In the modern world, people are exposed to a huge number of temptations and temptations. There are many habits in his life that can develop into dangerous addictions. The most common of them are smoking and alcoholism. But very often we forget about other, no less serious psychological disorders. Shopaholism, food addiction, digital technology addiction and gambling addiction.
Gambling addiction is a person’s constant need to gamble. Over the past twenty years, there has been a sharp increase in the number of people suffering from gambling addiction. This happens due to the spread of the so-called World Wide Web, in which you can find all types of games: from regular solitaire and fool to online casinos.
At the same time, the popularity of slot machines (despite their ban), ordinary card games for money and underground casinos does not decrease. The statistics of cases where entire fortunes and apartments were lost in this way still remain frightening. Card games for money are especially common in prisons.
Can gambling addiction be considered a disease?
Yes, gambling addiction (also known as casino gambling addiction) is officially considered a disease and is recognized as a mental disorder in the global medical community. She was assigned code F63.0.
Why does a person start playing?
There are many reasons why a person becomes addicted. If we are talking about cigarettes or alcohol, then the leading role is played by the body’s chemical dependence. But the reasons for gambling addiction are different.
When gambling, a person cannot fail to win at least once. And if he has already experienced this sweet feeling, it becomes more difficult for him to leave such an activity and pull himself together. In addition, he cannot rationally calculate his chances of another victory. Therefore, he makes attempts again and again, then he enters a state of courage and begins to play more out of interest and the desire to prove to himself that he is right. As a result, such uncontrolled playing of cards, casinos or slot machines can completely absorb a person and take away all his capital.
The desire to play non-gambling games, such as tanks, simulating war or civilization, arises from the inability to take responsibility and cope with the pressures of the real world. For this reason, people are trying to immerse themselves in the virtual world. The consequences of gambling addiction are as dangerous as any addiction.
Symptoms of gambling addiction
The symptoms of gambling addiction are very similar to the symptoms of chemical addictions. Those who are ill experience a narrowing of their range of interests to the object of their annoying desire. That is, a gambler can only fully talk about winnings or new strategies. If for some reason he fails to immerse himself in virtual reality again, the real withdrawal begins. There is a lack of focus, decreased mood, headache, insomnia, and anxiety. Psychological disorders can spread to a physical state, that is, a person may well feel bad due to the lack of play in his life. Suspiciousness develops, the person thinks that everything around him is a conspiracy, and that everyone wants to harm him. And it's very bad. If measures are not taken, the disease will progress.
Types of gambling addiction
Gambling addiction is divided into several types:
Gambling
Here the most important problem of a sick person is the desire to win. In a card game, casino or at a slot machine - it doesn’t matter. It is not the process that prevails, but the desire to win. But, unfortunately, the probability of a positive outcome from playing in a casino or from a “one-armed bandit” is objectively very low. In pursuit of winnings, a person may lose more than he gains. This is the main danger of gambling addiction. This mania is called gambling, “playing for money.”
Computer games
Here the main problem is the escape from reality. A person wants to immerse himself in the virtual world and forget about his problems. He is able to spend almost the whole day at the computer, taking breaks only to sleep. Moreover, such a person may have a family, relations with which, of course, deteriorate. He doesn’t want to make contact, take care of himself, he neglects his health, and there is a risk of being fired from his job. Computer games act like hypnosis. It is very difficult to tear yourself away from them. All they are interested in is coding, the next game or increasing the level in various “war games”.
Sports betting
The danger in sports betting also comes from misperceiving the probability of winning. If a person continues to bet money on the same team several times in a row, although it has already lost several times, then it is worth thinking about his craving for sports betting. The opposite situation is when a person also invests money in betting on sports whose names he only recently heard.
Consequences of gambling addiction for adults and adolescents
If we are talking about a teenager, then the age from fourteen to sixteen years is in itself full of surprises and changes. It is at this time that the child’s psyche is formed, and parents need to make every effort to ensure that their child grows into a full-fledged member of society. At this stage, gambling addiction can cause serious harm to the mental health of a teenager.
Adults, even those with a mature psyche, are also at great risk, because as mentioned earlier, the harm from gambling addiction is comparable to the harm caused by other types of addictions. The destruction of personality begins. A person is capable of completely escaping into virtual reality, harming not only himself, but also his loved ones.
How to deal with addiction?
Here you need to understand that this is a disease and that without contacting a specialist and, most importantly, without the desire of the patient himself, it is impossible to cure it. But if these factors are present, then treatment can give results. It is necessary to understand the reasons for the problem, why a person so wants to get away from the real world, and try to show the person that exactly the same positive emotions exist in the real world. The fight against gambling addiction is a long process. But a person cannot cope with this on his own; he needs help. Religion helps someone; prayer is a purely psychological effect. The method is selected exclusively on an individual basis.
Prevention
The most effective way is to show a person how beautiful the real world is. Preventing a disease is much better than treating it. This is a very simple but effective method. Just enjoy life. Get new emotions, walk, play sports, spend more time in the fresh air. If we are talking about a child, then he should also limit the time he spends on a computer or tablet. The habit of looking at a screen for many hours can easily develop into a real addiction.
A person has his own addiction. Everyone has their own. Gambling addiction is quite common - a disease that is also called gambling addiction, gambling addiction or gambling addiction. This is a type of addiction that is defined by its symptoms and causes. Treatment is aimed at solving the question of how to get rid of gambling addiction forever.
In the era of advanced progress, it is very easy to become a gambling addict. Everything happens quickly here. If you win, you quickly become a champion, a winner. If you lose, you can start the game again at any time.
