction

If one is not careful, you will discover that technology can distract you in essential aspects of your life, with relationship not being an exception. Some partners often complain of the way their partners use their devices when they are around them. It is even worse for people who are addicted because they would not know how to manage their attention.

Depression

Using the social media/technology for too long has been shown to adversely affect mental health. Dating a depressed partner for instance, can stress the relationship because it would be difficult to trace the source of the depression.

Some may have recently picked up the harmful habit – while others may be veterans of chewing. Either way, negative effects can take place in a short amount of time – or vice versa. That’s why it’s important to be on the lookout for certain warning signs – since the consequences can differ from person to person. In fact, no one body is the same – or reacts the same for that matter – but being mindful of the danger signs that come with this smokeless substance serves as a place to start. 

In turn, there are five being, “a sore in your mouth that bleeds easily and doesn’t heal, a lump or thickening anywhere in the mouth or neck, any soreness or swelling in your mouth that doesn’t go away, a red or white patch in your mouth that doesn’t go away; difficulty chewing, swallowing, or moving your tongue or jaw.” Through these signs comes the danger of something more if the addict isn’t careful; that’s why consulting a medical professional is crucial because the person could be undergoing early stages of cancer. 

Not only that, but these signs shouldn’t be dismissed – or swept underneath the rug; as a result, it’s crucial that they aren’t ignored because of their severity. But even so, some people will try and bare through the pain that they feel – and/or disregard it. In fact, one dip of chewing tobacco – being left in a person’s mouth to sit – is the equivalent of smoking multiple cigarettes. The reasoning behind this is because of the insane amount of nicotine that chewing tobacco carries versus cigarettes; some may even engage in this pastime while scrolling through their phone because doing so can induce a large amount of anxiety and/or FOMO (fear of missing out).

Other drugs may not cause direct pain – right away at least – but this is where chewing tobacco differs; for one might not see what is taking place – within his/her liver – as he/she drinks. The same goes for those who use drugs because the damage might not be evident at first after the high is over. But with chewing tobacco, there is a direct pain on the mouth that’s unpleasant – making it hard to ignore. Yet, some still choose to do so – despite the signs – until what once seemed like a small issue, turns into a much bigger one. 

In conclusion, it’s important to always be on the lookout for warning signs in those close to you – and even in yourself, if you struggle to overcome addiction. In doing so, you can seek help before it’s too late – but if not, you could risk developing lifelong health issues. Although withdrawal symptoms may cause discomfort – the end result will be well worth when you find yourself drug-free.

iPhone, android, tablet, laptop, television, along with several other forms of technology tend to infiltrate our modern day world, as millions put them to use. But, while these particular individuals spend much of their time consumed by such, others prefer a more simple approach. For, there are some who may find themselves purposefully avoiding the technology that surrounds them, but for others these many devices may pose as inevitable. In turn, several factors play a key role in a user’s rate of consumption, the main ones being career and education.

First and foremost is career, which holds a broad range of positions, depending on the person’s area of expertise－and/or their field of interest. It is with such that these individuals may be exposed to technology at high, low, and/or moderate levels. In turn, some may not have a choice in the matter because they are subject to technology through business meetings and interviews－which may take place through conference and/or video call. It is through such that they have limited access interacting with the person face to face, but are instead only able to see them through a small pixelated square.

Second is education in which college students are thrown into an abundant amount of technology whether it be through having to do research－and/or surf the web－for information, and/or in order to enroll in online classes. Not only that, but oftentimes these individuals don’t even have to be registered online to still need access to the internet. For, many sources of information for them may come from their school website－such as; grades, homework, financial aid information, account balance, registration, and/or even meal plans/living arrangements. It is with all of these that students are placed in a position where they are forced to have access to the internet, whether it be through their school library, or via their laptop/desktop at home.

In conclusion, one must be careful when they are placed in an environment－and/or situation－in which there is very little use of pen and paper, and instead an excessive amount of use of the internet－along with other technological devices. It is through such that one who has made very little use of media platforms－and/or outlets－in the past, can suddenly find themselves fully consumed by it outside of their place of business, and/or school. That’s why it is of extreme importance that one takes the time out to engage and/or interact with other people and things outside of the technology realm, so that they are developing themselves within the real world, rather than behind a screen.