Do You Have a Gambling Problem or Addiction? Signs & Treatment
Most of us have gambled at some point in our lives; whether it is skipping paying for parking while running late, running a yellow light, buying a 50/50 or a lottery ticket, placing a sports bet, or a making a friendly wager on a game of golf.
Most people gamble without experiencing issues. They can go out to the casino, play a game of black jack, get sharked at a poker table or spin the one armed bandit (aka the slot machine) without experiencing harm.
However, a portion of those who gamble will develop a serious, compulsive problem; One that can lead to devastating effects on the gambler and those they love.
So for this blog post, we will cover what problem gambling is, how it develops, the signs of gambling addiction, and what steps you can take to make positive change if you or a loved one are struggling with this issue.
Problem Gambling Versus Gambling Addiction?
These terms are often used interchangeably, but "problem gambling" is used to describe the full spectrum of issues someone can experience when negative consequences are realized from their gambling.
On the less severe side of this spectrum are lesser forms of harm. For example, a person gambling more money than they planned and feeling a sense of shame for not having better controlled themselves.
On the more severe side of the spectrum is developing a compulsive pattern where a person has completely lost control of their ability to limit or stop betting despite experiencing consequences related to their gambling. It is in these instances, terms like "gambling addiction" become more relevant.
What is Gambling Addiction?
From a clinical perspective, we understand gambling addiction as a behavioural disorder marked by persistent and recurrent problematic gambling which results in distress or significant impairment.
It's very similar to substance addiction, so much so that the manual we use to diagnose mental health conditions in Canada and the USA, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5-TR), categorizes "Disordered Gambling" as an addictive disorder alongside substance addiction.
Interestingly, Disordered Gambling is the only recognized behavioural or process addiction in the DSM-5-TR, though gaming addiction is a condition that is being considered for inclusion in future editions.
While there are striking similarities between substance addiction and gambling, the most obvious difference is that gambling addiction does not involve ingesting a substance. However, we understand that both conditions share many of the same underlying neurological and psychological mechanisms. In fact, most of the symptoms we use to assess gambling addiction are the very same symptoms we use to assess for substance addiction.
So, What are the Effects of Gambling Addiction?
The impact of gambling addiction can be extensive and can disrupt every aspect of a person’s life.
Relationships can suffer due to deception, secrecy, and financial strain, causing divorce, estrangement, and lost friendships.
A person’s mental health deteriorates, and frequently gambling addiction co-occurs (or happens alongside of) depression, anxiety and substance use.
Physical health problems like stress-related ailments and sleep disturbances are common.
Legal consequences can arise from illicit activities to fund gambling, resulting in arrests and even incarceration.
Occupational and educational impairment, such as job loss, diminished performance at work, and academic failure, are frequent outcomes due to preoccupation with gambling and neglected responsibilities.
One of the most challenging aspects of gambling addiction is that there is no limit on what a person can lose and this can be magnified by easy to access to casinos online and sports gambling.
We have seen first hand in our clinical practice that this can result in life altering losses which can occur in a matter of days.
Significant indebtedness, combined with shame and stigma can lead to people feeling trapped and hopeless — placing them at of higher risk of dying by suicide.
How Does Gambling Addiction Develop?
Well, if you've read any of our other blogs on similar topics, you're probably familiar with the idea that mental health issues often develop from a complex myriad of factors and that they are rarely the outcome of a singular cause; problem gambling is no exception.
In this section, we have broken down some of the better studied factors that can increase the risk of someone developing a problem with gambling.
Gambling addiction is the outcome of biological-psychological-social factors
Biological: Gambling stimulates the brain's reward system - a system essential for survival, as it reinforces important behaviors like eating, sex, and achieving goals. It does this by releasing dopamine, resulting in a “high” or pleasurable experience, which in turn encourages us to repeat the behaviour. Gambling, like drugs, is very effective at activating this system. In individuals experiencing gambling problems, this system is thought to be dysregulated, leading to what we often refer to as addiction "hijacking the brain." This means a system designed for our very survival becomes a driving force that perpetuates the addiction as the person seeks reward or dopamine by gambling.
