Gambling has become such a huge industry in recent times, and one that many are finding themselves more and more often on some markets due to the user-friendly games they are now offering. With it currently being worth about £443.2 million globally, there is a serious market for all, but is it good for you? Many have their thoughts and views on the matter, and we investigate further today if it’s good for your mental health.

Gambling is not only hard on your pocket but bad for your health, according to the British Medical Journal. Although gambling is not traditionally considered a public health issue, just under 1%. Problem gambling is harmful to psychological and physical health. People dealing with this addiction can suffer from depression, migraine, distress, intestinal disorders and other anxiety related. Gambling is not necessarily bad for your health. In moderation, it can be a form of leisure activity. You can mindlessly play slots and forget about your terrible job or whatever. So it can be an emotional release valve.

Many like to gamble due to the fun buzz that it generates, high adrenaline levels and the potentially excitement of winning more money than you started with – taking home a profit. The competitive edge that it has also is a benefit in which it gives to you too, whether that be against friends and/or family, other players, the bookie or even the dealer, beating them can be an objective and make gambling fun. If played sensible it can be a lot of fun however many have got into a handful of problems due to this, in fact, over 3.6 million people in the UK have been affected negatively by someone else’s gambling addiction.

Some forms of gambling if played in the correct and sensible manor can be fun and entertaining if played properly with sports betting sites such as these being on offer now that the Premier League is back up and running it’s something worth checking out if you want a bit of fun.

When this comes into action, then this is when it can be telling on you or someone around your mental health. Gambling can have a toll on your mental health when you get into serious gambling debt from attempting to win too much money and mainly down to greed. Spending more money on gambling than you can afford and continuing to gamble can get you into serious debt and potentially lots of trouble.

Furthermore, if you are spending too much of your time gambling then you could potentially be neglecting other areas of your job in which are more important that gambling e.g. work and family. This could result in either losing your job or end up divorced or separated from your partner and children which of course is telling on you and your families mental health.

To ensure that you are gambling sensibly, it’s always best to stay away from high-risk forms of gambling where you can lose large sums of money in quick succession, limit the amount of time you are gambling for and ensure you are sorting your priorities first and quit whilst you are ahead!

Gambling, for some people, is a leisure activity that offers a night out on the town enjoying time with friends and family, with a distant possibility of winning money. For other people, the stakes are higher. After all, gambling is a $40 billion dollar industry in the United States. In Las Vegas alone—the unofficial gambling capital of the world—the casinos bring in over 10 billion dollars from people placing bets. Though many of those people only gamble once in awhile, there are people who make gambling the center of their universe. In other words, they are addicted to gambling.

The temptations to gamble are everywhere and you don’t need to be in a casino to try your luck. Every state in America, with the exception of Utah and Hawaii, offer some type of legalized gambling—from old-school slot machines to sports-betting apps and everything in between. The accessibility to gambling has only amplified with the Internet. Based on various surveys in recent years, it is estimated that two million people in the US are addicted to gambling. But that figure has the potential to increase at anytime, because those same surveys revealed as many as 20 million people noting that their gambling habit had begun to interfere with their work and social life. That type of behavior falls into the category of “compulsive gambling,” which is the stage before gambling addiction.

What is Compulsive Gambling?

Is Gaming Bad For Your Health

“The shortest version is that compulsive gambling is, as its name implies, a compulsion,” says Lance Dodes, MD, author of THE HEART OF ADDICTION: A New Approach to Understanding and Managing Alcoholism and Other Addictive Behaviors. “Compulsive gambling leads to an addiction, which is a psychological symptom that is well-understood and treatable with psychotherapy oriented toward that understanding. It is not a biological, genetic or moral issue, and it is not fundamentally different from other compulsive behaviors or addictions.”

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Usually, people start out gambling for fun, and then they lose money they didn’t mean to, and they end up chasing that loss until all their money is gone. And in many cases, people are gambling because they have faced emotional and financial losses and they are trying to console themselves.

