Gambling addiction is a mental illness.

Gambling addiction is a mental illness, which can lead to "pathological gambling disease". The type that is easy to form gambling addiction is generally a mentally defective or immature person who is easy to become addicted to a certain substance or activity.

Patients usually have serious economic, family work or other problems. People who are addicted to gambling are called "addicts", and many people don't think it is a disease.

Addiction causes

Addiction process

Brief introduction of hazards in initial and severe stages

Brief introduction of treatment, brief introduction of addiction symptoms, precursors and symptoms, how to quit gambling, help and treat self-test

Basic introduction

Gambling addiction, also known as "gambling addiction syndrome", is just a pathological manifestation that can't stop gambling. In fact, gambling addiction has many similarities with alcoholism and drug abuse. Gamblers often lose their manners and lie to continue gambling. They often try to quit gambling, but they never succeed.

80% of adults gamble once a year, which is beyond reproach as entertainment. But for one percent of them, this is not a pleasure, but a serious problem.

Many people started gambling at the age of 16 and 17, which had a serious impact regardless of their race, gender and economic background. Therefore, countries that allow gambling strictly prohibit minors under the age of 18, and some countries completely prohibit gambling.

Gambling addiction is a mental illness. When people gamble, they will produce a substance called "endorphin" in their brains, which will make people feel happy. Gradually, people will become addicted to gambling. Generally speaking, when a person is addicted to gambling, the secretion of endorphins will be at a high level. These patients are like taking drugs. Most patients are in a bad mood after losing money every time, but as long as they start gambling, they will be in high spirits and get excited immediately. If you stop gambling for a period of time, you will feel uneasy, nervous and anxious, sleepy and weak, insomnia, loss of appetite and so on. Gambling addiction is actually a mental illness, similar to "Internet addiction". These patients are considered to have "pathological gambling".

Gambling addiction is a kind of impulse control disorder, which is equivalent to theft and arson in the diagnosis group of mental illness. Pathological gamblers is usually full of yearning and impulse for gambling, giving up proper entertainment activities, let alone taking care of his family. Sometimes pathological gamblers may have a "withdrawal reaction" similar to abstinence and smoking, that is, once they stop gambling, they will feel nervous, sleepy, tired, insomnia, loss of appetite and other discomfort. Pathological gamblers will gamble more and more to achieve the same psychological impulse as before. Even if the impulsive psychological state continues, some gambling addicts may steal in order to find gambling money.

There are many reasons for gambling addiction, which are often related to personal life experience, living environment and personality characteristics. There are psychological defects or obstacles in different degrees, such as psychological distortion caused by the stimulation of bad life events. Western scholars believe that the motivation of most female gamblers is to escape the pressure brought by family, society and past experience, and try to reduce depression and improve bad mood through gambling.

The rehabilitation process of gambling addiction treatment is very similar to other addictive behaviors. Patients with anxiety and depression can use some anti-anxiety or anti-depression drugs, such as diazepam, clonazepam, buspirone, imipramine, doxepin, Prozac, Bolexin, Mesosurf and moclobemide. The main treatment methods of gambling addiction are psychological education, individual and group psychotherapy, such as cognitive therapy, family therapy and psychoanalytic therapy. The way to quit gambling provided by Grignard is to take beta blockers, such as propranolol, propranolol and aminoacyl. To prevent "endorphins" and make gamblers wash their hands in time. We can also use "negative reinforcement" to eliminate gambling behavior according to the principle of conditioned reflex. For example, using the "stimulus aversion therapy instrument" to perform electric shock; Meditate on all kinds of humiliating scenes brought by gambling and give warm care; Gambling is indifferent and alienated; Its specific measures vary from person to person, but it must be supervised by a person who makes it very dependent.

According to psychological research, the probability that women are addicted to gambling is three times that of men. The incidence of pathological gambling in female population is 0.5% to 2%, and the age is between 35 and 60, which is similar to alcoholism. Gambling is a mental illness, and it is not hopeless. The key is to treat as soon as possible. Although gambling addiction has the same performance, its internal reasons are different. Some are emotional disorders, which are vented through gambling; Some are personal personality disorder, emptiness and boredom and gambling addiction. Only by solving problems ideologically can we put an end to gambling. The fanaticism and magic peculiar to gambling can easily make a person lose his mind. When a person's gambling behavior is out of control, even when he can't extricate himself from all kinds of problems and pressures brought by gambling, but he still has the idea of continuing gambling, he is pathological gamblers. According to the research of American experts, the incidence of pathological gambling among adults is between 0.4% and 3.4%. Men are more susceptible to rational gambling than women.

