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.