* How to Recognise a Gambling Problem
With more and more people gambling these days, there are more reported cases of gambling Addiction than ever before.
Gambling problems can manifest themselves in many different ways. Some problem gamblers will have all of these signs and some others may only have one. Gambling addiction can affect players from bingo to poker. It is not just one game that tends to have addicted players, no one is immune.
The most important thing to remember is just because their life is not horrible because of gambling it does not mean there is not a problem, many people can have serious gambling addictions and still hold down a job and make it seem as if everything is fine. This just means that this person has not hit a “bottom” yet, but eventually it will catch up with them.
These are things to look out for, this does not mean that any one sign means they are an addict, but as a loved one or friend, if these signs do manifest, you should at least try and find out what has changed in their life.
Most addicts will stop socialising with anyone not into their addiction, so if suddenly someone you know cuts communication with their friends and starts to isolate themselves this can be a sign.
A simple thing to look for is if they are overly interested in the sports scores, and if after reading them they become ecstatic or depressed. No one likes it when their favourite team loses, but a gambler will have major mood swings depending on if they are winning or losing.
A big sign of gambling addiction is someone who is constantly having money problems and asking to borrow money but never pays it back, but sometimes out of nowhere this person will seem to have large sums of cash.
Lying and stealing is another good clue to a gambling addiction, they will make up all sorts of excuses for their odd behaviour, and you may notice small, but expensive items missing from your home.
If when visiting this person you notice that some of their things are missing, or if they tell you they have had to sell some things, then there is a good chance that what they sold either went to pay of gambling debts or to make new bets.
There are many other signs but these are the most common symptoms of gambling addiction according to addiction professionals. If you see 2 or more of these symptoms in someone you know you should immediately try to get this person to accept their problem and seek professional help.
Without help, gambling addiction leads to the same place as drug addiction or alcoholism, eventually they will be overcome by their addiction. At this point they will be fully cut off from friends and family.
Most gamblers with bad addictions usually wind up jobless and in many cases homeless if their addiction is allowed to go unchecked for too long, studies have shown that people with gambling addictions are more prone to illness because they allow their health to lapse.
For more information on gambling addiction talk to your family doctor or look on the internet for the gamblers anonymous web site, or from one of the many internet web sites dedicated to helping gambling addicts to locate professional help in their area.