Gambling Addiction Treatment

We all want a quick-fix way to make extra money, and gambling offers that easy way out if you hit it big. Maybe, this time, you will. Maybe this time if you just bet more and take out another loan, you can make that money you still owe from the last time. This time. Next time. This is the thinking process that starts gambling addiction, and so many people suffer from this condition all over the world. We are constantly driven by a quick reward process in American culture that we don’t realize some things are not that easy. Before you think about making the next bet and taking out a lien on your home, think about making a good bet on yourself and seeking treatment.

What is gambling addiction and how does it start?

Gambling addiction is a very serious condition that snowballs into serious repercussions regarding your health, finances, and any family relationships. Making bets can be about creating drama and chasing the high of the situation, but often people that have gambling addictions are looking for a way to save them from their financial troubles. Spending money in the hopes that you will make more and more each time can come in a variety of forms. People that buy lottery tickets, place bets on horses, go to casinos to play slots and investing are these forms of gambling. Addiction starts when we cannot stop our behaviors that cause us, and the people around us, severe distress.

Emotional Distress: Depression, Anxiety, and Suicide

People with gambling addiction suffer from a variety of issues such as high levels of anxiety and stress. These fears and worries come from the unknown aspect of gambling and hoping for the best time and time again. Taking a gamble means just that, you’re taking a chance by betting significant amounts of money on a game you couldn’t possibly know the outcome. It’s a stressful business since you’re not guaranteed you will make money at all, but you are sure to lose more than the money in the process.

Depression is a serious condition that results from gambling addictions because of the considerable losses people experience over time. Everything they have has been gambled away, and they can never seem to get ahead. These symptoms of depression come from financial ruin, but also from the first encounter of the win that can never be found again. People commit suicide because of these losses of property, respect, relationships and everything they held dear.

For Family Members and Friends:

Dealing with a gambling addiction can stem from many different circumstances. There could be stress at work and at home with money and paying the bills. A gambling addiction can also lead to other addictions and bad habits. If you notice signs of gambling addictions with friends or family members, it might be time to contact a treatment and therapy center to help get their mindset back on track. We all deal with stress and money issues, and the best thing to do is to be there for that person in their time of need.

Concurrent Addictions to Drugs and Alcohol

Spiraling into serious addictions often gather others and in the case of gambling addiction, the environment isn’t conducive to healthy living. Those who make their lives all about gambling are often surrounded by people that have the same problems. Because of the severe nature of gambling, people are often brought into illegal gambling operations just to get their gambling fix. Environments like this invite a slew of temptations including drinking and drugs because these are the types of things surrounding people with cash to throw around. You see it all the time, for people that hit the big casinos where there is free alcohol and beer, they drink every time they sit down at the betting table. These small things they incorporate into this new lifestyle create additional problems.

When you’re spending your days surrounded by people that live to gamble, these addictions can slip under the rug. We stress this idea of cause and effect to help our patients stay on the right track toward recovery. Money causes so much stress, but there is a positive way to manage your lifestyle without the need to gamble and slowly get sick because of it. Don’t let your life take a back seat to gambling.

At Cypress Lake Recovery, we look to treat these destructive acts and stopping this vicious cycle of relapse and stress. Your body, mind, and spirit cannot survive with these anxieties any longer. If you’re reading this, you know there is a problem and that you need to get help. Or maybe you’re trying to find out if you have a gambling addiction, we can help you find out with our dual diagnosis program.

How do I know if I’m addicted to gambling?

It may not always be as easy to spot addiction when you’re living in it. These behaviors don’t simply grow into adulthood overnight, and it may be some factors that cause you to behave this way. Gambling excessively can tear your life apart if you don’t take control of the problem as soon as you know there is an issue. Many patients understand this as soon as their health starts declining as weight gain, and depression, skin conditions from stress, loss of appetite and the lack of sleep start to disrupt their lives and how they feel. Don’t let this happen to you for the rest of your life, but think about the future and what it could be like without addictive actions.

For our patients that have sought help and decided it was time, these questions were important ones to ask themselves:

  • Have my family, friends or significant other mentioned a problem with my gambling?
  • Do I gamble when I can’t afford to?
  • How often do I gamble and is that too much?
  • Do I feel guilty when I think about gambling?
  • Do I feel out of control when I gamble?
  • Do I gamble because of the feeling I get emotionally? Is there a high?
  • Do I feel stressed and anxious when I gamble?

To learn more about gambling and how to stop the desire to gamble, call Cypress Lake Recovery today at 409-407-4976. We can treat you for your addiction in a healthy way through holistic therapy and a supportive environment.