Gambling addiction and a responsible game

› We promote reasonable playing, so in this article we will tell everything we know about gambling addiction and how to deal with it. We encourage you to read carefully! ·.00

What exactly is gambling addiction?

Addiction is a process that begins with the fact that a given activity gives a person pleasure. It starts very innocently, it is treated as a hobby. The problem, however, begins then When gambling is the only activity that gives pleasure and we feel the inner need to repeat it, at all costs. Everything else becomes less important, even what should be the most important, i.e. family and work. Addiction can develop at different speeds and the threat can be ignored.

Many people are still convinced that you can't get addicted to gambling, and In 2011, gambling addiction was placed on an equal footing with alcoholism. Below we will take a look at this problem, and most importantly, we will advise you on how to deal with it. We know that many people may suffer from gambling addiction, so maybe you will recognize some behaviors that we describe among our own. If you are a player or intend to be it, be sure to read our article.

What is gambling?

Gambling is all money games and to receive material prizes, the result of which is not dependent on the skills and knowledge of the player. Fate decides about winning. There is nothing wrong in the game itself, but it must be under control. By allocating the sporadically a certain amount to the game, we will not become addicted. The danger is when we start playing too often, even morbid and bet unplanned amounts. We want to play after losing and in collectals or casinos we spend more and more time, forgetting about work, family, hobby, meetings and other important matters. If we can't stop playing for this, you can already talk about a problem and even addiction.

Why do we play money for money?

Playing for money is a fun in which we try happiness and we are happy to win with happiness opposite. Money games attract, and because everyone has some dreams, everyday needs or plans for the future, so winning is practically the only way to realize them in an instant. Even more so, when we hear that someone hit Lotto six, we see it as possible, and we try, because and next time we will be lucky. Another reason is the joy of even a small prize. There are many reasons, after all, ubiquitous ads "trumpet" about the accumulation in Lotto or Euro Jackpot.

Why are gambling dangerous?

At the beginning, gambling seems to be innocent entertainment. And because we can find them everywhere, it is difficult to resist the temptation to play even in the casino. We don't have to look far in the casino, because there are plenty of game platforms on the internet. They tempt graphics, bonuses and a huge offer of games. Just open the website, register your account and pay money and we can play without a break. It is not surprising that we want to try luck in the casino, because the casino always gives a chance to win a lot. In ground premises there is an atmosphere straight from Las Vegas, and on the Internet casino sites with fairy -tale sites and in Australian "speak to us". Players boast of winning so why don't try, it doesn't cost much. You can not only have fun, but still earn cash. It is hard to resist the temptation. There is nothing wrong with this, provided we do it sporadically.

Unfortunately, this is not the case.

At first, no one thinks that curiosity, fun and willingness to win money will be addicted to us someday. We lose common sense, and this is a step to gambling that makes it addictive. It's an addiction and very dangerous. For many, the adventure with gambling ends dramatically. People addicted to gambling have huge debts. They lose not only a good name, but also work and family, and too often and life, because being without a way they commit suicide. But gambling is a wide "field". We talked about casinos, but we can become addicted to many games, e.g. Lotto, scratch cards, bookmakers, competition text messages, and even securities exchanges, for which the common feature is unpredictability or randomness. In addition to the WSE (it is governed by other laws), we cannot interfere in the game, i.e. its result depends on happiness/accident. We believe that another Lotto coupon, a sports plant, the next scratch card will bring happiness and we will bounce off the lost money. In this way we go to another extreme, because in addition to illusions we have financial problems. Of course, this does not happen overnight, but gradually. Usually having financial problems, we are looking for their solution in gambling. Some in casinos melt sorrows, comfort themselves after losing a loved one or work.

