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Do You Have A Gambling Addiction?
By: Nathan Dawson
Though there maybe no physical addiction, pathological gambling has proven to have a biological basis. Norepinephrine, a brain chemical secreted when under stress, arousal, or thrill, was shown in lower levels in compulsive gamblers than normal gamblers or non-gamblers. This supports the idea that some gamblers are not seeking money so much as they are seeking action and excitement.
Though the pathological gambler is not typically addicted to the winnings or cash aspect of gambling, it surely cannot be discounted. The amount of time a gambler spends gambling not only takes away from family time or time otherwise spent in other socially healthy activities, but for children it can become even more dangerous. Pathological gambling creates dysfunction within a family. Children often begin to feel emotionally and/or physically neglected. The term 'Casino kids' was even coined in reference to the children left standing at the outer edges of a casino due to the fact that the parents can no longer afford to hire baby sitters either due to the amount of time they spend in casinos or because their problem has caused money to grow so tight.
Spouse and child abuse is also commonly a devastating after effect of a pathological gambler. Whether it be verbal, mental, or physical, families of gamblers are all too often taking the brunt of aggression for a bad hand or an unlucky draw. In the end the most undesirable effects that gamblers have on their children is the way they influence them to become gamblers themselves. Statistically, teens today are three times more likely to become gamblers than adults and watching a parent frequent a casino so often will only fan the flames.
Certain types of gambling or different games tend to be more addictive than others. The growing trend of virtual poker as well as slot machines have often been cited as the 'crack cocaine of gambling' largely due to their easy accessibility and instant gratification factors.
While conventionally speaking, a pathological gambler cannot overdose; studies show that they do have a much higher incidence of suicide than those addicted to drugs and alcohol. And the financial effects this problem can have on a family could be crippling. Though gambling doesn't cause one to become physically dependant, the gamblers' inability to stop or control themselves, despite what it may be doing to them and their loved ones forces it to indisputably fall within the category of illness that requires just as much attention and as many resources to overcome.
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