Addiction causes

Why is gambling addictive? Different psychologists have different explanations on the psychological root and motivation of gambling behavior. Common motives are as follows:

profit

Gambling activities involve gains and losses (not just money). Although profit is the most important motive of gamblers, few people really make a fortune by gambling.

amusement

Entertainment-motivated gambling usually only happens in familiar social circles, and the stakes are very small. It meets the needs of ordinary people to pursue excitement, and makes the participants' body and mind relax to a certain extent.

take drugs

When some gambling addicts start gambling, their main motivation is to escape the pressure of family, society and past experience, so as to achieve the purpose of anesthetizing themselves.

sensation seeking

People need certain stimulation in life to maintain the normal balance of psychological function, and the amount of stimulation needed is related to the individual's quality and personality. For gamblers who pursue excitement and adventure, the smaller the probability, the greater the difference between bet and profit, and the more excited and adventurous they are.

The psychology of winning in a row.

Some gambling addicts always want to win back after losing some or even all gambling books to make up for their losses. Some gambling addicts lose more and more on the road of gambling, getting deeper and deeper, so that they can't extricate themselves. Some gamblers who win money win sex, thinking that money is easy to win, and the more they win, the more proud they are, so they gather the original gambling team or the new team to continue gambling, thus forming gambling addiction.

social factor

The origin of gambling addiction gambling is a unique phenomenon in class society. Where there is exploitation, there is gambling. In most capitalist societies, there are specialized casinos and gambling industries, which shows that. All evils first, robbery and gambling first. Because of the relationship between private ownership and exploitation, greed and the idea of getting something for nothing are the root causes of gambling addiction.

Gambling is a natural expression of human nature. People have worldly desires, human nature has private interests, and gambling addiction is caused by this kind of human heart and human nature. So greed is the root of all gambling. It is beyond the ability of ordinary people to get rid of all desires and gain a thorough understanding. Those who are keen on wealth and power are often driven by their inner desire for wealth and power, which is the origin of gambling addiction.

Rebellious psychology

One of the reasons why teenagers are addicted to gambling is rebellious psychology. The more adults ask them to do things, the less they want to do them. The more adults don't let them do, the more they want to do. Because of this abnormal rebellious mentality, the more adults forbid teenagers to gamble, the more they gamble. All they do is prove that what they do is right, while what adults teach is wrong. Gradually become a gambling addict.

Addiction process

The attraction of gambling lies in its intense and exciting process. Mainly determined by the patient's aggressive psychology. Some patients are addicted to gambling, especially those who win money from the beginning, and they unconsciously fall into the quagmire of gambling addiction. The reason why some people form pathological gambling behavior has a lot to do with their personality characteristics. If a person's self-restraint ability is low and impulsive, and he has too much free time and idles around all day, once such a person participates in gambling, it is easy to form gambling addiction.

The development process of gambling addiction can be roughly divided into:

(1) Profit-making stage. Some people are addicted to gambling. They often get a lot of money when they try their skills for the first time, so they lose control.

2 lose money. Many gamblers enter the stage of losing money without preparation. Sometimes, some people change from winning to losing very quickly, while others are surprising. Although most people feel uncomfortable at this time, they don't admit defeat and want to make a comeback. Win back the lost money.

③ The stage of despair. When the "last" money borrowed from relatives and friends is wasted by swearing, or after a certain failure, some people will enter the stage of despair. At this time, many people will take immoral or illegal actions, or the idea of "getting things done" will linger in many people's hearts.

(4) Abandonment stage. After repeated tossing, the gamblers finally resigned and gave up the idea of getting it back. But they didn't stop gambling, and their mood became even lower. Many people became addicted to alcohol by "drinking to drown their sorrows", and others began to take drugs.