Reasons for addiction

Many people are certainly wondering why you can get addicted at all. The mechanics are quite simple in this case. From a biological point of view A man is looking for a dopamine he gets when he wins. Adrenaline, which is produced during the game itself, is also important, but before learning the result. Man quickly gets used to these hormones and needs more and more doses, which leads him to erecting larger plants and indebtedness. However, that's not all. Studies have shown that people who suffer from depression or polar diseases are also exposed to rapid dependence on gambling.

The second thing is the widespread availability of gambling. Currently, you don't have to go a few kilometers anymore just to be able to play. Everything is at your fingertips. A few clicks on the keyboard and you are already registered at the online casino, you can use it even by being outside. Such availability is also dangerous for minors. And thirdly, it is worth noting that Some people simply have a greater tendency to fall into addiction. If you have already had with addiction, e.g. on alcohol, it is better to forgive yourself gambling. However, not only previous experience with addiction can cause them. It was noticed that people who are bored quite quickly and are impulsive are threatened with addiction. However, if we are dealing with a calm and balanced person, the risk is significantly decreasing.

How to recognize gambling addiction?

The player must have a clear mind and be able to recognize if he is already addicted to gambling. If playing the time in random games, he notices changes, it is a sign that something is disturbing and you should seriously think about it. After which you can recognize the addiction:

• lack of willingness to perform daily work,
• feeling of depression, irritation,
• insomnia, unhealthy intermittent dream or vice versa too long sleep,
• a sense of helplessness and hopelessness,
• problem with concentration and remembering,
• guilt and constant thinking about problems,
• physical fatigue: slowdown and heaviness or being in constant movement,
• feeling of anger, frustration, dissatisfaction, stress for a trivial reason,
• thoughts of suicide.

Each of the above points is disturbing. If something begins to change for worse, it may indicate addiction. The patient is usually not admitted to addiction, because it would mean the need to go to therapy and stop playing.

What are the symptoms of gambling addiction?

• "Love" for gambling, gaining money for games and constantly thinking about obtaining funds,
• irritability, irritation when limiting and stopping the game,
• more and more engaging in gambling,
• lack of self -control and willingness to stop gambling or limitation,
• improving your mood,
• escape from stressful problems and situations,
• frequent desire to play,
• lying a family with a frequency of betting on games,
• loss of relationships with other people,
• loss of work, resignation from education, etc. due to engaging in playing,
• borrowing for gambling.

What are the features of gamblers?

Everyone susceptible to any addiction is distinguished by certain features. It is no different with gamblers. The features mentioned below, however, are not reserved typically to gamblers, but they are common with them:

• lack of acceptance of reality,
• emotional uncertainty,
• immaturity,
• laziness,
• willingness to show up before the environment,
• fancy,
• Dreaming,
• poor self-esteem,
• brinkmanship,
• naivety,
• Quick desire to get rich, pride.

How does gambling addiction develop?

At the beginning it is a form of entertainment, a way for boredom, a desire to success and win money to meet your needs. If we do not lose money, because we win some amount, we enjoy it and we have satisfaction and joy. However, if we can't win, we play until the end. He begins to lose money, because unfortunately Fortuna is not favorable for us. We do not allow ourselves that we can never win and want to play. Interesting, for example, sport, we systematically bet on sports facilities, if we follow matches of favorite football teams, we are able to predict the result, or at least we want to believe it. If we can win once, we add a certain amount to the next plants at bookmakers. We devote our time to gambling, and he does not repay because we lose more than we win.

It is no different with the Stock Exchange. It is a "higher shelf" of gambling, for which you need some knowledge and skills and a sense to earn on actions. We have to observe the stock exchange for many hours a day and be interested in the condition of companies, as well as the results of teams at bookmakers. In addition, it is a very expensive hobby, which also addicts, it is no different with scratch cards, machines, lotto and other games. Another important feature is that the gambler is not interested in nothing but games. Gradually, he is imperceptibly sinking in the world of illusion about Fortuna, which will change his life and his family, meanwhile, he is addicted to addiction and neglecting work, family, he begins to lose everything. Gambling resembles chad to some extent, because it kills slowly, painlessly and imperceptibly.