The psychological help website defines the principle of development of gambling addiction as a person’s desire to quickly and easily achieve the desired results. In life it is very difficult to become successful, rich, strong, etc. That is why gambling becomes so interesting. Here you either win, which is how you achieve success, or you lose. However, even a loss can be quickly compensated for by the next resumption of the game.
What is gambling addiction?
Gambling addiction is one of the most common addictions today. With the advent of computers and the Internet in every home, this has become more possible. What is gambling addiction? It's gameplay dependent. Games are different. The most common are:
- Computer games via the Internet.
- Gambling games (roulette, cards, etc.).
- Lottery and sports games for winning.
People of all ages are susceptible to gambling addiction. Even among mature and old people you can find gambling addicts who, with their hobbies, try to win something or defeat someone.
The difference between gambling addiction and drug or alcohol addiction is that the body is not harmed. Only emotions are affected here, so gambling addiction is attributed to mental disorders. The physical body can only become depleted or replenished with fat, lose tone, if a person constantly spends time on his addiction. This is why somatic signs do not appear. Only the perception of the surrounding world, interests and direction of activity are distorted.
The game distracts a person so much that he begins to lose family, social, work, material and other values. A person is no longer interested in anything except the game, to which he is ready to devote all his time. Sleep can often suffer here because the person suffers from insomnia.
However, not everything is so simple. Not every person who plays games can be called a gambler. Perhaps all people are addicted to games to one degree or another. Therefore, there are 4 types of persons:
- Situational gamblers are people who start playing only under the influence of external factors (free time or competition). If these factors are not present, then the games will not be interesting.
- Occasional gamers are people who play only when they have nothing else to do. They may or may not play. They control themselves well, so they can easily refuse to play.
- Systematic gamers are people who can be addicted to their games, but they are distracted from this hobby by their conscience, which begins to overwhelm them when a person does not perform other work because of his hobby.
- Gamers (gamblers) are people who want to spend all their time playing games. If at some point they are not playing, then mentally they are in the game process. They think about the course of the game, how to defeat their opponent, etc. Even if they lose, this does not upset them, but on the contrary, it encourages them to return to the game and try again.
Causes of gambling addiction
Gambling addiction is a natural phenomenon as a result of social upbringing, economic situation and mental disorders. The reason for social education is that children are taught to play games from childhood. The games that parents offer are safe and educational. This is why other games that can be found on the Internet seem just as harmless.
From childhood, a person is accustomed to the idea that playing is a pleasant pastime. That is why, having nothing better to do, people resort to it even in adulthood. Moreover, it is even profitable for modern parents to buy computers and tablets for their kids so that they can play their own games and not interfere with adults. Over time, the child gets used to playing various games, considering this to be normal.
As for gambling, where people play for money, everything is simple: people are promised big winnings and the opportunity not to work. Such games are more exciting than going to work. Adults play them with pleasure, especially if they are promised money.
Psychological factors include:
- Feeling lonely. If a person is deprived of normal communication in life, then he will become more addicted to computer games. The fantasy world allows you to communicate with other players and feel like one of them.
- Dissatisfaction with one's own life. Lack of success and achievement leads a person to disappointment. In the game, this complex can be eliminated by choosing the desired level, hero, even the plot of the game. Here you can quickly achieve success, which is facilitated by the rules of the game. This allows the gambling addict to become addicted to it.
- Mental disorders. People with various disorders may be prone to addiction.
- Tendency to dependency. Some refer to a person's genetic predisposition to be addicted. However, there is no evidence of this. We can only say that if a person is dependent on something, then he can become dependent on everything else.
- The desire to hit the jackpot. This is a good way to lure people who want to get rich quickly and without difficulty. But the problem is that all games are designed so that only a few win and the majority lose. This allows the majority to play again, wanting to be the ones who win.
- Sexual dissatisfaction. If a person is not satisfied or has a complete lack of intimate life, then he can compensate by producing the hormone of “happiness” by becoming addicted to games.
If a person simply does not mature mentally and emotionally, then he continues to play games like a child. He is simply not ready for real life, problems and other factors of the adult world, so he runs away into gambling addiction.
Gambling disease
Gambling addiction as a disease is defined by dependence on various types of games. Usually a person resorts to only one type of game, in which he compensates for what he lacks in real life. At the same time, areas of life that remain unattended by a person in reality are disrupted.
Gambling addiction is characterized by the rapidity of its development. Most often, people who are destined for success become gambling addicts. This is why its absence in real life leads to addiction to games. People also become prone to games because they relax, have fun, or escape from real problems.
Gambling addiction can be identified by the following signs:
- Constant thoughts about the game, thinking through moves and process.
- Increase in bets, increase in level, emotional charge of energy during the game.
- Escape from problems, fears, troubles through games.
- The appearance of irritation, anxiety, if for some reason a person does not have the opportunity to play.
- The desire to win or win back.
- Downplaying the importance of the game for oneself.
- Concealing from others the real reason for the need to play.
- Stealing, borrowing money, or embezzlement to improve your computer or level up in a game.
- Lack of fear of losing family ties, career growth and other achievements in real life.
A gambling addict goes through 3 stages of developing his addiction:
- The playing time and the amount of money spent gradually increases. However, at this first stage the person is not yet struggling with whether to play or not. He can easily abandon the game at any time.
- At the second stage, it becomes more and more difficult to give up the game. A person may even quit work or give himself more time to play. This is where the stakes start to rise. All money won goes back into the game.
