I Think I Have A Gambling Problem
- Gambling addiction can be the reason of anxiety, depression and a host of other mental problems. The pressure of gambling addiction can generate terrific emotional pain which can only get worse over time. If you are a gambler and you feel anxious or depressed, it is suggested that you seek help right away.
- If you think you may have a gambling problem, you probaby do. Slot machines are designed to be addictive. Slot machines are also known as VLTs (video lottery terminals) or pokies. The machines are designed with three or more reels that spin when a button is pushed or a handle pulled.
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Gambling addiction is frequently seen alongside other forms of psychiatric disorders, such as depression and anxiety. 3 It is also seen frequently alongside other kinds of addictions. Just because you have a problem with gambling does not mean you are a weak-willed, irresponsible person. However, for around 9 in 1000 people, gambling becomes a problem or an addiction. Signs of problem gambling. If you think you might have a gambling problem, help is available. To start, answer these 10 questions with ‘yes’ or ‘no’: Do you spend a lot of time thinking about gambling? Are you spending more money on gambling as time goes on? According to the National Council on Problem Gambling, problem gambling affects more than 2 percent of Americans. If you have a gambling addiction, you may feel an uncontrollable urge to buy.
Signs of slot machine addiction
When gambling on a slot machine, the bond between the gambler and the machine becomes personal, no one to interfere with their gambling and no one to compete against. The player feels a fondness for a particular machine and some players even get irritated if they see someone else playing their machine. If the slot player is playing longer than he planned, spending more money than he can afford, and telling lies about how much he wins or loses, perhaps he has a problem. If s/he is concerned about his behavior while gambling and even during periods when the person is away from the casino, perhaps s/he may have a slot machine addiction. Other signs of slot machine addiction include:
1. Belief that you are not gambling with “real money”.
2. Belief that you will win back money that you lost on a slot machine.
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3. Developing a personal relationship or bond with a particular slot machine.
4. Feeling irritation when you see someone else playing on “your” slot machine.
5. Playing a slot machine longer than planned.
6. Spending more money on a slot machine than you can afford.
7. Lying about how much you win or lose on a slot machine.
8. Thinking about playing the slots when you are away from a casino.
9. Problems at work, home or in a social setting due to playing the slots.
10. If you think you may have a gambling problem, you probaby do.
Slot machines are designed to be addictive
Slot machines are also known as VLTs (video lottery terminals) or pokies. The machines are designed with three or more reels that spin when a button is pushed or a handle pulled. The machines have different themes containing graphics and music from popular movies or TV show. The sounds, colors, and images on slot machines have been designed by psychologists to seduce the player and the music reinforces the addictive behavior.
Dopamine, adrenaline and slot machines
The rapid response from the machine has a hypnotic effect and stirs up the dopamine in our brains. And the speed of slot machine games keeps the gamblers’ adrenaline pumping. Even if the gambler does not win, the machine makes him feel that he almost did. And for the gambler that can be just as great a feeling as winning the jackpot. In fact, the person can sit there for hours just pushing buttons and zoning out because the games require no thought or skill. Many slot players have commented, “I just couldn’t get up and walk away.”
Instant gratification on slot machines
When a person gambles on slot machines they don’t have to think or plan their next move. They don’t have to wait for cards to be dealt, horses to run around a track, or the end of a sports event, to know the score. Playing the slot machines person knows instantly if he won. Even if he didn’t win, the reels show him how close he came to winning. The machine tells the player that it is ready to pay off because the images on the reels were showing us three, four or five of a kind.
Slot machines are the crack cocaine of gambling
Slot machines are powerful revenue-generating forces designed to keep the player spending more money. The innocence of the slot machine attracts the gambler as he walks through the casino but the slot machine addiction has been described as the crack cocaine of gambling. The money that people gamble on slot machines typically isn’t important and is treated like Monopoly money. Even when the person loses, they believe they will win back all the money they lost to the machine. To compound the losing of money, several ATM machines are located in the gambling area. But what has your experience been? Are you having trouble with slot machine use? Please share your thoughts below, and we will respond to you personally!
The South Suburban Council is a Gambling Disorder Treatment Service Provider and Community Outreach Provider
About 2.6 percent of the population (about 10 million people in the United States) have gambling problems and experienced hardships associated with gambling. If you or a loved one needs help avoiding gambling, consider these seven tips.
1. Understand the Problem
You can’t fix something that you don’t understand. To eliminate gambling from your life, you must learn about the issue and admit you have a gambling problem.
The American Psychiatric Association identifies gambling as a mental health disorder similar to addictions triggered by alcohol and drugs. You might have a gambling disorder if you have:
- The powerful need to gamble with larger amounts of money
- Feelings of restlessness or irritability when not gambling
- Made repeated and unsuccessful attempts to quit gambling
- Found yourself completely preoccupied with gambling
- Noticed you gamble to manage stress
- Continued gamble to “get even”
- Lied to friends, coworkers and loved ones about gambling
- Lost relationships or created conflict about gambling
- Needed financial support
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Be honest with yourself when you look over the symptoms of gambling disorder, or even better, ask a loved one about their opinion of your gambling for a clearer understanding. Stop denying and start seeing the negative effect gambling has on your life.
