The lure of easy money makes gambling attractive to people who want to make a quick profit. Most people who gamble walk away when they spend their limit, but 1 percent to 2 percent of the population becomes addicted to the thrill of winning, psychiatrist Timothy W. Fong says. With no physical symptoms, gambling addiction often goes unrecognized. Yet, an addictive behavior that can damage relationships, careers and financial stability.
Problem Gambling
Gambling becomes a problem when it disrupts physical, social, psychological or vocational areas of life, the National Council on Problem Gambling says. Frequency of gambling alone does not indicate a problem. Problem gambling is characterized by a preoccupation with wagering and a need to bet more money more often, or betting more money in an attempt to win enough to cover losses. People addicted to gambling continue betting despite the harmful effects their habit has on their families and jobs.
Effects
Gambling addiction, also called pathological gambling or compulsive gambling, is an emotional disorder with financial implications, according to the National Council on Problem Gambling. An addiction to gambling has many of the same effects as drugs or alcohol. A gambler's mood and behavior change. People addicted to gambling develop a tolerance similar to other types of addiction in that they must gamble more money, more frequently, to achieve a feeling of euphoria. They crave gambling, and are unable to resist as cravings increase in intensity.
Along with financial consequences, pathological gambling upsets personal relationships and the person's ability to work. Gambling addiction often leads to divorce, domestic violence, lost work time, substance abuse, illegal activities and suicidal thoughts, Timothy W. Fong writes in "Psychiatric Times." Fong is assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at the University of California Los Angeles Gambling Studies Program. Gambling addiction may also cause physical symptoms, such as insomnia, depression and stress-related conditions.
Prevalence and Risks
Anyone who gambles may become addicted, the National Council on Problem Gambling notes. Addiction can occur in people who gamble frequently and those who have occasional binges. Men, adolescents, the elderly and those with disabilities and psychiatric disorders, including substance abuse and attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder, are at particularly high risk for developing gambling problems. So are those in a low socioeconomic group, psychiatrist Fong says.
Cause
Uncontrollable betting causes problem gambling, but researchers don't know what causes a person to lose control. The tendency toward addiction seems to be genetic, Fong says. People with gambling addiction may have an inherited tendency toward risk-taking, a lack of risk aversion and a need for immediate gratification. People with gambling addiction often are addicted to other substances, such as drugs or alcohol, the National Council on Problem Gambling says.
Treatment
Only 10 percent of people with gambling addiction seek treatment, Fong estimates. Treatment involves a blend of behavioral therapies, brief intervention sessions with an emphasis on self-help and motivational and support groups, such as a 12-step program. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not approved any medication to to treat gambling addiction.
