Ludopathy: gambling addiction that becomes a pathology
Gambling addiction is not a joke, it is a real pathology, like drug addiction. The mechanisms that trigger are similar, and are often linked to other types of disorders. In fact, we are talking about a real disorder linked to gambling. Before continuing to read the article and find out more, we want to suggest this video: anxiety can make you stronger than you think.
Ludopathy: what it is and how it manifests itself
When we talk about gambling addiction we are talking about a pathological condition of addiction to gambling. Technically it is precisely defined as pathological gambling, precisely because we are faced with a type of addiction that is related to a disorder. A type of addiction that is often at an increasing pace, which makes us less able to control our actions, which pushes us to constantly increase the frequency with which we play, which makes us find ourselves in even disastrous economic situations. Which can create very big emotional problems, but also ruin relationships and isolate us. In short, an addiction to be monitored and treated effectively.
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What are the symptoms of gambling addiction?
There are some symptoms related to gambling addiction, or pathological gambling. Below you will find a list with 10 points, but it is possible that we are faced with a gambler already when we find 5 of these characteristics. We propose 10 possible symptoms of gambling. ludopathy to give you a more complete picture, but remember that it is good to consult a doctor or psychologist if you suspect that you have come across this pathology:
- 1. the thought is constantly directed to the game: telling past gaming experiences, thinking about future ones, planning the next games. The mind is there!
- 2. you realize that the bets are too frequent so you try to reduce them but without success,
- 3. Trying to cut back on gambling appointments causes nervousness, irritability, anxiety and restlessness.
- 4. the game is a way to escape from other sensations / emotions: the sense of helplessness, the sense of guilt, anxiety, depression;
- 5. money to play is never enough: c "it is always necessary to invest more sums of money to create other (false) opportunities;
- 6. We begin to ask for loans, even small ones, from friends and relatives who begin to become suspicious;
- 7. Losing the game doesn't mean stopping: it means trying again until that frustration disappears. But the payout hardly ever comes.
- 8. one begins to lie to family, friends, colleagues in order not to admit to oneself that there is a problem.
- 9. we find ourselves in dangerous situations, sometimes illegal, in order to find more and more money;
- 10. there are bad attitudes both in the family and at work, which can sometimes compromise relationships until they stop.
In short, it is not a joke at all, but gambling addiction must be recognized, brought to light and taken care of!
Who are the gamblers? Identikit of the pathological gambler
If someone by your side starts showing some of the symptoms we've seen, maybe we need to start worrying, or at least alerting us. Gambling addiction is a pathology, for which those who suffer from it have a disorder that can be treated, indeed it must be treated, and you must do it by always showing your support and understanding. Gamblers can be those gamblers hiding in the back rooms of bars or tobacconists, but gambling can also be done online, on untrustworthy betting or gaming sites. There is no perfect identikit of a ludopath, especially for those who are not psychologists or psychiatrists, but one can come across some symptomatic and revealing attitudes. So if our partner or a friend of ours begins to have a continuous change of mood, disabling economic problems, becomes irritable, elusive, begins to lie to us, then it is good to start opening a dialogue.
Why do you become ludopathic? The causes of the pathology
Very often we become ludopathic in an unconscious way: we find ourselves, out of pure curiosity or some unconscious stimulus, occasionally playing recreational games both live and online, perhaps to distract us, perhaps to appease feelings that we do not know how to listen to. Because initially winning the game gives us a feeling of revenge, or simply inhibits anxieties, fears and worries. Repeating this pleasant sensation over time can trigger a real dependency mechanism in the most fragile or vulnerable subjects from which it will not be easy to get out. In short, before we find ourselves in a gambling hall, let's try to look from the outside to understand what is happening to us.
How is ludopadia resolved (or treated)?
Gambling addiction can be treated in such a way that the gambling addict returns to a normal life, out of the dangers of gambling. There are various types of treatment, and of course it is good to start immediately. So timeliness is fundamental in resolving the pathology, that is the ability to realize that the person next to us (or ourselves, but it is increasingly difficult) has something wrong and needs to be helped. Among the treatments for ludopathy we have:
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy, which is roughly divided into various phases, including: functional analysis, with which the triggering causes and consequences of that particular behavior are analyzed; analysis of cognitive distortions, or rather of the beliefs on which the pathological attitude is built; self-monitoring of the impulse to play, which allow to rationalize impulses and manage them; relapse prevention, in order to analyze the whole process related to the game.
- Self-help or support groups, thanks to which gamblers can meet other people who suffer from the same disorder, share fears and experiences, and understand together how to overcome the problem.
- Pharmacological treatment, prescribed exclusively following a psychiatric visit.
