Having a flutter at the races with your friends is fun as is a night out at the casino or betting on the football online. It is easy to get into sports betting or gambling and it is everywhere. You can play online or on your smartphone plus there are many advertisements to point you in the right direction. However, surprisingly for many people, gambling for some is an addiction and in the mental health field it is known as a gambling disorder.
Not only are people surprised about those who gamble compulsively they also have many mistaken beliefs about compulsive gamblers. Such as gamblers are weak of character, gamblers must gamble every day or that it is just not possible to become addicted to something like gambling. Gambling is addictive and like alcohol or drugs is considered a mental illness and can happen to anyone.
If you think you could be addicted to sports betting or gambling you should read on and check the following signs.
Betting is taking over your life
If you are betting a few times a year or even weekly this is not an addiction but if you want to bet every day and all you can think about is finding the money to do so then you could be in trouble. When your main goal in life is to fund your gambling and you put everything and everyone else in the back seat you have a problem.
Chasing the White Rabbit
Searching for the same big high you felt at the beginning is at the route of the compulsion to bet. This is an impossibility but gamblers are compelled to bet more and for higher stakes to get to their utopia, the great sensation they felt before.
Never ending money cycle
Finding money to support a gambling addiction is tragic as the stakes get higher and more regular it becomes harder and harder for the addict to get the cash. Everyone in their life becomes affected through lies and theft. Moral and personality change is hard on loved ones as they are put lower and lower on the addicts list of priorities. Bills are not paid and personal debts increase.
It is not always obvious to others when someone has a gambling addiction. A gambling disorder is a treatable serious mental illness. Talking to a GP is a good way to make a start to recovery if you believe you have a gambling addiction. Take action, you are not alone; there is help to get off the betting cycle and move on in your life.