Tell-Tale Signs You Have Severe Gambling Addiction and How to Stop the Madness

Feeling it’s getting impossible to resist the urge to gamble? If so, then there’s a chance that you might be struggling with severe gambling addiction, which further destroys your mental and physical health, dr fishkin stony brook explained.

This type of addiction can ruin lives and cause serious financial problems. In today’s post, let us show you some tell-tale signs of severe gambling addiction and provide tips on how to stop the madness before it gets out of hand. Let’s get the list started.

Choosing Gambling Over Life, Relationships, and Responsibilities

When you’re struggling with severe gambling addiction, it’s common to put gambling before everything else in your life. You might miss important events or obligations because you’re too busy gambling or thinking about gambling.

Your relationships with family members and friends may take the hit as well, as they become frustrated with your constant focus on gambling instead of spending quality time together. You may also find that you’re neglecting responsibilities at home or work, such as paying bills or completing necessary tasks.

Becoming a Slave to Gambling When Upset

When life gets tough and emotions run high, some run back to gambling as a way to escape their problems. However, if you find yourself becoming a slave to gambling when upset, it may be a sign of severe addiction.

Gambling can give a temporary high that distracts from negative feelings, but this doesn’t solve the underlying issues causing the distress. Instead of facing problems head-on, those addicted to gambling use it as an unhealthy coping mechanism.

The problem with using gambling as an emotional crutch is that it becomes all-consuming. Soon enough, whenever something goes wrong, or stress levels rise even slightly – the urge to gamble takes over.

Continually Increasing the Stakes While Gambling, No Matter What

Gambling can be an exhilarating and thrilling experience, especially when you’re on a roll. But for some people, the rush of winning isn’t enough. They become addicted to continually increasing their bets, no matter what.

It starts out innocently enough – you bet $5 on a hand of blackjack, and you win. Feeling emboldened, you up your bet to $10 and keep winning. Before long, however, that thrill is replaced by the need to constantly escalate your stakes to maintain that same level of excitement.

Thinking Obsessively About Gambling:

For those who suffer from severe gambling addiction, it’s not just about the act of gambling itself. It’s also about the constant thoughts and obsessions that surround it. You may find yourself constantly daydreaming about winning big or devising strategies to beat the odds. These thoughts can become all-consuming, taking over your mind and leaving little room for anything else.

At first, you might think this level of focus is a good thing – after all, if you’re thinking so much about gambling, then surely you must be getting better at it. But unfortunately, this is rarely the case. In reality, obsessive thoughts often indicate that things have gone too far. One key danger of obsessing over gambling is that it can lead to irrational decision-making.

Overcoming a gambling addiction is no easy feat, but with the right strategy and support, breaking free from its grasp is always possible. First off, be honest with yourself that you’ve got this problem. Then, identify situations or environments that trigger your urge to gamble and avoid them as much as possible.

You also want to replace your gambling habit with healthier activities spending time with loved ones and even going for hiking. But ultimately, you want to seek professional help that can address underlying issues and develop coping mechanisms for dealing with stressors without resorting to gambling.