- At the third stage, a person can no longer refuse to play. He loses more and more money or spends time gambling. He loses social connections, work, family, which he does not notice or easily endures. The interval between games is reduced to a minimum.
Symptoms of gambling addiction
If adults are more often into gambling, then teenagers are more into computer games. However, the symptoms of gambling addiction are almost the same for everyone:
- Loss of interest in real areas of life.
- Increased time spent playing computer games.
- Denial of addiction and refusal to help.
- “Tunnel” worldview, when a person thinks only about the game.
- , irritability, hostility, if there is no opportunity to play. The onset of apathy in case of prolonged abstinence from gaming.
- Lack of full satisfaction of at least physiological needs.
- Problems with the spine, blurred vision, muscle weakness, digestion and sleep disorders.
- Merging of real and virtual. More and more people are isolated from the real due to the lack of success, wealth and other achievements in it.
Treatment - how to get rid of gambling addiction?
Naturally, an addicted person will not be able to get rid of gambling addiction on his own. That is why it is necessary to help him with treatment, which largely depends on the behavior of his parents or loved ones.
If a teenager is a gambling addict, then it is necessary to have a sincere conversation with him. Gambling addiction often develops against the background of parents’ indifference to their own children, lack of love and attention, misunderstanding and constant criticism on their part. The teenager is missing something. Parents should find out about this and eliminate it.
If you cannot help yourself, then you need to contact a psychologist. A visit to a specialist should take place together with the gambling addict.
It is necessary to find out what is missing or does not suit a person in real life, which is why he runs away into the virtual world. You can work with a psychologist or have a heart-to-heart conversation with a gambling addict, considering options on how to realize your desires in real life.
Everything will happen monotonously and for a long time, but it will be much more realistic. If it is difficult for a person to endure problems and troubles, then he should be given emotional and moral support. This can be done through the same confidential and sincere conversations as when finding out the reasons.
Bottom line
As a last resort, the psychologist will offer psychotherapeutic methods that will help in getting rid of gambling addiction. By and large, a person simply needs support and understanding, the absence of criticism and negative assessments addressed to him. This will allow a positive outcome to be reached, when a person calmly copes with life’s problems, from which he previously escaped into his gambling or computer games.
Gambling addiction is a psychological dependence on games. There are synonyms for this term - gambling and gambling addiction. In such a state, a person approaches any game with passion, and the stimulating aspect is monetary interest. The game process clouds consciousness and gradually becomes dominant, while social, family and professional spheres of activity recede into the background.
Like any other psychogenic disease, gambling addiction has a chronic course. A person loses the ability to resist addiction, which negatively affects all other aspects of life. This mental disorder needs to be given special attention, since it involves the main areas of a person’s life and physical health.
- 1. Preparatory. Characterized by increased susceptibility to gambling. Personal qualities such as low self-esteem, inability to control one’s emotions, reluctance to accept outside criticism, aggressiveness, impulsiveness, high levels of anxiety, depression and stress, a tendency to immerse oneself in an illusory world and hyperactivity contribute to the development of passion. A person has an irresistible desire to act, take risks and feed his pride. This develops commitment and unconscious cravings. If such a psychological state of the patient is reinforced by the influence of environmental factors, then the disease moves to the next stage.
- 2. Winning stage. A person’s mind develops a perception of the game as an opportunity for self-realization and financial gain. The mind becomes clouded, sensitivity to the situation increases, even small wins greatly stimulate interest. The opportunity to take an active part in the prize drawing process creates the illusion that a person makes his own destiny, while having the opportunity to prove his superiority to everyone. At this stage, there is no understanding of the consequences in the mind. Criticism and dissatisfaction from loved ones are perceived as a desire to influence the course of events and cast doubt on the player’s success and self-realization.
- 3. Stages of loss. The gambler unconsciously finds himself in a closed cycle of events. The desire to play is not always supported by the availability of financial resources. He spends all the money he has and even tends to go into debt. After a series of losses, an imaginary realization sets in and for a while the desire to play disappears. In the presence of provoking factors, which could be intrusive advertising or emerging financial opportunities, he again follows the desire, and the situation repeats. The more advanced the disease, the shorter the interval between such cycles. Constant losses and a difficult financial situation increase the level of anxiety, the person becomes irritable and embittered.
- 4. Stages of despair. Due to the constant desire to gamble, the addict is deprived of material and spiritual values. Problems begin at work, your social circle changes, and your emotional state does not allow you to function normally in a family environment. Those around you get tired of the constant deception and negative attitude, and then move away. The patient understands that the cause of everything is addiction, but all attempts to control the process and stop it do not bring results. A depressed emotional state leads to uncontrolled use of alcohol or drugs, which further aggravates the disease. In this state, people tend to break the law, take out loans or sell existing real estate and other property. A person sees the only solution to the problem as an opportunity to recoup and solve all his financial and social troubles at once.
- 5. Stage of hopelessness. The patient is fully aware of his addiction, he understands that there is practically no hope of hitting a big jackpot, but he continues to play without a goal. The only thing that rules him is the desire to experience the emotions that he receives in the process, that is, psychological dependence.
- Abstinence phase. By controlling one's behavior, a person can completely give up the addiction. At this moment, lack of money or dissatisfaction on the part of loved ones can stop him.
- Automatic fantasy phase. Addiction develops in thoughts. Almost the entire consciousness is absorbed by the desire to experience the emotions that the gameplay gives. In his fantasies, a person experiences euphoria, feels the anticipation of winning, and has a rough idea of what he will spend the money on or how he will use the main prize. Without realizing it, he increases his inner confidence and convinces himself that he will, in fact, win. Such thought processes lead to a surge of emotions, a desire to lead an active lifestyle appears, libido increases, and almost all of the free time a person is busy with something.
