Gambling Addiction

For most people, gambling is an activity they partake in from time to time which can be fun and exciting or even disappointing or mildly depressing. These people can have a flutter on the Melbourne Cup or take an occasional trip to the casino without being overly attached to the results.

For others, the act of gambling takes on a far greater significance. Wins (which are often viewed as extra money to gamble with) can be met with sheer exhilaration and losses with abject despair. These people tend to bet obsessively, chasing their losses with larger and larger bets. After a while, the initial reason for gambling fades into the distance to a point where they simply gamble because that’s what they do.

The costs of addictive gambling include not only the financial (bankruptcy, debts, unpaid bills and missed opportunities such as holidays or cars), but emotional (depression, anxiety, chronic guilt and low self-esteem) and social (broken or strained relationships, isolation, mistrust and secrecy).