An addicted person sees the meaning of life only in the game, and the world ceases to exist for her. This leads to complete perdition in games, family breakup, debt growth, and finally to homelessness or even suicide. The player stops seeing the meaning of life. Gamblers appear in logical thinking. They cannot assess the situation, they think that the result of the game depends only on them, and it is not a coincidence. They treat any winnings as a result of their own knowledge and experience, not a bit of happiness.

The 3rd phases of the addicted player can be distinguished. At the beginning The player is just getting acquainted with the games, he often wins because he is still stuffy and does not focus on high amounts. This is the so -called winning phase. Wins appear quite often, which pleases the player and makes him not stop playing. In time, however, he allows himself more and also wants more. At this point, it starts phase other, where an encouraged player ceases to be prudent and puts much more than he can. This phase is called the losing phase. Long begins, the player's confidence also suffers, who does not win as often as at the very beginning a frustrated player is still trying to win, which does not give the desired effect, he is even more of debt, and all this leads to next phase, or despair. At this point, the player still thinks that gambling can solve his problems, and the win lurks right around the corner. Unfortunately, this is not the case, and the player begins to sink in debts.

What are the consequences of gambling addiction?

Addiction works on several levels and is very devastating. The health of the victim suffers the most on this, who devotes too much time to the game, and then he has to give up social life and work for some time to be able to undergo treatment.

The financial consequence is quite obvious. The addict takes many debts and does not control as much as he spends. During recovery, it is difficult to repair the lost budget. Relationships with loved ones are also losing on addiction. Addicted focuses only on the game does not spend time with loved ones, and if so, it is nervous and sensitive. Unfortunately, there are also thefts that may never be forgiven.

We know that it is not easy, but it is worth admitting to yourself that you are not able to do addiction. Do not be afraid to talk about it, there are many people and organizations that will try to help you. Cooperation with them and try to understand yourself, the sooner you admit it, the easier you will get out of it. Also use the help currently offered by casinos. We keep talking about all this.

Preventive measures - how to protect yourself

How do online casinos help to avoid addiction?

I must admit that all online casinos warn their players against gambling addiction. On online pages you will find the "responsible game" option. All information, warnings, limits and even tests for users are posted to make the game a pleasure, and not become a deep problem. In online casinos, accounts set up adults and conscious people. The information contained is also very understandable and everyone should read them. The more that many pages are translated into Australian, so you can read about the "responsible game" or "responsible gambling".

Millions of people around the world play regularly on slots for pleasure and win money. They do not become addicted to gambling. However, if players feel that they begin to become addicted to machines, roulette or card games should follow advice or use preventive measures offered by online casinos, these are:

• Blocking and removing time account - if the player thinks he must stop playing for a few days, he can do it himself, temporarily blocking his account. The money on the account will be frozen and will be able to enter his account again after the scheduled period.
• Blocking and deleting the account for life - if the account blocking does not help and the player returns to the game again after unlocking, he can block his account for life. In such a situation, the casino returns all accumulated funds.
• Determining the budget for games - determining the amount that you can lose without regret. It is advisable to determine the budget for a specific day, not for a week or a longer period. Casinos allow setting daytime, weekly and monthly limits.
• Self -assessment test - casinos introduced it for players with gambling problems. You can make yourself and make a decision how and how much to play to avoid addiction.
• Determining the time to play - playing time quickly flies. You can forget about the whole world. Especially when the player has a good run, he wins and does not want to stop. Casinos offer the option to remind you about the expiry of the time so that the player can control the time spent on the game. The game stops at the player's current game until you decide whether you want to continue or leave the game.
• Taking care of safety - it's about securing a computer against minors at home. Each owner of the account in the casino is required to protect the names of user, passwords and data of bank accounts. The point is that children do not have access to them.

