If you are prone to excessive gambling, you may be suffering from an impulse-control disorder called gambling addiction. This disease not only leads to financial ruin, but also affects a person’s mental health and society as a whole. To help yourself recover from gambling addiction, consider the following tips:
Addiction to gambling is an impulse-control disorder
The DSM does not currently recognize impulse-control disorders as addictions. Some skeptics argue that such disorders are not pathological, but they are real and distressing. Incorporating these disorders into the DSM will increase public awareness of these conditions, as well as encourage more individuals to seek treatment. But without clear diagnostic criteria, patients may feel less legitimate. Therefore, a complete understanding of impulse-control disorders is crucial to recognizing and treating them.
There are many symptoms associated with gambling addiction. In fact, the symptom of gambling addiction may not be visible until it has deteriorated into a more serious condition. People with this disorder may spend most of their time thinking about gambling. This can be a dangerous habit that results in decreased work performance and other areas of life. Further, the individual may even attempt suicide due to the stress and depression associated with their problem gambling.
It can lead to financial ruin
Problem gambling can result in financial ruin, legal issues, and even the loss of a career or family. Not only does this type of gambling lead to problems, but it can also cause psychological damage, including depression and anxiety. Gambling can affect the entire family, including parents, siblings, and even children. The good news is that gambling addiction is treatable and treatment is available. However, critics and family members can sometimes feel frustrated and annoyed when you tell them about your problems.
First of all, recognizing your gambling problem is the first step toward financial recovery. If you can’t seem to stop yourself from gambling, try calling a nonprofit credit counseling agency. They can help you develop a plan to pay back creditors. These agencies can also help you reduce interest rates and other charges. Nevertheless, gambling debt can take a long time to pay off. As with all types of debt, gambling debt is a problem that requires a solution.
It can affect mental health
Gambling addiction can be devastating for a person’s life, especially if the problem is untreated. Problem gamblers may experience many physical and emotional consequences, including financial ruin and relationship breakdowns. They may also attempt suicide, feel depressed, and suffer digestive disorders. However, there is help available. A Maryland Center for Excellence on Problem Gambling program director, Mary Drexler, explains how the disease can impact a person’s life and how to deal with it.
Problem gamblers exhibit various impulsive and dysfunctional personality traits and exhibit cognitive distortions. Gambling and mental illness share a strong relationship. It has been linked to schizophrenia, unipolar depression, bipolar disorder, and cluster B personality disorder. People suffering from compulsive gambling tend to exhibit negative symptoms and suffer low self-esteem. This disorder may lead to further medical treatment if not treated. It is important to remember that gambling is not a mental disorder itself, but it can lead to mental illness.
It can affect society
People who are addicted to gambling have severe consequences. Not only do they lose money, they also steal from their family and society. These people may even end up in jails and rehabs. In some cases, these gamblers are forced to remortgage their home or car in order to continue their behavior. They might even lose the money they remortgaged. If not caught early, these people can empty banks and become bankrupt. Even if they don’t commit suicide, they need close supervision.
Studies on gambling have mostly ignored its social impact. They have focused on determining the economic costs and benefits. However, these costs often go unrecognized, so it is necessary to define them. The cost to society is generally nonmonetary and can be measured at three levels: personal, interpersonal, and community. At the individual level, the cost is mostly nonmonetary, but it can have a lasting effect on a person’s life and their family. In addition, the costs can be measurable at the community and society levels.