How To Know If You Have Gambling Problem
One of the most immensely difficult aspects of a subject as complex as addiction is realizing that you have a problem, even if friends and family may have tried to alert you to it. Denial is a big part of it and a major obstacle that has to be negotiated in the first instance. If you believe you may have a gambling addiction then it is vital to seek help for it for your own good and also for the other people in your life that may be affected by it. These are some of the signs that could indicate that you have a problem when it comes to gambling.
Trying to win back money
The ways for someone to start gambling can vary significantly between each person. It could be that you got into it as a social thing while you were with friends for example but when addiction takes to hold the circumstances change. At first, your motivations may well be centered upon a reasonably casual desire to win some money that you would find very welcome. However, if you are still gambling after you have lost a significant amount of money then the reasons why you are doing it have altered. Gambling in an attempt to recoup losses that you have made is potentially a sign of addiction so pay close attention to any indication of this.
How Can You Tell If You Have A Gambling Problem
Seeing less of loved ones
The time that you would usually get to spend with family and friends is drastically compromised when you are addicted to something so it could be that you are going through this. If you are putting off seeing those who should be closest to you in favor of visiting the bookmakers or placing a bet by any other means then consider seeking guidance from somebody.
Covering up
How To Know If You Have Gambling Problem Involving
- Gambling addicts will continue wagering money until they have nothing left, are in serious debt, and/or begin to engage in criminal activity to finance the problem. Compulsive gamblers have no sense of when to stop and will continue to gamble their money, and other people’s money, until someone forces them to stand down.
- If you feel anxious or as if you shouldn’t stop yet, chances are you are suffering from a gambling addiction. However, if you are not sure, call our hotline any time at to speak with someone who can help you assess whether or not you have a problem and need help to recover.
There are several ways to know if you or someone you love has an addiction to gambling. For a simple, informal, self-diagnosis, we refer you to the section entitled, 'What is gambling addiction?' In the next section, we review the formal method of determining if someone has a gambling addiction. You might have a gambling problem if: You feel compelled to keep gambling until you’ve spent your last dollar. You may keep bidding until you’ve spent everything to win your money back, or you continue increasing bet amounts. You hide your gambling from friends or family members.
Due to the problems and connotations that are attached to addiction, the natural response from sufferers is to mask over any problems and to hide them from those in their life. An addiction to gambling has severe financial implications and the knock-on effects from this are hard to ignore, especially if you are in a relationship or have children. If you regularly have to lie about things to protect yourself from admitting you have a problem then this is a sure sign.
There are indeed so many more possible signs that could point to a gambling addiction including borrowing money, putting on larger and larger bets, and constantly thinking about your next bet, to give merely three examples.