Compulsive Gambling

Believing that their luck is going to change any moment, compulsive gamblers are powerless to stop gambling on their own. Many have gone to great extent to hide or lie about gambling. Relationships and families have been devastated. Jobs have been lost and finances ruined. Lives have been lost to compulsive gambling.

With no respect for ethnicity, sex, or financial status, this disorder is a compulsive, impulsive drive that consumes its victims with the excitement of betting. More men than women are affected. A chemical imbalance in the brain linked to reward and punishment is thought to limit impulse control. The gambler lives in a vicious cycle of the emotional rush of betting, pleasure in the act itself, the let down of loss and continuous attempts to make back the money they've lost. Researchers have found that stress and depression are frequent companions to compulsive gamblers. Lying, cheating, stealing and criminal activity are used by the gambler to fuel their need. This disorder could be genetically linked if one's parent(s) compulsively gambled. Living in close approximation to a casino or even a place to purchase lottery tickets is enough to trigger the impulse.

Recovery begins with the admission that one is powerless to control their compulsion and have the desire to overcome their gambling impulses. A good mental health provider can help the gambler with cognitive therapy, rethinking when the thought of gambling enters the mind. Medication may be needed for depression. Someone will need to handle bill paying and have control of credit cards. Automatic deposit of paychecks and automatic bill pay may be arranged. The compulsive gambler who is recovering needs the support of family and friends as well as group meetings where feelings and tips can be shared are available in almost every city.