"Gambling can turn into a dangerous two-way street when you least expect it. Weird things happen, suddenly, and your life can go all to pieces" - Hunter S. Thompson. 

In the last 3 months I have come across 3 cases of individuals who have lost somewhere between 50 Lakhs to 5 Crores in MCX trading, poker, share market and cricket betting. In spite of incurring losses these individuals couldn't resist the urge to indulge in these avenues of making easy money. In today's world of internet and online banking it has become very easy to get carried away and indulge in such activities.

"A compulsive or Pathological, gambler is someone who is unable to resist his or her impulses to gamble. this leads to severe personal and, or, social consequences. The urge to gamble becomes so great that tension can only be relieved by more gambling".

The amount of people frequenting casinos, playing poker in person or online, betting, has been on the rise. Gambling usually starts on an occasional basis, it then proceeds towards being a more frequent affair. As time passes, this habitual affair becomes even more frequent till it affects the individual financially, personally and professionally. 


Symptoms of Pathological Gambling:

Persistent and recurrent maladaptive gambling behavior as indicated by five (or more) of the following:·        

  • Preoccupation: The person is preoccupied with gambling and has frequent thoughts about gambling experiences, handicapping or planning the next venture, or thinking of ways to get money with which to gamble, etc.   
  • Tolerance: Similar to drug tolerance, the person needs to gamble with increasing amounts of money in order to achieve the desired excitement or “rush”.        
  • Loss of Control: The person has made repeated unsuccessful efforts to control, cut back, or stop gambling.        
  • Withdrawal: The person is restless or irritable when attempting to cut down or stop gambling·       
  • Escape: The person gambles as a way of escaping from problems or to relieve a dysphoric mood (e.g., feelings of helplessness, guilt, anxiety, depression).
  • Chasing: After losing money gambling, the person often returns another day to get even (“chasing” one’s losses).
  • Lying: Lies to family members, therapist, or others to conceal the extent of involvement with gambling.     
  • Illegal Activity: The person has committed illegal acts such as forgery, fraud, theft, or embezzlement to finance gambling.    
  • Risked Relationships: The person has jeopardized or lost a significant relationship, job, or educational or career opportunity because of gambling.     
  • Bailout: Relies on others, such as friends or family, to provide money to relieve a desperate financial situation caused by gambling.

Pathological gambling usually begins in early adolescence in men, and between ages 20 and 40 in women. Alcohol, drug or other substance abuse, depression and anxiety usually go hand in hand with gambling behavior. Individuals who have gambling behavior may undergo family problems, divorce, bankruptcy, job loss, legal problems, poor health and even suicide attempts. 


Treatment:

Gambling is an addiction. Most people who gamble do not think of it as a problem and nor do they accept it when people bring it to their notice. The realization that you have a problem is the first step towards getting better. 

  • Psychotherapy: Cognitive Behavior Therapy aims to identify and correct cognitive distortions about gambling. Psychodynamic psychotherapy can help recovering gamblers address core conflicts and hidden psychological meanings of gambling. Behavior therapy uses systematic exposure to the behavior you want to unlearn and teaches you skills to reduce your urge to gamble. Where Pathological Gambling is involved, it has its effects on the individual's family as     well so in such cases family therapy would also help. Family therapy is helpful by providing support and education. Gambling hugely affects the mood of the individual, their mood tends to soar when they win and drops when the     incur losses. These individuals focus on the want to win and they keep on trying with the hope that the next time they will win. Psychotherapy aims to correct these misconceptions and work to rectify them. 
  • Medications: Antidepressants and mood stabilizers may help problems that often go along with compulsive gambling — such as depression, OCD or ADHD. Some antidepressants may be effective in reducing gambling behavior. Medications like Naltrexone, useful in treating substance abuse, may help treat compulsive gambling. 
  • Self-help groups: Sometimes talking to people who are already recovering from their gambling addiction and hearing their story can be of great help too. 
  • Underlying mental health conditions: Some individuals may have conditions like ADHD, Depression, Psychosis, or Bipolar Mood Disorder, in order to help them effectively, these conditions also have to be treated which would help with their prognosis. Some individuals may also need to undergo a rehabilitation program.

Relapse Prevention:

There may be times where some people, even after treatment may have the urge to gamble and in such cases you need to remind yourself of certain things that will help you:

  1. Your goal is not to gamble and you need to concentrate on this goal and be consistent.
  2. Gambling is an addiction, if you give in once it will lead to repeated bets which again becomes a vicious cycle.
  3. Ask for help when you find yourself faltering. Asking for help is not a sign of weakness, but a sign of great strength. If you feel you can't do it alone, ask a loved one to help you with your treatment plan.
  4. The best way to not indulge is to remove the distractions. Avoid the situations,triggers and people that give you the urge to gamble.
  5. Remind yourself of the things that you and your loved ones have been through due to gambling. 

Pathological Gambling can be very distressing not only for the individual but also for the loved ones as well. The addiction can levy a great weight on the fabric of personal relationships. It is however important to understand that the individual is going through a problem and if he/she is unwilling to seek help, you need to do so on their behalf and consult a Psychiatrist or a Psychologist. The treatment is a process and the individual may require emotional support from his/ her loved ones.

 "Gambling is a sickness, a disease, an addiction, an insanity, and is always a loser in the long run".

"Addiction is a family disease...one person may use, but the whole family suffers".