According to online casinos, responsibility in the case of gambling is the right approach that makes it to be fun, not addiction. Gambling should be treated as a form of entertainment, not a way to earn money. When you start playing, set the upper limit of funds that you can spend on playing without exposing your budget to more serious losses. Thanks to this, you will protect yourself from losing all the money and you will run out of bills, food and other needs. Set a time limit so as not to sit in front of the vending machines for several hours a day.

Casinos warn that an uncontrolled game can turn into an obsession with innocent entertainment. Gambling should not be a need, but fun. Be careful not to take you a desire to earn easy money. On the casino pages we read: "If you follow the above rules, you will certainly enjoy the emotions offered by the game in the casino, without nerves and unnecessary problems." If you suspect you are addicted to gambling, every online casino can help you.

On one of the gambling pages we read: "... remember that you should tell someone about these problems. Talk to a friend, family or partner. However, if you do not want to share your problem with your loved ones, you can look for help among numerous organizations that help you get out of addiction ... ". Quizzes are also placed in online casinos. By answering questions, you can check if you are addicted to gambling.

How can you protect yourself and prevent addiction yourself?

Above you could read what casinos are doing to protect their players from addiction. Know that you can take matters into your own hands and protect yourself from the disease.

1. The basic rule is to spend only the money that is really unnecessary. Calculate exactly how much cash you need to survive a month. If a certain sum stays in excess, some of it can be sacrificed to a hobby, which is gambling. Under no circumstances should you exceed this sum, if you do it once, there is a high risk that you will do it again and repeat.
2. All the more don't play for the money borrowed. Trying to play after losing and not your money ends with problems.
3. Write down from the newsletter casino you registered. You won't know about new promotions, so you won't use them.
4. Set the limits at online casinos yourself. You can decide to shorten the game time if you think you don't control it. In addition, you can also impose limit on the deposit and on cash issued for games every day.
5. In the worst case, you can customer service, employees can impose a lock on your account, thanks to which you will no longer be able to log in
6. Take breaks while playing - the game is to be fun, not immersing without thinking about the machine and tracking the drums. Internet casinos advise you to take breaks at least half an hour, check what is happening at home and do the necessary work.
7. A player is not a profession - in addition to playing you have to do something, do some professional work. You should have some hobby, additional classes so as not to be a compulsive player. It is inadvisable after work to turn on the game and spend many hours with it. Playing is to be in addition to all classes, not instead. This is supposed to be relaxation.
8. If you feel that you still want to play and spend money, try to do something. Go out, meet your friends. You will soon see that you will think less and less often about gambling.
9. Do not play gambling in stress, depression and alcohol intoxication - you should play consciously. You can de -stress in different ways, but certainly not playing for money, because then also loses logical thinking. In these emotional states, you can not even realize your actions, play to the bankrupt, and this can lead to reckless risk, and finally to the deterioration of the emotional state.
10. Register additionally in gamstop. Thanks to this program, you will not register at any legal casino. You will be able to choose what time you will fall out of the game.

Remember that the game is just fun, do not take it seriously. Gambling should give you pleasure and be a nice stepping stone from everyday life. When you notice it is getting too serious, stop.

Juvenile and addiction

Online casinos strive to protect minors from using paid games. Documents during the account verification are very meticulously checked, so Radko happens that a minor depends on gambling. We would like it to be true, but for young people "forbidden fruit" acts like a "cloth on a bull". Unfortunately, minors find ways to use gambling for money, which is very dangerous for them. In a still shaping brain, addiction can nest much deeper, the process of helping such a person will last much harder. So if you notice that your child is playing for money, react very quickly, but not violently.

Many countries are introducing more and more restrictive gambling rules so that minors do not have access to it. Among other things, you cannot display ads at a given time, and they cannot be placed on pages where children are frequent guests, besides, casino owners cannot present gambling as a way to easily earn and get rid of the problem. These restrictions do not always pass the exam, but let's hope that it will be possible to protect the minors even more effectively against the effects of addiction.