- The decision phase moves obsessive thoughts into action. The player begins to experience an irresistible desire to play, but common sense stops him. Constant irritability and detachment from the real world provoke depression.
- The phase of repressing the decision. The activating factor for starting to perform actions can be alcohol taken or suddenly appeared money. A person sits down at a computer or slot machine with the goal of having fun and making sure of the possibility of receiving a reward.
- The implementation phase of the decision made. At this moment, a person experiences strong excitement and an elevated emotional state. He is immersed in his fantasies, does not pay attention to what is happening around him, his entire consciousness is occupied with thoughts about the opportunity to play again. Psychotherapists characterize this state as immersion in a trance. Each new visit to a gaming establishment is characterized by the opportunity to finally win. Psycho-emotional stress reaches its peak of activity, the player is not aware of his actions. In this state, a person does not perceive loved ones. As soon as the emotional background subsides, there is a rapid return to reality.
- pressure changes;
- heart rhythm disturbance;
- frequent headaches;
- dizziness and sweating.
- 1. At the first stage, the specialist tries to overcome the patient’s resistance to treatment. Until the patient is ready to fight addiction, all therapeutic manipulations have no meaning. It is important for him not only to recognize the presence of the disease, but also to allow a specialist to help get rid of the pathology.
- 2. On the second, the seriousness of the condition is realized. Sincerity and cooperation are required from the patient to help determine the cause of the disease. Also at this stage, social rehabilitation begins, during which relatives are involved in psychotherapy. With the help of group classes, the maximum effect is achieved.
- 3. The third is characterized by the preparation of the gambler to carry out real actions. He is ready to completely give up the desire to play.
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Gambling addiction is a disease
Gambling is not always a bad habit; in limited quantities, it helps a person relieve neuro-emotional stress, relax and be distracted from everyday problems - a person experiences a surge of emotions and subsequent release. But when the desire to play becomes irresistible, the question of the development of pathological dependence arises.
The essence of the disease lies in a complex chronic process that develops against a psychogenic background. It is not possible for a person to overcome addiction on his own, so treatment under the supervision of a psychotherapist is inevitable.
The pathology is based on dependence, which is similar to addiction to drugs or alcohol. The entire consciousness of a person is absorbed; other life problems that require maximum control and action are of no value to the addict. Neither the illness and suffering of loved ones, nor professional success, nor one’s own health, nor family values can stop an addict.
Any game is aimed at the psychological aspects of the individual. The essence of gambling is a gradual increase in emotional stress, and then its abrupt release. Of particular importance is risk and worries about possible winning or losing. It is the anticipation of the final stage that allows you to escape from everyday life and existing problems. Normally, a person is not inclined to constantly feel the desire to participate in such entertainment, but gambling addicts cannot deny themselves this.
Gambling addiction was recognized as a disease more than 20 years ago. In developed countries it has long been recognized as a general social problem. Even in the complete absence of gaming centers, people succumb to addiction at home. The prevalence of the disease among adolescents and young adults is twice as high as in all other age groups.
Reasons for development
It is impossible to single out one main cause of addiction. The mechanism of involvement in the game is determined by complex psychological processes. The influence of the environment lies in the availability of games, their promotion in the media and prevalence among friends. A person, without realizing it, becomes involved in this process.
In psychiatry, much attention is paid to the motivational factor. It is he who is formative at the moment of addiction. The desire to play is driven by the individual’s own motives. Their psychological component is based on a person’s need to dominate, take risks, and manipulate other people, which allows them to, to some extent, prove their own superiority in society. The gamer escapes reality, plunging into the world of his fantasies and desires.
Motives can be expressed in a person’s desire to experience new emotions, satisfaction of his curiosity, the need to be on the same level with people of higher status who can afford to spend time playing the game. Often the motive is expressed in a simple desire to receive monetary reward.
The family factor plays an equally important role in the formation of addiction. Violation of upbringing norms leads to mental disorders that make a person weak and vulnerable to various environmental factors. Low social adaptation on the part of adults who are unable to demonstrate success in a certain type of activity gives rise to a child’s tendency to lead an immoral lifestyle.
The personal factor is based on the inclinations of a person’s character; potential player syndrome is often identified. Such people have a high risk of becoming addicted, so even a few harmless games lead to the development of the disease. This is facilitated by: low self-esteem, frequent immersion in an imaginary inner world, inability to control one’s emotions and the desire to tempt fate.
The economic factor manifests itself in the marketing of existing gaming companies. In order to develop interest among the population, they organize advertising campaigns with bright slogans and colorful signs. Thus, they create a feeling in the human mind that the gaming world is exciting, full of fashion trends and represents a certain prestige. Adequate people without passion and the desire to try their luck are presented by them as boring and devoid of interest in life.
Stages of the disease
Gambling addiction develops in several stages, each of which is distinguished by its changes in human behavior. All stages are characterized by the acquisition of certain pathological habits:
The development of the disease takes on average 3 years. At each stage certain mental changes occur. At the beginning, a gambling addict is no different from a healthy person, but then he becomes impulsive and prone to obsessive thoughts. This leads to persistent mental disorders. The lack of complete self-control and impaired self-criticism contributes to the disintegration of personality. The loss of spiritual values leads to the formation of embitterment, suppression of positive emotional states, the patient becomes cold and indifferent to the suffering of loved ones and social problems.
