- Obsession with gambling.
- Want to gamble with increasing amounts of money.
- Complexity in controlling or stopping gambling activities.
- Sticking to the place where they lost their money to get back losses.
Some people gamble to run away from problems or to ease the pain of dejection, some because of the sheer enthusiasm. No matter what the reasons for gambling are, pathological gamblers often end up lying to people they care for about how much they gamble or the effects of their gambling. It is not odd for them to get involved in deception or other criminal activities to get the money they need for gambling.
Pathological gambling is not only connected with significant money losses, but with a continuous disturbance of the individual’s life and, in various cases, of the lives of the people close to him/her. A lot of pathological gamblers lose their jobs and have increased emotional and medical troubles. These grave personal and social problems, together with financial, legal, occupational, medical and psychological complexities, result in significant losses to the individual, the family and society.
Even though there is no agreement about the best treatment for pathological gambling, several studies point to a wide variety of potentially effectual approaches like medication, psychotherapy and self-help groups like Gamblers Anonymous. Studying the efficiency of these and other dealing options is immediately needed in order to be capable of helping those who suffer from pathological gambling. |