How to treat gambling addiction?

Gambling addiction develops very slowly, and the sooner the player turns to the therapist for help, the easier it is to help him. The condition for providing assistance to a sick person is her admission to addiction. It is easier to help in the initial phase, then the patient goes to a psychologist and outpatient psychotherapy. If the patient reports too late, he will have treatment in the addiction clinic. It will be isolated from the outside world for a long time - this is the only way out. Specialists will have to find the reason for falling into gambling addiction. They will help him get out of the crisis.

They use various treatment techniques such as motivation to change, change thinking, learning social relations and ways to deal with stress without gambling or other fatal emotions. The patient always has huge debts and it is an element of therapy to find a solution for their repayment. Addiction treatment techniques depend on the center to which the patient will go. Individual and group therapy, relaxation techniques, and even self -observation, i.e. calling their own feelings by the patient, are used in private clinics. If only the patient has good will, he will come out of addiction. The therapy is effective and adapted individually to each person. There are many methods and it is worth getting acquainted with treatment techniques in every clinic. Private centers are located in beautiful surroundings and no one from the outside has access, patients feel safe in them.

The therapist is working on the patient's thoughts, emotions and discovers the desires and aspirations that led to addiction. The point is for the patient to have a life plan, regain balance and the ailment was stopped. Contrary to appearances, gambling addiction is a serious disease. Gamblers rarely win, losing all the money and usually on the downside, they lead to the suffering not only of their own person, but also family. Problems will not disappear alone. Therapy is necessary, and at the same time very painful.

How to help the family of a person addicted to gambling?

The disease affects the gambler and his family, usually the immediate family is looking for help from specialists when the disease, e.g. spouse, led to a serious crisis and debt. The loved ones do not cope with it anymore, and the addicted person who is a trustworthy person, which is a support for loved ones, warm and loving, becomes aggressive, begins to cheat and disappears from home for many hours, and even returns in the morning. He sits in online casinos, pretending to work on a computer.

The loved one should stop blaming the patient's state of affairs, but try to approach the problem as a disease. In order for this to be possible, they must read the phases of gambling addiction. Each phase contains specific mechanisms, stages that explain the actions of the sick. The patient's relatives must understand what is happening to themselves, they are not able to cope with the spouse's addiction. The family, reaching a specialist, is full of negative emotions. They are accompanied by stress, misunderstanding, reluctance, and sometimes frustration and powerlessness. The therapist must also help the family. It introduces intensive psychological work, creating new relationships on lasting foundations.

Before we start playing, we should check if we are threatened with gambling addiction. If we are aware of this, let's play for virtual money or games that do not require any risk of money. We will not win this obvious, but we will not fall into gambling addiction and avoid many problems. Gambling is not for everyone. He is for those who play occasionally and treat it entertainment.

These are the most known and at the same time the most effective institutions.

Help in Australia

You can also seek help in Australia, report to anonymous gamblers or to protect your child in the event that a minor is at risk. Check if there is a help center in your city addicted to gambling, there they will know best how to help such a person.

Below are help that can be found in Australia:

• Gamblers Anonymous

It is an institution that has been helping addicted gamblers for several years. You can go to the number 📱 completely anonymously 881 488 990. You can count on professional help.

• Trust phone

There is also a hotline that is available around the clock to help addicted people. All you have to do is report to the number 📱 801 889 880.

• The wonder

It is worth asking Wotuw, i.e. the Provincial Center for Addiction and Co -addiction.

However, if the addict could not be stopped, and he fell into debts, you can also count on help. And in this case there are institutions that will help with the problem. As for international institutions, it is worth looking for help Debt Support Trust, National Debt Line, Step Change if Debt Advice Foundation. In Australia, you can ask for help Debt relief analysis, turn to Kruk S.A. or Ultimo S.A. There are many companies that help in arranging life with debts, · Don't be afraid to ask for help. ❗