Symptoms
If we consider the patient’s behavior under the conditions of the game cycle, we can distinguish the following phases:
At the stage of completion of the last phase, the cycle repeats again. An adequate perception of reality and awareness of the actions committed lead to horror for the gambler. The addict feels a sense of shame in front of himself and others, understands that he is guilty in many situations, but general depression and exhaustion do not allow him to immediately begin to correct what happened. For some time he is in his right mind, starting to make plans for the future, trying to regain trust among those around him. This happens exactly until the next phase occurs according to the cycle.
Gambling syndromes
Psychotherapists identify several syndromes that characterize mental and physiological changes in the body. Pathological gambling syndrome is characterized by changes in normal behavior and personality traits. The person exhibits physiological symptoms such as
In some cases, auditory and visual hallucinations occur when a person hears the sounds of a slot machine or sees signs of a gaming establishment everywhere.
Gaming trance syndrome occurs during the game. On average, its duration ranges from 2 to 12 hours. It is manifested by the inability to stop the process, even if a big win is obtained. There is pronounced psycho-emotional stress, which leads to physical consequences - often after a gaming trance, people experience heart problems, lethargy, decreased performance, and even exacerbation of chronic diseases, such as peptic ulcers or neuralgia.
Win or lose syndrome. Its manifestation depends on the outcome of the game. In the first case, the patient experiences euphoria and a sense of superiority over others, and in the second, aggressiveness, irritability and a further transition to depression occur. Chronic stress leads to serious psychological disorders. The addict has disturbed sleep, loss of appetite, headaches and heart pain are constant. As a rule, this syndrome lasts no more than a few days, after which the desire to plunge into the world of the game arises again.
Like any other addiction, gaming has a withdrawal syndrome. It manifests itself in the abstinence phase and is accompanied by sleep disturbance and emotional swings. In terms of physiological disorders, a person has all the signs of vegetative-vascular dystonia. A gambler can reason correctly and regret what happened, while experiencing emptiness. Mental and physical exhaustion often leads to thoughts of suicide. The patient's appearance changes, surges in blood pressure and angina attacks lead to changes in skin color. Vascular tone contributes to capillary instability, and blood networks appear on the surface of the skin. A person strives to win back all the money spent.
Game degradation syndrome is accompanied by suppression of the emotional background. A person experiences practically no emotions in relation to what is happening around him. Problems appear with the perception of reality, the ability to think logically disappears, memory and attention decrease. On average, the syndrome can last 6-12 months and enters the terminal stage of development of gambling addiction. By this time, the patient has already lost his social status, including his family and job, but he does not try to correct the situation. Character traits such as selfishness, callousness, conflict, irresponsibility and a tendency to criminal and violent actions predominate. The state of health and appearance completely cease to bother the gambling addict; he becomes unkempt and removed from society.
Treatment
At the beginning of psychotherapy, the doctor is faced with the problem of confronting the patient’s personal beliefs. Only an integrated approach will help achieve a positive result. A pronounced chronic course of the pathology implies a serious psychotherapeutic effect. Along with psychoanalysis, there is drug therapy and treatment using hypnosis. Autogenic training, family, group and behavioral psychotherapy are of great importance. When a provoking factor is identified, for example, incorrect interaction within the family, the main emphasis is on eliminating it.
Symptomatic treatment is aimed at eliminating problems with the patient’s physiological health. This involves treating cardiovascular abnormalities, achieving complete remission of exacerbated chronic diseases, and eliminating depression. Antidepressants and tranquilizers are often used, since without their help it is impossible to act on psychogenic manifestations.
Psychotherapeutic treatment can be divided into three stages.
The patient must fully comply with all recommendations of the attending physician. General health of the body includes: healthy sleep, adherence to work and rest, rational and balanced nutrition. All this depends only on the desire of the patient and his intention to overcome addiction as quickly as possible. It is necessary to take courses of vitamin complexes and restorative medications. All vital energy and strength should be directed in a positive direction. It is recommended to find an interesting hobby or, if your health is satisfactory, to regularly attend sports sections.
Computer addiction is no different in its stages and manifestations from gambling addiction, based solely on monetary bets. The fundamental difference is that the computer game disconnects the addict from real life, and he begins to live instead of a fictional character.
In the twenty-first century, gambling has become one of the most harmful habits, along with drug addiction and alcoholism. The basis of gaming addiction is the same concept of psychological dependence - in this case, from time to time experienced feelings of excitement. Adrenaline addiction and the resulting need for fleeting happiness through winning are almost incomparable in their impact with any other sensation.
According to research results, games on the Internet have a more detrimental effect on the psyche: in a casino and at the gaming table a person is in plain sight, and sooner or later he has to stop playing of his own free will or due to lack of money, while computer gambling dangerous because of the ability to play it indefinitely, completely forgetting about time.
How to identify a potential gambling addict?
World statistics indicate that 3% of people are addicted to gambling. These are those individuals who already need the help of not only a psychologist, but also a narcologist, since gambling addiction is a serious disease, the level of dependence of which is perhaps even higher than that of the problem of alcoholism.
Susceptibility to gambling addiction does not have a gender characteristic and can be characteristic of both representatives of the stronger and weaker sex. Also, the lack of gambling sensations is not typical for any particular age. For example, in America, 80% of pensioners play lotteries, but in Russia, this type of gambling is mainly carried out by teenagers and children. If a child learns to play something that causes addiction, then by the time he reaches adulthood he will need treatment for gambling addiction. As for women, the tendency towards gambling begins for them at the age of about 30 years. It is worth noting that it is more difficult for women to recover from gambling addiction because they perceive the world more emotionally. For representatives of the fair sex, this disease can appear as a result of a failed marriage, financial problems, bereavement, or the inability to realize oneself in life.