Cognitive: Irrational thought patterns are though to play an important role, so much so that we've decided to dedicate a subsequent blog post on this very topic to describe these concepts in more detail. These cognitions include the illusion of control (believing one can influence random outcomes), gambler's fallacy (mistakenly thinking past events affect future independent events), and near misses (interpreting a close loss as a virtual win), all of which can sustain gambling habits.
Emotional: Gambling is often used as a coping mechanism to avoid or numb distressing emotions like stress, anxiety, depression, or loneliness. Many people describe who engage in problem gambling do so as a means of detaching themselves from worries and life stressors.
Personality Traits: People with higher levels of impulsivity or a tendency to seek thrills are at a greater risk of developing problems, as gambling caters to these desires for immediate gratification and stimulation by offering the opportunity for instant wins.
Environmental:
Accessibility: The widespread availability of gambling options, both physical and online, makes it easier to engage in more gambling. Increased exposure to gambling tends to increase the risk of developing a problem.
Social Learning: Growing up in an environment where heavy gambling is normalized or encouraged can increase the likelihood of developing an addiction.
Financial Stress: While gambling often causes financial problems, it can also be a desperate attempt to solve existing financial difficulties, leading to a downward spiral of betting to get ahead only to end up getting further behind.
What are the Signs of a Gambling Problem?
So, how do you know if your gambling has become a problem, and how do we diagnose it?
We expect this goes without saying, but if you or someone you know is struggling, reaching out for professional help is always the best option, as trained professionals can assess the nature of the problem, provide tailored treatment recommendations, and guide you on what to do next.
With that being said, here some of the more common symptoms are as follows:
Can't Stop Thinking About Gambling: Do you find your mind constantly drifting to gambling - thinking about past wins or losses, or planning your next bet? For example, you're at work or at home with your family and instead of focusing on tasks at hand, you're constantly replaying the NASCAR race from last night in your mind or checking the odds for the upcoming football game so that you can place your next bet?
Needing More to Get the Same Effect: This symptom is often referred to as "chasing the dragon." Similar to substance use, individuals with problem gambling can develop tolerance, meaning they need to gamble more, or more often to achieve the same effect. For instance, betting larger amounts of money or gambling more frequently to get the same excitement.
Feeling Anxious or Irritable When You Don't Gamble: Do you get restless, annoyed, or on edge when you try to cut back or stop gambling? This is a form of withdrawal, and research has found that individuals experiencing problem gambling can experience withdrawal symptoms when they cease gambling. For example, you planned for a weekend without gambling, but by Saturday afternoon, you're being short with loved ones, you’re restless and feel a strong urge to go to the casino or betting online.
Trying to Win Back What You Lost: This is commonly known as "chasing losses." Do you often keep gambling after losing money to try and win it back? Have you ever lost a significant amount, but instead of stopping, you borrow more money or use funds meant for necessities like paying bills, believing you can win back your losses?
Hiding Your Gambling from Others: Do you lie to family, friends, or even therapists about how much you're gambling or how much money you've lost? For instance, do you tell your partner you're going out with friends, but you're actually at the casino, or do you secretly open credit cards to fund your gambling without anyone knowing? This often serves as a telltale sign that you may be losing control of your gambling, which is an important feature of addiction.
Repeatedly Trying and Failing to Stop: Have you tried to cut down or quit gambling multiple times, but without success? Have you made promises to yourself or others that you'll stop, only to find yourself gambling again and again, despite your best intentions?
Putting Important Areas of Your Life at Risk: Has your gambling caused you to neglect important relationships, your job, or educational opportunities? For example, do you miss family events, call in sick to work, or skip classes because you're gambling, or have you had arguments with loved ones about your gambling?
If you have endorsed more than one of these symptoms, especially if you have experienced these symptoms on more than one occasion, this may mean you have a problem with your gambling and we recommend reaching out to a professional for further assessment.
Alternatively, you may want to consider cutting down on your gambling, and if you encounter difficulties doing so, that could indicate you may have a more serious problem and are in need of professional help.
What Steps Can You Take if You Have a Gambling Problem?
