Gambling can be a fun pastime, whether you're at a casino, on a cruise ship or on the Internet. But gambling can also create chaos in your life when your favorite form of fun spins out of control. Though most adults who gamble do so responsibly, anywhere from 6 to 8 million people in the United States, about 3 to 4 percent of the population have a gambling problem, according to the National Council on Problem Gambling.
Definition
Problem gambling is also described as pathological, or compulsive, gambling. It's an addiction characterized by an increasing need to gamble, no matter the negative consequences. Like many addictions, it's progressive. As time goes by, the preoccupation with gambling increases.
Identification
It can be difficult to face your gambling problem. One way to help you acknowledge that an issue exists is to truthfully answer a few questions put forth by the National Council on Problem Gambling. For instance, have you tried to stop gambling and failed? Have you gambled away your income and savings and left bills unpaid? Have you felt suicidal or depressed over your gambling losses?
Features
Anyone can become a problem gambler. The addiction doesn't discriminate among men and women, young and old or rich and poor, according to Gamblers Anonymous. For that reason, you should be aware of the risks and gamble responsibly. If your gambling is causing difficulties with your job, relationships or finances, you already have a problem.
Misconceptions
You might think it's impossible to be addicted to something that isn't a substance such as alcohol or cocaine. But you get the same effect from your gambling as an alcoholic does from a drink, according to the National Council on Problem Gambling. The action alters your mood and you keep gambling to get the same effect. Over time, you need to gamble more and more to achieve those good feelings.
Considerations
Just as an alcoholic can't take a drink, addictive gamblers shouldn't gamble again, according to Gamblers Anonymous. Even a small bet can drag you back into a self- destructive pattern of out-of-control gambling. For gambling addicts, self-knowledge and willpower may not be enough to control the addiction.