Primitive period

If the following behaviors occur, it may indicate that gambling addiction is beginning or has occurred:

1, often gambling or thinking about gambling.

2. There are frequent occasions of solo gambling, and the frequency is increasing. Spending more and more time on gambling occasions, spending more time on gambling than participating in favorite activities;

3, often because of gambling and delay the time to go to work or school, but you don't care, in order to get back the gambling book, chasing after it.

4. No longer truthfully tell the number of gamblers and the amount spent on gambling. Gambling usually leads to depression, irritability or insomnia due to money disputes with family or friends.

I often think that gambling is an important activity, gambling is an easy way to make money, gambling is a healthy entertainment, and gambling is under my control.

Severe stage

1, totally addicted to gambling, always thinking about gambling-remembering the stormy time at the gambling table, or planning where to fight with whom next time. You have to bet more and more money to be happy, and you have to bet more and more to be carefree.

2. Many attempts to quit gambling or gamble less are unsuccessful. When trying to reduce or stop gambling, you will feel uncomfortable or irritable. You will use gambling as a way to avoid problems or express bad emotions (such as helplessness, guilt, anxiety or depression). When you are depressed or anxious, you want to gamble to avoid problems. After losing money in gambling, I often have a desire to gamble again to recover the money I lost last time, and I think I have a set of winning methods. In order to spend the last penny on gambling, we must rely on others to provide funds to alleviate the desperate financial situation caused by gambling. Finally, it will lead to financial difficulties, high debts or bankruptcy.

4. Deceive family members or others and conceal the extent of their gambling. In order to cover up their gambling addiction, they lie to their families or others. Think twice about the last gambling experience, try to gamble again, or try to get money to gamble), and even use fraud, theft or misappropriation of public funds to raise gambling funds. Gambling often endangers or loses some important relationships (such as friendly relatives) or job, education and career opportunities, and even violence leads to the breakdown of various relationships or self-injury and suicide.

Introduction to danger

Gamblers are usually full of yearning and impulse for gambling, giving up appropriate entertainment activities and being indifferent to their relatives, which often leads to family discord. Gambling easily leads to greed, and forms unhealthy psychology such as laziness, conspiracy, speculation and luck. Generally speaking, people who are addicted to gambling will not commit suicide, but the financial difficulties and intensified family conflicts caused by gambling will often lead them to a dead end.

Gambling addicts are prone to schizophrenia and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Driven by the temptation of interest or pleasure, gambling addicts will be unable to extricate themselves or even take risks, unable to recognize the true colors of things, and the psychological resources of addicts are completely occupied by addictive substances. They are very excited at the gambling table, but in life, most of them are withdrawn. In the long run, it will easily lead to dual personality and schizophrenia. At the same time, because they sit in front of gambling tables or computers for a long time, their energy is highly concentrated and their emotions are highly tense. The alternation of extreme emotions such as contradiction, anxiety, stimulation and conflict brought by gambling can easily lead to hypertension, heart rhythm change and tension. Being under this pressure for a long time will induce some cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, destroy the function of human reproductive system and affect normal reproductive ability.

It is very common in clinic. In addition to their physical and psychological harm, people addicted to gambling will also cause serious harm to society. Gambling addicts gamble for a long time, and their bodies are in a specific posture for a long time, which will promote bone hyperplasia in some parts of the body and suffer from cervical spondylosis for a long time. It can also cause sciatica. Especially at present, gamblers tend to be younger. If gambling addicts are immature, the harm to gamblers will be more intense, which will inevitably seriously endanger their health and affect their health and growth. Gambling addicts often fight all night to disturb the law of life, and are in a state of extreme fatigue and lack of sleep. After staying up late for a long time, hemoglobin decreases, and various physiological functions are seriously damaged, which leads to the decline of body resistance, which in turn leads to many diseases. Gambling addicts usually have sallow complexion, emaciated body, black lips, apathy and depression. From fainting during the day to being temporarily unable to work.

