Gambling is an activity or habit that becomes destructive when excessive. Gambling becomes an addiction when a person is unable to stop gambling and this is accompanied by various other signs. Furthermore, this article will highlight five signs used to identify an addicted gambler.

Gambling can be a normal leisure activity a person engages in but has the tendency to become addictive. This is why some people completely dissuade the act of gambling. Either way, these signs are evident in addicted gamblers.

• Unable To Stop

The first sign that a person is addicted to gambling is that they are unable to stop gambling, even when all odds are against them.

To the extent that despite its negative effects and obvious losses, the addict always wants to return to the gambling table. They could act on the false optimism that today “is my lucky day” or “today I feel lucky”, this is an addicted gambler.

• Gambling More Than You Can Afford

An addicted gambler places bet beyond what he or she is willing to lose at that moment.

While a casual gambler knows when to stop gambling, especially when losses are beyond what he or she can afford to lose. An addicts’ ability to gamble more than they can afford places them in debt or potential financial crisis.

• Lying About Your Gambling Habit

An addicted gambler doesn’t accept his or her state of addiction but constantly lies about it. They begin to lie about their whereabouts and daily activities to cover up for their gambling addiction. This is a major sign that a person is addicted to gambling.

• Borrowing To Gamble

Borrowing from family and friends to fund your gambling habit is a sign of addiction. Some even go to the extent of borrowing from financial institutions, which leads them to severe debt when losses arise. This could lead to loss of properties.

• Gambling Until There’s Nothing Left

A casual gambler knows when to walk away from the table and call it a day. But an addicted gambler lays everything on the table until nothing is left and then danger comes. An addicted gambler’s inability to stop gambling makes them forfeit all their money to gambling without saving anything.

Gambling addiction is a very serious issue, which if not treated appropriately can not only ground a person financially, but also ruin his/her relationships, work-life, and family. These signs are therefore vital to identify an addicted gambler.

Beyond identifying the signs of an addicted gambler or pinpointing the consequences of gambling addiction.

It is equally important that we proffer solutions to help addicts regain their senses. That is, by identifying steps that will help an addicted gambler break loose from the shackles of gambling.

To this end, this article will highlight some ways to help a gambling addict overcome the act of addiction. But note that these steps may vary based on individual situations.

Some ways to solve a gambling problem include;

• Identify and Understand The Problem

Essentially, we cannot solve what we don’t understand, therefore, the first step is to effectively understand what gambling addiction entails, what leads to and its symptoms.

With gambling addiction, you’ve to be honest with yourself, and if you notice traces of addiction such as persistent urge to gamble, borrowing to gamble, seek help. Or if you notice signs in a loved one, bring them into the consciousness of their gambling addiction.

• Have A Support Group

Gambling addiction is not a thing you can easily overcome by yourself, you, therefore, need to have a support group to spur you on in your attempt to break free.

A support group could be a group of people with similar pasts or experiences. It could also be your family, who are constantly with you on the journey of breaking free from gambling addiction.

• Avoid Triggers

There are certain things that you do or see which triggers your urge to gamble. You need to identify these triggers, it could be watching sports, driving by a casino, or a gambling friend. Whatever they are, identify them and work together with your support group to avoid these triggers.

• Find Alternatives

While you try to break free of gambling addiction, the craving to gamble will surely come, you, therefore, need to find an alternative to gambling. That is, something to take your mind off gambling. It could be physical exercise (push-ups, jogging, etc.), new hobbies, exploring new places.

Exiting gambling addiction can be tricky and quite difficult, but not unachievable.

It is left to you to be committed towards your detachment from gambling or that of a loved one. Following the steps above will help in breaking free from gambling addiction and placing you on a new path of recovery.