Compulsive gambling addiction is a type of addiction that has become more and more common due to online gambling websites. People that suffer from a gambling addiction risk their whole lives and are even willing to cheat and steal to continue supporting their habit of gambling. It is a seemingly uncontrollable urge that a person gets to place a bet of some sort without weighing the consequences and negative effects that it may have on their lives or others.
Gambling Addiction Statistics
- According to gambling statistics, approximately 500 billion dollars are spent annually on wagers.
- In the United State, about 2.5 percent of adults are considered problem gamblers
- this type of addiction is most common among white Americans.
- it is commonly associated with alcoholism
- People with this addiction are more prone to diseases such as depression and mood swing disorder.
- The divorce rate of gambler addicts are more than double that of a non-gambler.
Gambling Addict Symptoms
One of the most prominent warning symptoms of this addiction is fixation. If you hear someone constantly bring up the casinos or ways to get money to go to the casino on a consistent basis then you are probably looking at someone that has or may develop a serious gambling problem. People with gambling problems are fixated and are always planning their next excursion.
Another indicator of someone having a gambling problem is if they seem to be increasing the wagers they place on a regular basis. Gambling is like a drug for a compulsive gambler. They start off with a small amount, then increase the dosage.
Lying and alienation from family and friends is another sign that someone may have a gambling issue. A lot of people with a gambling problems know that they have a problem and feel guilty about it. It is because of this that they feel the need to lie about their whereabouts to family and friends. They may also lie about the amount that they gamble.
Alienation from family and friends is a huge sign that their gambling problem has developed into a full-blown gambling addiction. Once someone starts doing this,you know that gambling is consuming their lives. If it gets to this point, they are in danger of destroying their lives and the lives of those around them. Someone at this level should definitely seek gambling addiction counseling.
Gambling Stories
Many people out there end up completely destroying their lives by falling victim to this addiction. A lot of times they find themselves in denial and when they don’t have the funds and aren’t able to get them, to support their habit, they turn to extreme measures, such as lying and thievery. If they aren’t able to get the funds they need that way or if they aren’t willing to take this route, they become irritable, angry, depressed, and sometimes suicidal.
There is a lot of addiction information on the internet. It is important to educate yourself on this addiction if you feel that you or someone you love may be gambling problems.
For help on gambling addiction recovery you may want to lo