February 23, 2012

The Compulsive Gambler: Is It You?

Dice five 

Image by doug88888 via Flickr

The thrill is exhilarating; spin the wheel, show your hand, and you may reap much more than you sowed. That word may is a small but powerful provision that looms over every game of chance, overseeing the outcome of the game and the money you staked. Most gamblers leave the house happy or disappointed; either way, it was all for fun, and they knew when to call it quits. Do you know when to cash in? Or has the thrill of the win become more than just a game?

 

What Are the Odds?

 

Statistically speaking, approximately 2% to 5% of Americans are compulsive gamblers. That may seem like an insignificant amount, but it equals millions of people so consumed with games of chance they’ve developed an addiction as serious as alcohol or drug addiction.

  • The average divorce rate or compulsive gamblers is doubled compared to non-compulsive gamblers.
  • One in five compulsive gamblers attempt suicide, which means the compulsive gambler’s suicide rate is twenty times higher than a non-compulsive gambler’s.
  • The average amount of debt accumulated in a year by a compulsive gambler is $50,000 to $90,000.
  • Sixty-five percent of compulsive gamblers will commit a crime to support their addiction.

 

 

The Compulsive Gambler

 

Are you a compulsive gambler? The first step in fixing a problem is recognizing that there is one. If you’re:

  • Consumed with thoughts of gambling;
  • Neglect work, responsibilities, or relationships;
  • Gamble to win back lost money;
  • Seek money from others for gambling;
  • Become irritable when not gambling;

 

It could be you. Don’t gamble with your future or your relationships; seek guidance before you become a tragic statistic. Win back your freedom from addiction.

Gambling can Lead to Alcoholism

To some, the need to gamble is an addiction. There is nothing that can replace the need to feel the rush of winning, or losing, everything. There are some that believe that when someone is suffering from a gambling addiction, there is no need to worry about it bleeding over in to other addictions. But that couldn’t be further from the truth.

The fact is that an addiction to gambling is, at it’s very core, the same as any other addiction. It’s about letting something take you over and make you helpless. It’s about giving in to something powerful that provides a feeling that you think you need. The same way an alcoholic numbs pain, a gambler uses the roll of the dice or a bet on a game as a way to numb their own personal pain. While it might seem like a different beast, it’s just the same beast manifesting itself in different ways.

The scary thing about an addiction to gambling, besides the addiction itself, is what is can lead to. When the need to numb the pain through gambling isn’t enough on a given day, this can lead to other addictions. What will the addict do to numb the pain? Will gambling turn to alcoholism? Do not forget that in most places that feature gambling also feature alcohol. It’s a readily available, and it’s so easy to turn to.

For the addict, it’s important to get help to treat both addictions. Finding help is easy these days by visiting sites like Rehab-International.org. They can find which rehab facilities treat specific needs. The most important thing about rehab is the specific addictions. A gambler might feel helpless against the addiction, but that doesn’t mean he is. There are a lot of ways to treat the addiction for both gambling and alcohol. Help can be found.