Teenagers find in online games an opportunity to realize hidden potential. These may also be boys and girls prone to antisocial behavior. With the help of games, they express their aggression and dissatisfaction, and at some point such behavior can spread to representatives of non-virtual reality.
The origins of childhood and youth gambling addiction should be sought, first of all, in the family. If a child has been deprived of the attention and support of his parents since childhood, then there is a very high probability of a scenario where he will find all this at a card table, at a slot machine or at a computer monitor.
An interesting fact is that gaming addiction often occurs in people who have suffered a traumatic brain injury and suffer from recurrent headaches. Their brains are most sensitive to stress that occurs during play.
Gambling addiction can manifest itself in one of two forms - socialized and individualized.
Customized form– the worst option, it is characterized by loss of contacts with others. A person spends a lot of time at the computer or slot machine; he has no need to communicate with family, friends, or those around him. The game and everything connected with it becomes a kind of drug (you need to regularly take another “dose”). Otherwise, withdrawal occurs in the form of depression and increased irritability. For socialized form characterized by the preservation of social contacts. People suffering from such addiction prefer online games and gaming rooms. For them, such an activity is not so much a drug as a competition. This form is less harmful to the psyche compared to the individualized one.
Symptoms of gambling addiction:
- one of the main symptoms is severe irritation that occurs in response to the forced need to withdraw from a favorite activity. When the game resumes, an emotional upsurge immediately occurs;
- inability to predict the end time of the session (the player will postpone it again and again);
- the computer/cards/slot machine becomes the center of an addict’s life, so when communicating with others, the most interesting thing for him will be a discussion of his favorite game;
- as the addiction progresses, a person’s social, work and family adaptation is disrupted: he forgets about official and household chores, study and work (loses interest in any activity except gaming);
- A gambling addict often eats without leaving the monitor/gaming table or machine, neglects personal hygiene, sleeps less, and as a result, gaming sessions are lengthened.
1) Stage of “winnings” (interest - onset of the disease)
Gambling addiction begins after several large wins in a row. A person begins frequent practice in computer/gambling games after significant victories or monetary income from them, then a period begins during which gaming sessions become more frequent. In parallel with this, the bet sizes increase, winnings alternate with failures. Because of thinking about new winnings, the player experiences high spirits. Minor financial difficulties that arise (in the case of gambling) are resolved by periodic victories.
2) Stage of “losing” (passion – the craving for the game is already noticeable)
Appearing at the computer/in gaming halls is becoming systematic. A person accompanies his trip to the casino with thoughts of small bets (only for part of the available money). As a result, all cash is lost. The player begins to look for an opportunity to “win back”: he takes additional sessions of the Internet game/borrows funds for a bet. If we talk about gambling, then a gambler first borrows money from friends and relatives, then takes out bank loans - while he constantly tells lies and hides from loved ones.
Thanks to the problems with loans that have arisen due to gambling, thoughts about returning to gaming establishments are intensifying. However, if a player wins, he rarely leaves the hall, and gradually self-control during the game is completely lost. The money won is rarely used to solve financial problems; as a rule, it is returned to the game again. A person cannot understand how he let the situation get out of control, regrets what is happening, makes vows to stop the game, but over time all promises are forgotten.
3) Stage of despair (addiction itself)
With the constant development of gambling addiction, relationships with loved ones and family deteriorate. Acquaintances turn away from the gambling addict, the family refuses to pay debts and loans. Understanding of what is happening occurs gradually. Periods without gambling appear (most often due to lack of money), and a deceptive feeling of victory over addiction is created. The illusion that everything is behind makes you relax, but the first time money appears, a person is again “on the hook.” The breakdown occurs unexpectedly and is absolutely not controlled by the addicted gambler, as a result of which the gambling addict begins to suffer from sleep disorders, becomes even more deceitful and secretive, turns to alcohol or drugs, is visited by obsessive thoughts, may develop depression, as well as a tendency to commit a crime or suicide.
4) Attachment stage (may occur after several months, or even years) The previous stage can have a relatively successful continuation, when gaming activity fades away: a person begins to become interested in something new, establish social and work contacts. However, he is unable to completely “say goodbye” to the game on his own. This stage can last for many years, and the emergence of new games can provoke a surge in gaming activity.
Preventing gambling addiction:
It is important to understand that a gamer has no vital interests other than gaming. Like everyone else, this person continues to go about his daily activities, but all his thoughts are aimed at starting the game as soon as possible. Gamers always look for even an insignificant argument to justify their illness and never admit that they have a problem. A person with a gaming addiction is inattentive, distracted, generally has a sick appearance (due to lack of sleep, malnutrition), and while gaming may experience excessive sweating, nervousness, and fear of losing access to the game. Appearance of a gambling addict: generally sickly appearance, these people suffer from insomnia because they often spend nights at the gaming table or computer, they experience decreased performance, circles and bags under the eyes, unhealthy complexion, and deterioration in well-being.
If gambling addiction has overtaken a teenager, he will skip school more often, it will be extremely difficult for him to engage in all types of social activities, and he will lose interest in communicating with friends and in general in anything else. The player’s head is constantly occupied with only one thought: when the game will start again and how to win back.
