What is gambling?
A bet on something, especially on money or something precious is gambling; it is uncertain and purely relies on hope of winning. The results of it are determined by chance and it all depends on the luck of the gambler. So basically, the point of discussion is that you must be lucky to win, or be ready to lose. As gambling is certain and totally relies on fate, the people who are indulged in this activity are rich and money-minded people, because they do not fear losing money, as they have plenty of it in their pockets. This game was first started in Ancient China basing from the Chinese book “Book of Songs”. Which had components of lottery games.
What is a popular place for gambling?
Casinos and lotteries provide the opportunity to gamble. Gambling addiction occurs when a person can no longer control their behaviors. Speaking about casinos, it is one of the popular places that people chose to gamble, it is not just for only gambling but it is popular for many addictive activities as well such as intake of drugs and consumption alcohol substances in huge quantity. Nowadays, with enhanced digitalization, online casinos are also available with their own website, where people can come and bet money though online methods. For example, Singapore online casino. It is a website for online gamers and gamblers including a range of games.
What exactly makes gambling addictive?
The answer to this question is not as simple as ‘people love winning and making money’. Actually, it has a lot to do with your brain and subconscious mind. When you are continuously indulged in betting, your mind gets triggered and urges you to win at any cost. The moment you don’t make money out of betting the mind influences a person to bet more and more money. Gambling can excessively lead to dramatic alterations in the way the brain sends chemical messages. The brain gets conditioned into wanting more and more to trigger its reward system, to the point where its mental wiring becomes significantly altered. And hence it could take weeks, months, or even a year to get rid of its negativity.
1. Symptoms– Gambling is not a financial problem, but it is an emotional problem that causes financial consequences. The time when you realize that you forget every important date and task, and your mind always makes stories about your next gamble, then you have reached the stage of addiction. While doing anything your brain continuously thinks about getting more and more and triggers your subconscious mind to make you bet more. Simply, this means that you do not have control over your urge. And this is a noticeable symptom of addiction.
2. Diagnosis– According to brain psychology the person must show symptoms such as.
- I feel excited to earn a lot of money and continuously making plans about it.
- Secondly, a feeling of restlessness and irritability when thinking about stopping gambling.
- Lying to conceal gambling activities.
- Experiencing relationships and work problems due to it.
- Depending on others for money to gamble.
- Gambling when feeling distressed
Showing these traits is a sign that you are an addict and need to take measures to control yourself.
3. Triggers– Falling into addiction for gambling is a quick process and many are even unaware about the fact that they are so addicted to it. The problem gets even worse when addiction starts to mess with your personal life, and work spaces. You lose your mind very easily rather than staying calm in tense situations. The behavioral changes are quick and more inclined towards greed and the person also gets impulsive very easily and quickly. Moreover, people suggests that the person who is an addict of gambling, is also an addict of drugs and alcohol due to predisposition for addiction.
4. Treatment– Generally, the treatment to heal from addiction is segregated into three types.
- Therapy- Seeking an expert in the field of brain functioning and psychology is one of the best and quickest ways to get ahead of addiction. This can be behavioral therapy or cognitive behavioral therapy or CBT. It reduces the urge to gamble by systematically shifting the behavior. CBT changes the way in which person things about gambling.
- Medications- Antidepressants and mood stabilizers can help reduce symptoms that sometimes appear with gambling. Antidepressants reduce an urge to gamble.
- Self-help- This can include techniques of meditation, yoga and early rising and exercising. This reduces the rush of the body and releases a feeling of calm.
Conclusion
While on one hand a person feels pleasure doing certain activities like gambling, on the other hand it can lead to serious consequences as well. It is said that ‘It is worst to lose control over your mind’. And the same addiction does, it eventually makes a person lose control and do activities without having any limits. Therefore, make yourself alert if you feel the same symptoms. It is an indication that you need to re-route your way and start to take progressive measures to get over gambling addiction.
