Placing bets in (online casinos) ( online-casino-dollar ) is such a sweet activity that if you are not careful, you can easily get addicted. When addicted, gambling changes from a harmless fun activity, to an unhealthy preoccupation. Since it is tricky to know when addicted, we have compiled some ways to know if you are a gambling addict or not.
If you are addicted, the pressure and passion for gambling become so strong that you can’t resist it. At this stage, you will be willing to go to any lengths to place the next bet. This normally involves lying to hide where you are, what you are doing and where your money went.
Surprisingly, gambling addicts even lie to themselves. This is normally associated with cognitive dissonance, a psychological discomfort that involves inconsistency in what you believe in. When you have cognitive dissonance, you’ll find yourself trying to justify your actions even if you know it’s not right. This is a clear indication that you are addicted to online gambling.
Normally, as a gambler, you spend some of your extra money on gambling activities. When you incur more losses than you planned to spend, you'll take a break or stop. However, if are already an addict, you won't have the ability to stop. As such, you'll continue staking even when you keep losing more than you had estimated.
The losses incurred can put you into huge debts or even risk your material assets like cars or homes. Additionally, it consumes a lot of valuable time, making other activities to suffer. You will have no time for family and the responsibilities involved. Simply put, these losses will do more harm than leaving you broke.
Most online casinos have programs where you can set limits in terms of time and bet amounts. Therefore, you’ll set a certain amount of dollars which when lost, you’ll quit. This is similar to an alcoholic who plans to have ‘just one drink’. However, it is just a matter of time before the urge becomes uncontrollable.
After losing, you’ll be driven by the urge to recover the losses. Does it work? Now, because it will be the only thing on your mind, you’ll forget other personal and professional areas of your life. Rather than saving some amount of your income, you’ll be spending the amounts you had saved earlier.
Like any other addiction type, gambling masks your emotions to distract you from actual life problems. Whether you are gambling to avoid your emotions or not, the activity will involve emotional side effects. You’ll get some relief but the feeling is temporary. Sometimes the feeling is adverse such that you’ll find yourself celebrating unrelated events with gambling.
When the addiction is extreme, you’ll find yourself suffering from emotional imbalances. For example, you may have tried to quit gambling but failed terribly. As such, you might get frustrated or irritated. Other times you’ll feel sorry for yourself when you remember the money you’ve lost. This is a sign that you are a gambling addict.
If a friend, family, or any random person says that you may be suffering from gambling addiction, you’ll try to prove them wrong. When you can’t convince them, you’ll even become irritated. The conversation won’t go anywhere because you’ll either change the topic or storm out of the room. This is a clear sign of gambling addiction.
In conclusion, addiction signs are quite significant nowadays. However, you shouldn’t feel bad when addicted. Remember that you are not alone. There are thousands of gambling addicts across the world. What’s important is to know how to gamble responsibly. Additionally, there are organizations that help problem gamblers. Contact them and get quick assistance.