Maybe now you’re realizing that gambling is something you want to stop, and you’re asking yourself, “can a gambling addiction be cured?”. We strongly believe that although overcoming a gambling addiction takes a lot of effort and support, it’s possible to come out the other side.
Depending on where you fall in the spectrum of problem gambling, the ability to control or modify your gambling is likely to depend on the severity of your problem.
For those experiencing less severe harm, reflecting on your gambling might be enough to make change. For example, setting goals to reduce or minimize your gambling, or perhaps taking a break will be enough.
Those of you who have demonstrated issues controlling your betting, you may need a more robust approach to make positive change. We have outlined some steps that you may want to consider. A multi-faceted approach tends to be best in treating gambling addiction and combination of therapeutic ingredients is thought to be most helpful.
Individual Therapy: Individual therapy has been shown to be helpful in assisting people to reduce their gambling or abstain altogether. Effective components of individual therapy for gambling typically include:
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): This approach has been among the most widely studied approaches to problem gambling and it helps you to identify and challenge irrational thought patterns that perpetuate gambling, develop healthier coping mechanisms, manage triggers and enhance problem-solving skills.
Motivational Interviewing (MI): Is a particular way of approaching therapy that helps to strengthen intrinsic motivation for change by exploring and resolving what we call ambivalence – or sitting on the fence. These techniques have been well-utilized among individuals struggling with addiction, and you should be working with a therapist that is knowledgeable in this area.
Lifestyle Modifications and Relapse Prevention: This involves skills specific to trigger avoidance, developing new hobbies, establishing a support network, stress management, and formulating a relapse prevention plan – or a plan to reduce the risk of returning to gambling.
Group Therapy and Support Groups: Organizations like Gamblers Anonymous (GA) or SMART Recovery provide a supportive community for sharing experiences, gaining insights, and fostering accountability.
Self-exclusion: Casinos offer a self-exclusion program and if you are struggling to stay away, we strongly recommend that you add yourself to this list. Unfortunately this is not accessible for online options, but you can change your credit and debit cards so that your ability to make online payments or deposits is greatly reduced. Adding in these barriers can help give you space to make better choices after cravings to gamble subside, and these can also help reduce the risk of major losses if relapses occur. You may even want to cancel your credit cards all together if you are able to, but we know this isn’t always feasible.
Couples or Family Therapy: Couples or family work can be especially helpful in repairing damaged relationships, enhancing communication, and educating family members on how to provide constructive support.
In some cases, clients we have worked with have elected to give control of their finances over to a supportive loved one or good friend while they are working to establish themselves in early recovery, and this can be an important topic to be discussed as part of family work.
Financial Counseling: Addressing financial repercussions by getting assistance with debt management, budgeting, and strategies to regain financial stability. This cannot be understated, as one of the most common triggers we see in our practice is someone feeling overwhelmed by their financial situation and debt. This can make a person much more susceptible to saying “what is the point” and returning to gambling when they are feeling overwhelmed by financial burden. They may also try to gamble to make up for past losses so having a path forward financially can be a helpful step.
In some cases, a person may require residential treatment to provide them a reprieve from their compulsive gambling and establish skills they need for recovery in a more intensive and structured format.
It is important that if you are considering residential treatment that you ask the treatment provider about their specific abilities and knowledge regarding problem gambling. It is all too common, in our experience, for treatment programs to lack a basic understanding of working with people with gambling problems so confirming appropriate expertise is important.
Do You Need Help with Your Gambling Problem?
Most people who gamble will not experience problems and they are able to use it to enhance their experience while watching a big game or enjoying a night out with friends. However, those who struggle with gambling addiction may go on to experience catastrophic outcomes if left unaddressed.
If you are struggling with problem gambling, reach out for support. You deserve access to care. Gambling addiction is not a moral failing. If you need help, there are professionals, self-help groups and treatment that can assist. You don’t have to do this alone.
For those in Alberta, we offer specialized support and possess expertise in the area of problem gambling and gambling addiction. Reach out for a free consultation today.
We have served people at our practice in dire straits because of their gambling who found recovery, and you can too. It is not too late.