The negative consequences of gambling addiction are obvious. However, there is a way out even from situations that seem hopeless. Treatment of gambling addiction is possible both independently (which is extremely difficult) and in tandem with a qualified psychologist. You need to see your life from the outside, to realize what it has become like. It is impossible to give a 100% guarantee of cure, since the main component of success is the strong desire of the person himself to be cured of his harmful gambling habit. The stronger the persistence and desire for recovery, the higher the chances of returning to normal life. Together with the support of friends and family, this gives a good prognosis for overcoming gambling addiction.
The disease of gambling addiction is not as harmless as it might seem at first glance. Of course, the signs of gambling addiction are not so pronounced at first, and those obsessed with games do not show aggression at first. However, this mental disorder should not be dismissed - by becoming addicted to games, a person can cause irreparable harm to himself and his loved ones. Therefore, even at the first symptoms of gambling addiction, you should be wary, lest they lead to irreversible consequences.
In fact, gambling is an integral part of the life of almost any person, and the need for it has existed since time immemorial, when lots, choices, and random coincidences were part of the magical actions of priests and sorcerers, on which the fates of many people depended.
There is no clear definition of what gambling addiction is, but its roots can be traced quite clearly. The need for risk and excitement, for nerve-tickling emotions, awakens to the greatest extent during periods of wars and social cataclysms. This also explains, for example, the revival of the tradition of “Russian roulette” among white officers during the Civil War, as well as the flourishing of the gambling business at the same time, and in our “cataclysmic”, rapidly reforming time too.
A person has a genetically inherent need to take risks, as if testing his fate to see whether it is favorable to him. Officers who passed the Russian Roulette test spoke of the subsequent enormous psychological relief and (as we would say now) the “high” they experienced.
In addition to enthusiasm and passion, which strongly attract players, another aspect of any game (including “games with death”) is a special state of consciousness caused by the release of certain biologically active substances into the blood (primarily adrenaline), which provide specific satisfaction from mobilization strength and active tension, which contributes to the successful performance of actions in extreme conditions. It is precisely because at the height of excitement that strength increases many times over and the mood changes, so many people (from students to businessmen, from schoolchildren to pensioners) are drawn to gambling, this special state that one wants to experience again and again.
In fact, excitement is characteristic of different people to varying degrees and can arise in different situations. In some cases, it is simply necessary, for example, a man who has not experienced the excitement of conquering the woman he loves has impoverished himself in some way.
Excitement serves as a desirable “seasoning” for most activities. Therefore, from a very early age, any game helps to cultivate this feeling of “enthusiasm”, teaches us to rejoice in the feeling of achieved victory, and builds a psychological defense against the stress that befalls us almost constantly.
Many people unconsciously strive to “train” their nervous and mental processes. It is during the game that a person receives not only positive (“eustress”), but also negative (“distress”) effects. Perhaps these trainings are necessary and important for a person who does not want to “hide under a glass bell” from the realities of life.
The game should be treated as a game, that is, as a model of life, life situations and conflicts, and not as their sole content.
The always existing cases of morbid addiction to games in recent years are often replenished with victims of various kinds of “scams”, but not only from them.
Wasn’t the attitude of the majority of our fellow citizens towards the financial pyramids “MMM”, “Vlastilina”, “Tibet”, “Hoper-Invest”, etc., a kind of gambling? After all, it was the excitement of the possibility of getting rich quick (or an equally quick improvement in their financial situation) that led millions of Russians to a huge gaming fiasco. But many probably understood quite well the ephemeral nature of the possibility of quick profit, but still, everyone considered himself luckier than others, believing that he “couldn’t be fooled by the chaff,” but that he would be able to leave with his “winnings” in time.
Nowadays, the pyramid game has been replaced by equally addictive electronic (computer and mobile) games. Nowadays there are more and more people who spend hours, or even days, sitting at the computer, “fighting” in its gaming programs, looking for more and more new games on their favorite Internet, or sending text messages to participate in various promotions and prize draws. Many abandon their studies or work, often dooming themselves (or even the whole family) to a miserable existence.
Symptoms (signs) of gambling disorder
The main signs of gambling addiction in the initial stage can be described as follows. As with any addiction, at first the reality of life is gradually displaced from the player’s consciousness. Moreover, first of all, its most attractive aspects are depreciated; a person ceases to be interested and pleased by what occupied him before. The area of interest is increasingly moving towards the experience of excitement. In this case, sex is the first to suffer. Alas, the energy spent on play in these people is, as it were, sucked away from sexual energy and directed towards other, already playful forms of satisfaction (by the way, according to Z. Freud this is actually the case), “heaven” and “hell” move “from below” into the brain of a player who is no longer captured by love passion.
There is an elementary test: evaluate the relationship with sexual interests of your passion for the game by the feelings, time and energy devoted to it. Maybe it’s time to refresh or streamline your sex life? After all, the longer and more completely the replacement of it with play lasts, the more difficult it will be to return to love feelings and intimate interests.
And one more important sign: a player who is not susceptible to what modern experts call “cubomania” or (which happens more often) “gambling mania” stops quite quickly if he gets into a “losing streak.” While a pathological gambler, on the contrary, reacts to such a “series” aggressively and inadequately, he considers himself unfairly offended and continues to play. And the deeper he goes into the “series of failures,” the stronger his hopes for a return to success.
