Pathological gambling addiction and psychological changes: Is gambling a disease of just a hobby?
Having listened to many people in different forums airing their opinion about gambling as a hobby that they do for fan, we want to make the records straight that the element of fun in gambling is very insignificant in relation to negative consequences that come as a result of gambling. Therefore throughout our discussion in this article says doctor Dalal Akoury (MD) and founder of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center, we are going to share with you all the facts you need to have about gambling and to that effect we have put together some of the most important information related to pathological gambling addiction and psychological changes that comes with it, its symptoms, development, consequences and the methods of treatment for gambling addiction. Being a veteran addiction expert, doctor Akoury has been very instrumental in finding solutions to all problems relating to addiction and gambling is just one of the many forms of addictions that she has perfected in. Therefore if this has been your point of concern, then you’re in the right place with the right personnel for all your questions, doubts and concerns to be dealt with professionally.
Pathological gambling addiction and psychological changes: Pathological gambling is a disease
Professionally doctor Akoury says that being a behavioral disorder, pathological gambling has been introduced to all international disease classifications. Therefore gambling meets all the criteria of addiction as well as alcoholism or drug addiction. Now let us consider the following phases in the development of pathological gambling as follows:
The winning phase – occasional gambling; expectations of winnings; rising rates; big wins.
The losing phase – gambling alone, unauthorized leaving the work, large loans, unpaid debts, encumbrance, telling lies.
The phase of despair – spoiled reputation, break with a family, friends, remorse, shifting responsibility, blaming on others, panic attacks, job loss, illegal actions, criminal activity.
Terminal phase – this involves hopelessness, suicidal thoughts, attempted suicides, drugs and alcohol use, emotional wreckage, signs of insanity and problems with the law.
Pathological gambling addiction and psychological changes: Signs of gambling addiction
Having said that pathological gambling is a disease, it is only fair that you are aware of the possible signs in readiness of taking the most appropriate remedial action. The following are some of the signs to watch out for:
- When one is always preoccupied with a game recalling and re-living the previous games planning the future stakes, searching money for the upcoming game
- While gambling, a person feels extreme excitement and raises the stakes
- A person experiences difficulties to stop the game or to keep it under control
- The mare feelings of irritation when told that it is now necessary to limit the stakes or stop the game
- When one uses gambling as a means to escape psychological problems, elevate the mood in an attempt of trying to escaping the feelings of guilt, anxiety and depression
- Showing desire to make another attempt to win back the next day after a loss
- When one cheats family members or therapist to conceal the true extent of gambling involvement
- Committing illegal acts like forgery, fraud, theft or embezzlement to finance gambling
- A person gambles due to passion to risk. Risks of losing the job, close friends, possibility of missing job promotion or further education
- A person re-borrows money from friends, acquaintances and relatives to pay off the debts.
Pathological gambling addiction and psychological changes: Consequences of pathological gambling
Like any other addiction problem, pathological gambling addiction will also come with some personality changes in system of values. Gamblers will often lose interest in their career, family welfare, children’s success and other common recreation. All these every day duties, interests, responsibilities are suppressed by the need to feel the game trance. The patient becomes focused on personal feelings, is getting closed, irritable, manipulative. Diminished moral standards inevitably result in loss of job, family, other people`s trust, in permanent conflicts, accusations, in endless promises that nobody believes. Man eventually becomes a pariah.
Pathological gambling addiction and psychological changes: Psychological changes of a pathological gambler
Continued stress leads to nervousness, irritability, severe depression. Bad gambling can provoke aggressiveness to level of uncontrollable, violent behavior victims of which can be slot machines or other people. Panic attacks, sleeping problems, nightmares and unpaid debts, lack of volitional mechanisms, de-socialization and suicide thoughts are chasing the pathological gambler. However, at the first opportunity he starts gambling again and nobody and nothing can stop him.
Main psychological changes may include the following: irregular meals, insomnia, drug abuse, alcohol, uncontrolled use of sedatives and other psychoactive substances lead to cardiovascular problems, metabolic disorders, immune system deficit, and hormonal imbalance, physical and emotional exhaustion.
Pathological gambler becomes unable to carry out his office, family, social duties. He isn’t able to focus on doing his work. He abuses office money, neglects discipline, and eventually loses the job. He poses a constant danger to his loved ones who have to share his debts. He isn’t engaged in household chores, parenting. By his addictive behavior he makes his love ones so upset that eventually after numerous unsuccessful attempts to keep him away from gambling they prefer to leave him rather than tolerate his abusive behavior any longer.
Finally listening to the discussion above it is very clear that gambling addiction is as injurious as other forms of addiction and must be addressed with a lot of professionalism and that is why Dr. Akoury made a decision to create a medical center (AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center) whose main objective is to transform each individual’s life through increasing awareness about health and wellness and by empowering individuals to find their own inner healing power. Gambling is a serious threat to the wellbeing of the society and must be given the right attention it deserves. If you want to live your life free of gambling, then talking professionals like doctor Akoury (on telephone number 843 213 1480) whose practices focuses on personalized medicine through healthy lifestyle choices that deal with primary prevention and underlying causes instead of patching up symptoms should be your starting point and your life will never be the same again.
Pathological gambling addiction and psychological changes: Is gambling a disease of just a hobby?
