Gambling in a casino or online can be fun and exciting, but only if you’re in control and aware of the risks. If you feel like gambling is taking over your life, it’s imperative to talk to someone about it. Gambling can be addictive, and it’s hard to fight the urge on your own.
Do you need help
We recommend seeking help if you recognize yourself in one or more of the following symptoms:
- You can’t stop gambling and find it tough to gamble smaller than you’re used to.
- You experience headaches, stomach aches, your intestines hurt, or you experience other physical sufferings after or during a gambling session. Amnesia, sleeping issues, and a general mushy feeling are also symptoms of gambling becoming an addiction.
- Even when you’re not gambling, you’re thinking about your next bet. It’s hard to separate daily life and gambling. During everyday activities, you feel the urge to gamble.
- A disrupted day and night rhythm can be an indication of a persistent urge to gamble.
- To feel the same “high” during a gambling session, you need to make increasingly bigger bets.
- You experience financial and social problems because of your desire to gamble.
Various organizations can offer help if you find it difficult to talk to someone close.
Who to contact
If you’re in the United Kingdom, visit begambleaware.org. You can call them or have a live chat with one of their counselors. They have information on how to recognize a lingering addiction, articles on how to support a loved one with an addiction, and much more.
For those visiting from the United States, check out GamblingTherapy.org. They have forums where you can discuss issues with those in a similar situation. GamblingTherapy.org also has a live chat and offers consultation via email. If you want to talk to someone in person, visit GamblersAnonymous.org and look up a meeting near you.
Don’t feel ashamed to admit it when you’re no longer in control. Gambling can destroy the lives of you and those around you, so take action before it’s too late.