Gambling disorder, compulsive gambling, or addiction to gambling are other names for pathological gambling, which is repeated problematic gambling behavior that significantly impacts one’s life or causes significant distress.
A person with pathological gambling has two or more episodes of gambling per year that don’t result in any money, but they keep gambling anyway because it causes them pain and interferes with their ability to go about their daily lives. They have a strong urge to gamble that they can’t resist and can’t stop by willpower. They are frequently preoccupied with gambling-related thoughts or mental images.
Pathological gambling is a serious condition that can ruin lives; a person with it may continually chase bets that result in losses, hide their behavior, deplete savings, accumulate debt, or even turn to theft or fraud to support their addiction. Gambling can stimulate the brain’s reward system much like drugs or alcohol can, which can lead to addiction.
Symptoms
Gambling addiction is manifested by the following symptoms:
Gambling obsession, such as thinking about ways to increase one’s bankroll all the time.
Increasing the stakes required to experience the same thrill when gambling
Failed attempts at reducing, stopping, or controlling one’s gambling.
Experiencing agitation or restlessness when they attempt to reduce their gambling.
Gambling to alleviate anxiety, depression, guilt, or feelings of helplessness
Increasing wagering in an effort to recover lost funds (chasing losses).
Making up lies to conceal their level of gambling from family members or others.
Losing or jeopardizing opportunities for work, school, or important relationships as a result of gambling
Using dishonest means to obtain funds for gambling
Requesting assistance from others to get out of debt after losing money at gambling
Some people with a pathological gambling problem may have remission where they gamble less or not at all for a period of time. Unlike most causal gamblers who stop when losing or set a loss limit, people with a compulsive gambling problem are compelled to keep paying to recover their money-a pattern that becomes increasingly destructive over time.
Causes
Compulsive gambling, like many disorders, may be brought on by a combination of biological, genetic, and environmental factors; however, the exact causes of compulsive gambling are not well understood.
Risk factors
There are some factors that are more frequently linked to pathological gambling, even though the majority of people who gamble or play the lottery never develop a problem:
·Mental health disorders.Additionally, compulsive gambling may be linked to bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, personality disorders, substance abuse issues, and depression and anxiety in the individuals who engage in it.
·Age.Pathological gambling is more prevalent in young and middle-aged people, and compulsive gambling in older adults can also be a problem.
·Sex.Despite the fact that women tend to start gambling later in life and may develop an addiction quickly, men and women’s gambling habits are becoming more and more similar. Pathological gambling is more common in men than in women.
·Family or friend influence.The likelihood that an individual will develop a gambling problem increases if that individual’s family or friends do.
Drugs known as dopamine agonists have a rare side effect that may cause compulsive behaviors, including gambling, in some people. These medications are used to treat Parkinson’s disease and restless legs syndrome.
Complications
The effects of pathological gambling on a person’s life can be profound and long-lasting, including:
· Relationship problems
· Financial problems, including bankruptcy
· Legal problems or imprisonment
Poor performance at work or being fired
Suicidal behavior, including attempts or thoughts
Prevention
The prevention of a gambling problem cannot be guaranteed, but educational initiatives that focus on at-risk individuals and groups may be beneficial.
Consider avoiding all forms of gambling, players, and gambling-friendly environments if you or someone you know has risk factors for compulsive gambling. Seek treatment as soon as you notice a problem with gambling to help stop it from getting worse.
HOMOEOPATHIC REMEDIES
When it comes to PATHOLOGICAL GAMBLING, there are many effective medicines available in homoeopathy, but the choice depends on the individuality of the patient, taking into account mental and physical health. Homoeopathy is currently a rapidly growing system that is practiced all over the world.
LYCOPODIUM CLAVATUM:People with low self-esteem, low self-confidence, trouble making decisions, poor memory, foggy thinking, and a croaky demeanor.
MERCURIUS:Great gamblers, weak-minded individuals with low self-confidence, who frequently spend money carelessly and occasionally with restraint, and who are constantly unhappy with everything, everyone, and themselves.
NUX VOMICA:Alcoholism, fear of poverty, independence, headstrongness, irritability, and impatience, as well as pessimism and hypochondria are all traits of these people.
SULPHUR:Smokers, gamblers who steal frequently.
OTHER MEDICINES:Veratrum alb, China officinalis, Belladonna, Causticum, and arsenic alb.
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