2. Join a Support Group
Now that you have recognized the problem, you can seek assistance from a support group. Support groups are organizations maintained by people with similar experiences and pasts. Though support groups lack professional interventions, they are free to try out in person or in online chat rooms.
Gamblers Anonymous is one support group specifically built around the needs of people with gambling problems. The group is based around the familiar 12-step approach used by other support groups like Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous.
For more information on support groups for gamblers, you can contact the gambling hotline at the National Council on Problem Gambling. They offer voice and text support for people with gambling issues and can point you toward helpful group options to manage the trials of gambling addiction.
3. Avoid Temptation
Gambling is a temptation, but seeing gambling as an addiction is a significant step because it permits you to use skills from addiction recovery and relapse prevention. For someone in recovery, avoiding people, places and activities linked to gambling can help them avoid a setback. By avoiding these triggers, you can avoid the thoughts and feelings that encourage gambling.
So, if driving by a casino after work sparks thoughts of gambling, take an alternative way home. If watching sports makes you want to bet on it, consider watching something else. Cut up your credit cards and let your spouse handle the checkbook.
It may seem like an inconvenience, but just as a person with a drinking problem should not go into a bar, you have to identify and avoid your triggers. Work with a loved one on your list of triggers and find ways to avoid the temptations to reduce the risk of gambling.
4. Postpone Gambling
With addictions, there are cravings. Cravings are strong urges to complete the desired behavior. As a gambler, you could have cravings to call your bookie, go to the casino, cash your paycheck or other behaviors linked to gambling.
Cravings are intense, and while you are in the middle of one, it feels like it could last forever. It will not, though. All cravings have a beginning, middle and end. So as long as you can postpone your gambling, you can maintain recovery.
An excellent way to approach this issue is by paying attention to your cravings, what they feel like, what you think about during the craving and how long it tends to last. By studying the craving, you begin to take away its control over you.
Once you build an understanding of the situation, you can list a set of thoughts or actions to distract from the gambling. Perhaps, deep breathing or calling a friend when a craving hits will be the best ways to postpone gambling.
5. Find Alternatives to Gambling
Avoiding triggers and distracting during cravings are great ways to deal with gambling, but to improve your state, you’ll need to find healthy alternatives to gambling. By replacing gambling behaviors with positive ones, you shift the focus away from the bad and towards the good.
Some gambling alternatives include:
- Physical activity (e.g., going for walks, weightlifting, team sports or yoga)
- Meditation
- Spending more time with friends and family who do not gamble
- Volunteering at a hospital or animal shelter
- Exploring new hobbies
- Traveling
Just think of the fun, beneficial alternatives you can explore with the extra money you have from not gambling.
6. Think About the Consequences
Shame and guilt are strong feelings for anyone in recovery from addiction. Shame and guilt can be dangerous because too much of them can encourage people to relapse, but some levels of shame and guilt can motivate you to stay in recovery.
Think about the consequences of your past gambling to avoid gambling in the future. Think about:
- The emotional pain you caused your loved ones
- The financial hardships you put your family in
- Any lies you told to disguise your addiction from others
Try not to dwell on past behavior, and only use it for motivation to avoid gambling in the future. Too much shame or guilt can be counterproductive.
7. Seek Professional Help
If your gambling is severe, consider seeking professional help as soon as possible. Professional treatment from a mental health or addiction specialist could be the difference between a life of financial uncertainty versus living in financial stability. This is where The South Suburban Council can help.
Professional treatment methods can teach you ways to stay away from gambling as well as refining the skills you are already employing. The South Suburban Council has professional counselors and therapists widely available. You can seek professional help while participating in a support group.
If your gambling addiction co-occurs alongside a substance use disorder one telephone call can change your life for the better. Don’t hesitate, call today for a confidential, personal assessment with one of our representatives – 708.647.3333.
The South Suburban Council is a licensed and accredited Gambling Disorder Treatment Provider with dedicated Professional Certified Gambling Counselors.
THE SOUTH SUBURBAN COUNCIL OFFERS THE FOLLOWING FOR GAMBLING DISORDERS:
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- Biosocial Gambling Screening (BBGS) Questionnaire
- Gambling Disorder Diagnostic Criteria (DSM-V)
- Diagnostic Assessment Criteria Supplement – Gambling Disorder
- Multidimensional Risk Assessment – Gambling Disorder
- Level of Care Determination Grid for Gambling Disorders
- Gambling Disorder Summary/RECS
- Recovery Coach – free guidance and therapy
- Professional Certified Gambling Counselors
- Community Outreach – would you like us to give a presentation? A FREE service for our Communities!
- Outpatient and Residential Treatment.
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