The Realities of Gambling: Problems that Arise
Gambling usually has a high incentive to continue when a gambler experiences continuous winning or big payouts. A negative experience, such as losing, usually deters a gambler from continuing. However, there are gamblers who seem unable to stop gambling even in the face of negative experiences.
There are many terms that refer to this. Problem gambling refers to gamblers having difficulty in limiting the money or time that they spend on gambling. Thus, this leads to many negative consequences for the gambler and the people around him.
If the gambler seems to have an uncontrollable urge to gamble despite the negative effects and consequences that may follow, this may be called compulsive gambling.
Extreme problem of controlling gambling may already be a signal for a certain mental disorder. Pathological gambling is a mental illness that is said to develop over a long period of time. It is characterized by increasing need to create the same rush from gambling with increasing risks or wagered amount. The American Psychological Association consider pathological gambling as an impulse control disorder, not an addiction, as determined by certain standards set by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV).
According to the DSM-IV, pathological gambling is a persistent and recurrent maladaptive gambling behavior that must show at least five of the following, as long as these are not explained by manic episodes:
1. Person always finds himself thinking about gambling. He may think about his previous gambling escapades or plans for future gambling activities, even if they are just fantasies of gambling
2. As time passes, the person feels the need to gamble with increasing amounts of money just to achieve the same rush from gambling
3. The person has no control over his gambling activities anymore. This is evident whenever there is an attempt to stop, lessen or control gambling activities, he is unsuccessful.
4. As a result of his unsuccessful attempts, he feels restless or irritable most times.
5. Gambling becomes his escape mechanism from reality. The person uses gambling to escape his problems and other negative feelings such as guilt, anxiety or depression
6. The person ties to win back the money he has lost through gambling by gambling even more.
7. The person tends to hide and lie to his significant others, like family members and friends, regarding how much he has actually spent on his gambling habit.
8. Because of gambling losses, the person has committed crimes in order to obtain money for gambling or recover money lost to gambling.
9. The person has continued to gamble despite risking or losing of significant parts of his life such as a personal relationship, his job or other significant opportunities.
10. The person turns to family, friends, or money-lending parties for financial assistance to have money for gambling or cover gambling losses.
A lot of other problems arise from gambling as can be surmised from these criteria. Relationships with other people suffer because of gambling. Gamblers tend to have cranky and irritable disposition when they lose money and may lash out at other people. It has been observed that in homes where a family member is identified pathological gambler, abuse of family members is common. Financial stability is another. Money allotted for something else may be spent in gambling. Gamblers may end up asking for money from other people, selling their valuables, or stealing from others.
There are ways to address the issues and needs of people with problems gambling. What is important is that the problem is addressed and not ignored.