Gambling addiction is a psychological disease, and there will be serious "pathological gambling addiction". The types that are easy to form gambling addiction are generally mentally defective or immature people who are easy to become addicted to certain substances or activities.

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 stage and severe stage

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

Basic introduction

Gambling addiction, also known as "gambling addiction syndrome", is simply the pathological manifestation of gambling addiction. In fact, gambling addiction has many similarities with alcoholism and drug abuse. Gamblers often lose their manners and lie to keep gambling. They often try to quit gambling, but they never succeed.

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

Many people started gambling at the age of 16 and 17, which had a serious impact regardless of 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, a substance called "endorphin" will be produced in the brain, which will make people feel happy. Gradually, people will become dependent on gambling and become addicted. 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 when they start gambling, they are in high spirits and excited immediately. If you stop gambling for a while, you will be upset, 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 a diagnostic 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 gambling is stopped, people will feel nervous, sleepy, tired, insomnia, loss of appetite and other discomfort. Pathological gamblers will gamble more and more in order to achieve the same psychological impulse as before, that is, to keep the impulsive psychological state going. Some gamblers may steal money 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 varying 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 their depression and improve their bad mood through gambling.

The rehabilitation process of gambling addiction treatment is very similar to other addictive behaviors. Anxiety and depression patients can use some anti-anxiety or anti-depression drugs, such as diazepam, clonazepam, buspirone, imipramine, doxepin, Prozac, Bolexin, Shu Ning, moclobemide and so on. The treatment of gambling addiction is mainly psychological education, individual and group psychotherapy, such as cognitive therapy, family therapy, psychoanalytic therapy and so on. The method provided by Grignard is to take beta blockers, such as propranolol, propranolol and aminoacyl. To prevent "endorphins" and let 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 caused 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 one person, which 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, not hopeless. The key is to treat it as soon as possible. Although gambling addiction has the same performance, its internal causes are different. Some are emotional barriers, which are vented through gambling; Some are personality disorders, emptiness and boredom, and gambling addiction. Only by solving problems ideologically can we put an end to gambling. Gambling's unique fanaticism and magic can easily make people lose their minds. When a person's gambling behavior is out of control, even unable to extricate himself from various problems and pressures brought by gambling, but still has the idea of continuing gambling, he is pathological gamblers. According to the research of American experts, the incidence of adult pathological gambling 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 for 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

Gambling for entertainment usually only happens in familiar social circles, and the stakes are very small. It meets the needs of ordinary people in pursuit of excitement and relaxes the participants' body and mind to a certain extent.

take drugs

When some gamblers 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 to maintain the normal balance of psychological function in life, and the amount of stimulation needed is related to personal quality and personality. For gamblers who are motivated by seeking excitement and adventure, the smaller the probability, the greater the difference between bet and profit, the more exciting and risky they are.

The psychology of winning in a row.

Some gamblers always want to win back after losing part or even all of their gambling books to make up for their losses. Some gambling addicts lose more and more, and get deeper and deeper on the road of gambling, so that they can't extricate themselves. Some gamblers who win money win, 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 can be seen. All evils first, all robbery and gambling first. With 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 desires, and human nature has selfish interests. Gambling addiction is caused by this kind of human heart and human nature. So greed is the root of all gambling. Getting rid of all desires and gaining a thorough understanding is beyond the reach of ordinary people. 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 mind

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 prohibit teenagers from gambling, 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. It is mainly determined by the aggressive psychology of patients. Some patients are addicted to gambling, especially those who win money from the beginning, and 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 has low self-restraint, is impulsive, 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 and often spend a lot of money as soon as they try their hand, which is out of control.

(2) losing money. Many gamblers have entered the stage of losing money without preparation. Sometimes, some people change from winning to losing very quickly, while others are surprising. Although most people will feel uncomfortable at this time, they will not admit defeat and want to make a comeback. Win back the lost money.

(3) the stage of despair. When the money borrowed from relatives and friends for the "last time" 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 already occurred:

1, often gambling or thinking about gambling.

2. There are frequent occasions of gambling alone, 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. Don't tell the gambling times and gambling expenses truthfully. Gambling often leads to depression, irritability or insomnia because of 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, completely addicted to gambling, always thinking about gambling in my mind-remembering the stormy time at the gambling table, or planning where to play with whom next time. You have to gamble more and more money to feel satisfied, and you have to gamble more and more to be carefree.