When gambling, most people often need to smoke to refresh themselves, and the smoke contains thousands of harmful substances, such as nicotine, cigarette tar, carbon monoxide, cyanide, benzopyrene and cadmium. These harmful substances enter the human body with smoke, damaging the lungs, liver, kidneys and bones, and harming human health. A study conducted in 1983 found that spouses of gambling addicts had serious emotional problems and responded by drinking, smoking, overeating and compulsive shopping. In addition, their spouses will also have severe headaches, gastrointestinal problems, dizziness, dyspnea and other emotional troubles, such as anger, depression and isolation. In addition, these phenomena were also found in two studies of investigation 1983. A survey found that although the problem gamblers interviewed may be less violent than ordinary people, their spouses are more violent. Another study in 1983 found that 82% of female respondents were angry with their gambling-addicted husbands and said that they had thought about killing and hurting them.

Gambling addiction can also have a serious impact on children. The survey found that children in pathological gamblers are more likely to smoke, drink and abuse drugs. In addition, children will feel abandoned, depressed and angry. Gamblers' children are four times more likely to become gamblers than non-gamblers' children. In addition, the survey in 1983 found that 23% of the spouses of problem gamblers and 17% of the children had been abused by language and violence.

Brain analysis of gambling addicts

Gambling addicts tend to commit crimes. Getting caught gambling is endless. Gambling seems to be a fair game with the nature of entertainment. However, it aims at getting something for nothing and realizing the illegal transfer of property rights, which is extremely dominant and potentially harmful to society, families and individuals. The desire for money and the resulting extreme individualism and psychology have become the ideological source and internal driving force for gambling to induce other crimes. Gambling addicts in the process of gambling, valuables and money are the objects that gamblers compete for. It is a powerful corrosive agent, which strengthens gamblers' desire for money, thus strengthening their determination to commit crimes and turning them into crimes.

Brief introduction of treatment

Psychological intervention is particularly effective for patients with pathological gambling addiction, but now few people really come to see a doctor, and some patients only go to see a doctor when they are depressed and unwell. Most "gamblers" don't realize that they are suffering from mental illness, which is an important reason for the low rate of medical treatment. These patients need comprehensive treatment. First of all, I must have the determination to quit gambling addiction, and my family members should do a good job of cooperation and supervision to keep them away from the gambling environment. Thirdly, we should cultivate healthy hobbies, enrich his life and prevent him from being tempted by gambling. Psychological suggestion and behavior control therapy can also be carried out with the help of psychological counselors. In addition, combined with psychotropic drugs, it also helps to quit gambling. In fact, gambling is an out-of-control behavior. Treatment methods include changing the environment and guiding gamblers to engage in other socially recognized activities. With the proper use of drugs and the cooperation of patients and their families, pathological gambling can be alleviated and cured. If you have the habit of gambling and you can't control them, you should seek psychotherapy. There are two main ways to treat pathological gambling: one is to control one's impulsive behavior with drugs; On the other hand, it emphasizes psychotherapy, including intensive therapy and aversion therapy.

Brief introduction of rehabilitation treatment methods for gambling addiction mental illness

1. Gambling addiction isolates patients from the "gambling gray organization", and finds another place with beautiful environment, sunny and fresh air to close their lives and completely cut off all contact with all kinds of gambling friends. Help patients to re-learn and adapt to the rhythm of normal people's work and rest time. Let the patients' living environment be filled with the fragrance of nature, and make them begin to hate the stench of smoke and phlegm in the gambling hall of teahouse.

2. Gambling addiction forces patients to systematically study scientific philosophy of life while reflecting on the losses and injuries that gambling has brought to their families in the past. People's ideas are not easy to change, so for this most important one, we should not only understand it with reason, but also touch it with emotion. We should not only actively criticize his absurd and wrong ideology without compromise, but also let the patients go back with goodwill and tolerance. If we only criticize the struggle and leave no room for the patient to turn back, it will be like forcing the bent trunk to straighten immediately, and it will destroy the patient like breaking the trunk during treatment. The patient's heart is a gray mirror. A room that has not been cleaned for a long time can only remove dust and dirt bit by bit, and can't be rushed.

The gambling addiction of the gambling addict is formed in a long time, so we should not imagine that he can quit gambling addiction soon. We must admit that his illness is recurrent, and sometimes it may be very severe. After a course of treatment, you should be psychologically prepared for another course of treatment at intervals. It is necessary to actively guide patients to cultivate new healthy entertainment ways, such as traveling, listening to music and playing ball games. Family members should have confidence, patience and perseverance to crush gambling addiction with patients.