There are at least thirteen symptoms of gambling addiction in its advanced stage:
1. Have you started to be late or even not show up for work because of the game?
2. Have you started borrowing money to play?
3. Have you started to experience gaming-related conflicts in your family?
4. Did you start selling things to use the money you received to play?
5. Do you already take money for the game from the family budget?
6. Have you already started “borrowing” other people’s things or money in order to gamble with them?
7. Are you increasingly trying to win back after losses?
8. Do you usually play until you run out of money?
9. After winning, are you drawn to continue playing further, in the hope of winning more?
10. Do you hide the fact that you are passionate about the game from others (especially your relatives)?
11. Have you even tried not to play for several weeks?
12. Are you no longer happy or interested in what you were interested in before?
13. Has your sexual interest decreased due to gaming?
If all this basically corresponds to the realities of your current life, and if big losses have not taught you anything, alas, this already indicates that you are “hooked” on the game, finding yourself in the tenacious clutches of “ludomania” - an irresistible passion for the game. Your addiction has become painful, almost narcotic in nature, and you are unlikely to be able to get rid of it on your own. In this case, you need to urgently seek psychotherapeutic help!
How to treat gambling disorder
Treatment of gambling addiction is a complex process that takes a long time. Important recommendations for those who do not yet want to become completely entangled in the tenacious web of gambling.
1. You should learn to overcome gaming stress. Remember: getting into such stress is much easier than getting out of it later. In addition, people who are vulnerable, impressionable, and who do not know how to “keep their nerves in check” find it most difficult not only when they lose a game, but also during the game itself. Of course, it is better for such people simply not to plunge into the abyss of gaming passions or they should learn to tune in to the game. What to do if gambling addiction has clouded your consciousness? There are many special techniques for this.
As you know, the first thing that changes in the body in response to severe emotional stress is breathing. An offended, frightened, indignant, offended person begins to breathe intermittently and noisily (by the way, thereby revealing a lot to attentive and observant game partners). Before treating gambling addiction, learn to at least control your breathing. To do this, you need to adopt any techniques to calm your breathing, for example, to begin with, concentrate your attention on the breathing process, saying as you inhale: “I.”, and as you exhale: “I calm down.”
Exercises to calm breathing primarily relieve emotional stress that arises both before and during the game. And what is the best way to get out of “game stress” without losses to your nervous and physical health, and how not to plunge into the abyss of negative experiences after them?
Don't expect this to be about helping the loser. First of all, any person should be able to regulate their experiences... of winning!
A skeptical reader may wonder why in this case it is necessary to advise something, if winning does not happen very often, and people react to it “as needed.” However, winning and winning are different. And the strategy of all “scammers” is precisely based on luring the “sucker” with an insignificant win for a subsequent major loss.
Certain biochemical processes in the brain of a person who has learned about a win weaken his critical attitude to everything that happens and his ability to predict the future. The fact of winning becomes too important for him, and it begins to seem to him that events will continue to happen in the same way (and this, alas, happens in any gambling game). Hence the urgent advice when treating the disease of gambling addiction: try to predict in advance your possible behavior in different gaming situations. Put into your mind how much money you are willing to play today without damaging your pocket. And be prepared for the fact that you may well say goodbye to her. In the same way, realize the size of the win and be able to exit the game in time (don’t be greedy, determine in advance what kind of win can suit you).
And in case of loss, your behavior should be the same. Having parted with something that you “didn’t mind” losing, you need to immediately quit the game, otherwise it will turn out like the proverb: “The father beat his son not because he played, but because he played back”.
If you lose, you should not immediately fall into despair, panic, much less engage in self-flagellation and self-deprecation! Try to smile (even if it’s an artificial, fake smile at first). Then calm your breathing or drink a glass of wine, or maybe a cocktail. Have you been itching to play? So you played, experiencing the experiences you needed. And who knows, maybe this loss will allow you to concentrate and catch up not in a game situation, but in real life. After all, card losses (and often considerable ones!) forced Pushkin, Balzac, and Dostoevsky to create their brilliant works!
In general, treat this situation, albeit negative, philosophically - any intense feelings are worth paying for, right? And, by the way, hugging a loved one after a loss may seem more intoxicating to you than when you are intoxicated by winning.
And even if you, having gone too far, suffered “fatal losses” in the game, then even then you should not panic - perhaps this is the finger of fate indicating to you that at least for a while you should quit the game in which your feelings began to change measures and self-preservation.
If neither wine nor philosophical reflections help relieve tension, irritation, and even more so a significant decrease in mood, take a sedative (valerian or motherwort). If you don’t have them at hand, you can go to the toilet and hold your hands there under a stream of hot water from the tap, and gradually you will begin to feel how you calm down, how the tension goes away and your mood evens out. Running water “washes away” the negative energy accumulated in a stressful situation, and the warmth soothes and even relaxes.
If your mood is completely “zero”, then sit down and draw a picture that reflects this emotional state of yours. After looking at it for 1-2 minutes, then cross out what you have drawn, then slowly, slowly, tear the piece of paper into many small pieces, then collect all the scraps and burn them, and throw away the ashes.
But the main thing is that you don’t need to think that with this loss everything in your life is now lost. After all, your knowledge, your dreams, your friends or loved ones, your work, your responsibilities in relation to all this remain with you. Therefore, do not rush to do stupid things, but remember that a worthy way out of a critical situation enlightens and makes a person wise, opening up new abilities and possibilities in him! And this in itself is a big win!
And further. Before treating the disease of gambling addiction, try “at your leisure” to analyze the reason for your craving for the card table, slot machines or for participating in various kinds of lotteries, quizzes and other “draws”. Isn't this just your escape from the painful monotony of life? And if this is really the case, then isn’t it worth trying, without putting things off for a long time, to change your life?
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