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When our hobbies turn into an addiction, it is vulnerable and can lead to unhealthy habits. Gambling is one such urge which can change your fortune overnight and turn you into a millionaire, or you may lose everything you own. In gambling, you tend to risk all your money in the hope of something far better.
If you suffer from such addictions and cannot stop yourself from placing bets, you will exhaust everything you have and go into debt eventually. Once there is no money left to gamble with, a person who is highly addicted, might resort to other methods like stealing, selling jewellery or executing frauds.
Therefore gambling addiction treatment is necessary if you want to save your life and your bucks.
What is gambling addiction?
When you place a bet for the first time and that first time is not your last, it leads to gambling addiction. You keep yourself engaged in various forms of this bizarre game like online betting, roulette, casinos, card or lottery.
With time, you become a victim of compulsive gambling and often tend to give everything you have to this game, thinking you will be rewarded with something of a much higher value. This is similar to drug addiction - when you win a bet or a lottery, your brain releases dopamine, which makes you feel euphoric and overwhelmed.
To get this feeling time and again, an addict will engage in all forms of gambling. Who does not like winning, right? But it is not always worth the risk.
What are the signs of this addiction?
Before we talk about gambling addiction treatment, let us know the signs of this condition.
An addict can often commit thefts to raise money for the next bet. They are often seen risking large amounts and also resort to lies and denial when they lose. This can destroy friendships and relationships over time as an addict becomes more concerned about the game than people around him.
If you’re a victim of compulsive gambling, you will deal with your sorrows and life problems by placing bets. It is similar to an alcoholic or a drug addict, who thinks that everything can be solved by drinking or taking substances.
Gambling addiction treatment: Can it be treated?
Betting being a silent addiction can be very hard to treat, as most of the people who are affected are in denial. The first step to keeping your addiction at bay is to admit that you have one.
Here are a few gambling addiction treatments:
1. Going to a therapist
A therapist can use behavioral therapy in which you will be made to unlearn your unhealthy gambling behavior and replace it with something healthy and positive. This will change your perspective towards gambling and you will learn to value your money and the people around you once again.
2. Support groups
Talking to people who are in a similar situation and want to get out of it, to save themselves. This can motivate and help you. You will not only acknowledge your problem in front of them but also relate to theirs.
3. Medications
Antidepressants can help you deal with the feeling of loneliness when you stop gambling. Mood stabilizers can treat the problem and reduce stress and other symptoms.
4. Keeping yourself busy
Reading a book, hearing songs, playing a sport or just keeping oneself busy at work can help take your mind off gambling.
Do not look for shortcuts for quick and easy money. Work hard, manage your finances and learn to value everything you have. Invest in a SIP or mutual fund and encourage savings instead of letting a gambling addiction take all you have.
