Gambling addiction is not strictly related to casinos, betting, slot machines, and horse racing. Gambling addiction can involve playing cards, buying raffle tickets, even purchasing a lottery ticket or making a bet with a friend. Often, early in the gambling addiction, there is a high and relief associated with the gambling, but as the disease progresses, the emotions lean more towards fear, anxiety, and loss of control.
Signs and symptoms of a gambling problem are very similar to signs of most addictions. These common signs of addiction include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Being secretive about gambling and gambling behaviors
- Difficulty controlling their gambling or gaming habits
- Losing money to gambling even when you can’t afford to or don’t have the money to lose
- You have concerns about your pattern or behaviors and relationship with gambling
- Your friends and family have shared their concerns regarding your gambling
- Compulsive, out of control, feelings around stopping or the inability to stop regardless of consequences
- Anxiety and denial when confronted with your gambling behavior