Without a new healthy interpersonal environment, gambling addicts can't really get rid of the "gambling gray organization". Because all people are social people after all, we should pay attention to helping patients make new friends with a positive and healthy attitude, enterprising spirit and elegant life concept. Mentors are very important for a person's development.

In the past, gamblers' dependence on gambling addiction may be caused by emotional or professional setbacks. He mistakenly regards gambling communication as emotional sustenance, or mistakenly regards gambling skills as career achievements. In the treatment of gambling addiction mental illness, we should pay attention to helping patients get a brand-new achievement experience in legal career efforts, and at the same time help patients find the reliability and warmth of their families.

6. Serious addicts should cooperate with drug treatment. For those who are addicted to gambling but have not yet reached the stage of addiction, Professor Sun puts forward two suggestions: First, strengthen self-cultivation and self-discipline, manage their own thoughts and behaviors, establish the concept of getting rich through hard work, and abandon the speculative psychology of getting something for nothing. The second is to cultivate healthy hobbies and divert attention from addictive substances. For serious addicts, in addition to psychological counseling, they should also cooperate with corresponding drug treatment to alleviate their symptoms such as anxiety, irritability and depression caused by their inability to gamble.

Addiction symptoms

Gambling addiction is a persistent and recurring abnormal gambling behavior. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association lists ten symptoms of mental disorders, five of which can be diagnosed as pathological gambling:

1. Gambling recurs in my mind, remembering the wonderful moments on the gambling table, or planning where and who to play next time;

2, the stakes are getting bigger and bigger to feel enjoyable;

3. Repeated attempts to quit gambling or less gambling were unsuccessful;

4. When trying to control gambling addiction, you will feel uncomfortable or lose your temper easily;

5. When you feel depressed or anxious, you want to gamble to avoid problems;

6. If you lose, think about when you will win back;

7. In order to cover up his gambling addiction, he lied to his family and others, thus hurting his relationship with relatives and friends;

8, in order to gamble, have participated in fraud, fraud, theft or dishonesty and other crimes;

9. Being out of school or unemployed due to gambling;

10, heavily in debt due to gambling.

Preintroduction

It is very important to prevent gambling addiction, because gambling addiction brings serious consequences to patients and their families. It may break families, ruin careers and get into debt. Some people are anxious or depressed because of debt pressure, and some even commit suicide. Psychological statistics show that a gambling addict will affect or implicate 20 to 30 relatives and friends. The specific methods to prevent gambling addiction are as follows:

1, social promotion of gambling education. In public education, the content can include what is rational gambling behavior, cognitive problems and pathological gambling, and how to self-evaluate gambling problems. The purpose is to let people know what healthy and elegant gambling behavior is, so as to reduce the harm caused by gambling.

2. Gambling education to prevent gambling addiction can be carried out in families, schools, community centers or the media.

3. Prevention of gambling addiction can be achieved by setting an example and posting suggestive slogans in any place where gambling is provided, such as "small gambling is good for feelings and big gambling is bad for reputation". You can also put a lot of booklets and self-assessment questionnaires about gambling education, so that gamblers can have a better understanding and vigilance about gambling, so as not to become gambling addicts. Places where such educational materials are placed may include any places directly or indirectly related to gambling. Print reminders.

Precursors and symptoms

How to determine that you have a gambling problem? People with gambling problems generally have the following symptoms, but this requires a professional doctor to make a diagnosis.

1- too focused

In the past, I was too focused on gambling, always thinking about gambling experiences, scenes and mistakes, planning the next gambling place or trying to get gambling money.

2- Gambling desire

You need to increase a lot of gambling money to satisfy your gambling desire.

3- Try to quit gambling

I have tried to quit gambling many times, but it will be a precursor to my failure.

Just like taking drugs, gamblers will become tired, irritable and impulsive when they quit gambling.

4- escape

Gamblers began to escape from real problems, feeling helpless, guilty, anxious and depressed.

5- Chasing books

After losing money, you must win back the lost money immediately. Chasing this is a typical gambling psychological state, which will become gambling syndrome in severe cases.

6- Lying

Hide the money and time spent gambling from family and friends.

