Gambling addiction is more common than many people believe, and this addiction can be devastating. Gambling may seem like a harmless activity at first but soon you find that you are addicted, the same way that drug or alcohol addiction occurs. You may tell yourself that you do not have a problem or that you can stop any time, but the fact is that gambling is ruining your life. Gambling addiction can cause you to lose money that is needed for bills or other important expenses. You may find yourself lying about where you go and what you do.
Some common signs of gambling addiction include:
- Lying to friends and family
- Hiding gambling losses
- Pawning or selling items for money
- A rush when winning
- A letdown when losing
- Stealing for money or to pay off gambling debts
- Borrowing money to gamble with
- Expecting a lucky break to occur when gambling
- An inability to walk away and stop betting
- Gambling causes stress in your marriage
Gambling addiction can devastate your life just as much as a drug or alcohol addiction will. Gambling addiction can cause divorce, financial ruin, job losses, and even physical injury or death in some cases. If you suffer from gambling addiction there is help available, and the right treatment program can make all the difference. Any addiction requires inpatient treatment for the best possible results, and treatment should include a number of components. A luxury treatment center that offers individual and spiritual counseling as well as group sessions will typically offer the best results.
If you find that gambling addiction is ruining your life then the first step is to admit you have a problem. The second step is to find the best treatment program your budget will allow. A minimum of four hours each week should be spent in one on one counseling, and this type of therapy can be expensive. It is essential for a full recovery from gambling addiction though, because you must work through the individual issues causing the addiction. Without this step the risk of relapse is enormously high. Many treatment programs do not have the budget for this therapy type and this can cause future problems with gambling addiction. If you can afford it an upscale program that offers a wide range of therapy types will give the best chance for a future free from gambling.