There is a misconception among many people that problem gambling, another term for gambling addiction, is not a big deal. “Most people don’t realize that problem gambling is a real disorder, just like alcohol or drug addiction,” says Shelia Moran, director of communications and marketing at First Choice Services, a nonprofit agency in West Virginia dedicated to mental health issues and problems. “They think it’s just a bad habit that can be easily ended. The good news is that we find most people who get treatment are able to successfully stop gambling.”

Gambling and Co-Existing Mental Health Conditions

Sadly, it is estimated that over 80% of people who suffer from some type of gambling addiction never seek treatment, no matter how bad their problem is. Other statistics reveal that while there are people who do seek treatment for their gambling addiction, over 70% end up returning to the world of betting. People with this type of disorder are more likely to suffer from other types of mental health and substance abuse issues. Many gamblers also have an alcohol disorder or addiction, and over half were nicotine dependent.

The emotional toll it takes on people is devastating, and in many cases a gambling addiction can also bring bouts of depression, and in extreme situations may lead to suicidal thoughts or tendencies. People with a gambling addiction are also prone to anxiety, high stress and extreme sadness. When a gambler loses everything, their life will suddenly become hopeless and they fear what the future might bring.

Gambling Addiction Symptoms and Signs

As with other addictions, there are warning signs to look out for. These include:

• Keeping gambling habits a secret
• Having trouble controlling their gambling habit
• Continuing to be involved with a gambling habit when they cannot financially afford to do so.
• Resorting to illegal activities to pay for their gambling habit

Physical symptoms of excessive gambling include problems sleeping, weight gain or loss, dark circles under the eyes and extreme headaches.

How can you tell if someone has a gambling disorder? The American Psychiatric Association has developed guidelines and says that a person requires at least four of the following issues to take place during the past year:

1. A person feels the need to gamble with an increasing amount of money in order to achieve the desired excitement.
2. A person becomes angry, restless or irritable when someone tells them to cut back on their gambling, or to stop it altogether.
3. A person will have unsuccessfully tried to cut back or stop gambling on their own.
4. A person has frequent thoughts about gambling, including reliving past gambling adventures, planning their next gambling outing, and thinking of ways to get money to gamble with.
5. A person will often gamble when they are feeling distressed.
6. After a person loses money, they return to try and “get even” (referred to as “chasing” one’s losses)
7. A person will not hesitate to lie to hide their gambling activity.
8. A person will jeopardize or lose a significant relationship, job or educational/career opportunity because of gambling.
9. A person will begin relying on others to help with money problems caused by their gambling habits.

Treatment Options for Gambling Addicts

If you suspect that someone in your life is addicted to gambling or a compulsive gambler, you should know that there is help. Here are treatment options to consider:

• “Behavior therapy and cognitive behavior therapy are recommended for compulsive gamblers,” says Katie Hurley, LCSW. “Behavioral therapy uses systematic exposure to the behavior to teach skills to reduce the urges, while cognitive behavioral therapy focuses on identifying unhealthy and irrational thoughts and replacing them with positive/adaptive ones. Family therapy is another option,” Hurley explains.
• Apps can help instill healthy habits and encourage consideration of events and emotions that lead to compulsive behaviors. Addiction AVERT app can help curb cravings. BreakFree can help people who use their smartphones to gamble spend less time on their phone.
• Adaptive coping strategies like exercise, deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, mindfulness, and meditation are all positive options. There are even meditation apps that can help anyone who doesn’t know where to start.

Is Gambling Bad For Your Health Plan

According to the American Psychiatric Association, as of 2016, there are no FDA-approved medications for the treatment of gambling disorder. There is, however, emerging scientific research that has shown that medications can be effective in reducing the intensity of urges and cravings for gambling.

Finally, Gamblers Anonymous has been beneficial in the lives of people who have an addiction; however, they must first admit they have a problem, which is often times the most difficult thing to do. If someone is unable to find an accessible chapter of Gamblers Anonymous, Alcoholics Anonymous addresses many of the same behaviors.

Just as anyone can become addicted to gambling, anyone can stop.

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