7- Alienation

When gamblers start to alienate their families, friends and careers, it is also a sign that something is wrong. They don't care about family and friendship, drop out of school and lose their jobs and lives.

How to quit gambling

Gambling is an addiction. If you want to quit, please note the following:

1。 When you haven't resigned, try not to have money on hand.

2。 The dangers of gambling and losing all your money.

3。 Establish a desire to make money and save money, such as saving money to buy a house, marry a wife and buy a car.

4。 Make good friends, stay away from bad friends, and create a gambling-free environment for yourself.

5。 It is very important to know that there will be no pie in the sky. Even if you win money at first, gambling will only lose all your money in the end. Always remember this and remind yourself every day.

6。 Spending time on more meaningful activities (cursing WT is better than gambling in this jar) can play a certain distracting role (don't always think about gambling).

Psychologists believe that four factors make people addicted to gambling: psychological factors, thrill-seeking, impulsive personality and anti-social behavior. In order to get rid of gambling addiction, four psychotherapy methods can be used for reference.

Recognize that gambling addiction is a pathological state that cannot be forcibly controlled, and give gamblers appropriate support to quit gambling. This requires that it may take a long time to quit gambling, and it is impossible to quit gambling at once. However, we can gradually reduce the time of betting and gambling, and finally evolve into a pure "health card" without talking about winning or losing.

Be patient with gamblers and make them feel more concerned. Especially between words, we should pay attention to always complaining and cursing each other, which may lead to broken cans and falls, thus producing psychological wrong ideas. It is necessary to melt the hard ice of gambling with the warmth of family. Especially when he starts to quit gambling, start a normal life and work hard, don't hesitate to give them verbal encouragement.

Gamblers should be encouraged to take part in healthy activities. For example, participating in social volunteers provides convenience for some vulnerable groups without compensation. You can also visit children in orphanages regularly to show your love for those children who have lost their loved ones.

Help and treatment

Like other addictions, gambling addiction can be controlled. The treatment method is similar. However, the most difficult thing is that patients admit that they have gambling problems and are willing to receive professional treatment.

There are more than three treatments that can help you quit gambling.

Psychotherapy-go to a professional treatment institution to find a professional doctor or consultant, or take group therapy. In the process of treatment, you can get useful advice, feedback and mutual encouragement to achieve the best treatment effect.

Drug therapy-some drugs that help to treat psychology and emotions usually help to quit gambling.

Self-help groups-Self-help groups play an important role in gambling abstinence treatment. The treatment process will involve spiritual and values issues, but it has nothing to do with religion.

Advice to family and friends

Why do people gamble?

If your friends or relatives have gambling problems, you should first understand why they gamble. Generally speaking, for entertainment, the excitement of winning money, temporarily forgetting the troubles in life, or the way to make quick money, as well as boredom and depression, casinos are chosen to alleviate boredom.

Not all gamblers have problems, but family and friends can find them from the beginning. .

Gamblers don't do it overnight. It takes time. So pay more attention to the people around you and see if they behave abnormally.

How to help them quit gambling?

Remember, you are not the only one in the family who faces this problem!

-Talk to people outside your family about your problems and ask for help.

Remember, people with serious gambling problems can't quit for a while, so be patient.

-Stand firm.

-Make gamblers responsible for the consequences and help them admit their problems and get back on their feet.

-Don't blame them, it will only push them into the casino again. But we should give them constructive suggestions and set reasonable limits for them.

-Don't trust their control easily until they completely give up gambling and close their money. Help them manage their finances.

self test

The 10 self-test provided by the National Gambling Commission answered "Yes" or "No".

1. Your actual gambling time is longer than planned.

You often gamble until there is not a penny left.

3. Insomnia symptoms caused by gambling.

You gamble with your income or savings, but don't pay the bills of daily life.

You tried to quit gambling many times, but all failed.

It is illegal for you to gamble in Qian Ceng.

7. You borrow money to gamble.

8. You are depressed or have suicidal thoughts because you lost money in gambling.

9. You deeply regret after gambling.

10. You used to gamble for economic needs.

If you answer "yes" to one of the above questions, then you may have gambling addiction syndrome. I suggest you see a doctor or consultant.