PROBLEM GAMBLING

PROBLEM GAMBLING

Problem gambling (ludomania) is an urge to gamble despite harmful negative consequences or a desire to stop. The term is preferred to compulsive gambling among many professionals, as few people described by the term experience true compulsions in the clinical sense of the word. Problem gambling often is defined by whether harm is experienced by the gambler or others, rather than by the gambler's behavior. Severe problem gambling may be diagnosed as clinical pathological gambling if the gambler meets certain criteria. Although the term gambling addiction is common in the recovery movement pathological gambling is considered to be an impulse control disorder and is therefore not considered by the American Psychological Association to be an addiction.

The extreme cases of problem gambling may cross over into the realm of mental disorders

The pathological gambling is an impulse control disorder that is a chronic and progressive mental illness.

Preoccupation: The person has frequent thoughts about gambling experiences, whether past, future, or fantasy.

Tolerance: As with drug tolerance, the subject requires larger or more frequent wagers to experience the same "rush".

Withdrawal: Restlessness or irritability associated with attempts to cease or reduce gambling.

Escape: The subject gambles to improve mood or escape problems.

Chasing: The subject tries to win back gambling losses with more gambling. Lying: The subject tries to hide the extent of his or her gambling by lying to family, friends, or therapists.

Lose of control: The person has unsuccessfully attempted to reduce gambling.

As debts build up people turn to other sources of money such as thief, or the sale of drugs. A lot of this pressure comes from bookies or loan sharks that people rely on for capital to gamble Also, a gambler who doesn’t receive treatment for pathological gambling when in his or her desperation phase may contemplate suicide

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