2. Repeated 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 the desire to gamble again and get back the money I lost last time, and I think I have a way to win. If you spend the last penny on gambling, you must rely on others to provide money to alleviate the desperate financial situation caused by gambling. In the end, 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 his gambling addiction, he lied to his family or others. Think twice about the last gambling experience, try gambling again, or try to get money to gamble), and even use fraud, theft, misappropriation of public funds and other means 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-harm 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 loved ones, which often leads to family discord. Gambling can easily lead to greed, and form unhealthy psychology such as indolence, intrigue, speculation and luck. Generally speaking, people who are addicted to gambling will not commit suicide, but the financial difficulties and intensified family conflicts brought about by gambling will often lead them to a dead end.

Gambling addicts are prone to schizophrenia and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Under 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, they are mostly 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 nervousness. 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. People who are addicted to gambling will do serious harm to society in addition to their own physical and mental harm. Gambling addicts gamble for a long time, and their bodies are in a certain posture for a long time, which will promote bone hyperplasia in some parts of the body for a long time and get cervical spondylosis. Can also cause sciatica. Especially at present, gamblers tend to be younger. If the gambler is immature, the harm to the gambler will be more intense, which will inevitably seriously endanger his health and affect his healthy 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 leads to a variety of diseases. Gamblers often have sallow complexion, thin body, black lips, indifferent expression and low spirits. The lighter is weak during the day, and the heavier is 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 body with smoke, damaging the lungs, liver, kidneys and bones, and harming human health. 1983 A study found that spouses of gambling addicts had serious emotional problems and responded by drinking, smoking, overeating and compulsive shopping. In addition, their spouses will 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 in the survey of 1983. A survey found that although the problem gamblers interviewed may not be as violent as ordinary people, their spouses are more violent. Another study in 1983 found that 82% of female respondents were angry with their gambling husbands and said that they had thought about killing and hurting them.

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

Brain analysis of gambling addicts

Gambling addicts tend to commit crimes. Gambling is caught one after another. 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. Gamblers 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 especially effective for patients with pathological gambling addiction, but in fact, few people come to see a doctor now, 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 should cooperate and supervise them 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, the combination of psychotropic drugs can also help 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 can't control it yourself, 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, bright sunshine and fresh air to close their lives and completely cut off all contacts with various gambling friends. Help patients to learn again 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 let them begin to hate the smell of smoke and phlegm in the teahouse gambling hall.

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 move it with emotion. We should not only actively criticize his absurd and wrong ideology, but also let the patients go back with kindness and tolerance. If we only criticize the struggle and don't leave the patient a way back, it will be like forcibly straightening the crooked trunk 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. It can only slowly remove dust and dirt bit by bit, and it cannot be rushed.

The gambler's gambling addiction is formed for a long time, so don't 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, there should be an interval for another course of psychological preparation. We should actively guide patients to cultivate new healthy entertainment ways, such as traveling, listening to music, playing ball games, etc. Family members should have confidence, patience and perseverance, and crush gambling addiction with patients.

Without a new healthy interpersonal environment, gamblers 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.

Gamblers' dependence on gambling addiction in the past may be emotional or caused by career setbacks. He mistakenly regarded gambling communication as emotional sustenance, or mistakenly regarded 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 their legitimate professional 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 their 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, we should also cooperate with corresponding drug treatment to alleviate their symptoms such as anxiety, irritability and depression caused by not being able 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, and people with five of them can be diagnosed as pathological gambling:

1. Repeated gambling in my mind, remembering the beautiful moments on the gambling table, or planning where to play with whom 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 conceal his gambling addiction, he lied to his family and others, thus hurting his relationship with relatives and friends;

8, for the purpose of gambling, has been involved 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 gambler 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 terms of 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. Gambling addiction can be prevented 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 place a large number of gambling education brochures and self-assessment questionnaires, so that gamblers can have a deeper understanding of gambling and be vigilant 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 needs a professional doctor to diagnose.

1- too focused

Too focused on gambling in the past, always thinking about gambling experiences, scenes and mistakes, planning the next gambling venue or trying to get money to gamble.

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.

Gamblers, like drug addicts, will become tired, irritable and easy to do in the stage of quitting 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 it back immediately. Chasing the root and chasing the end is a typical gambling psychological state, which becomes gambling syndrome when it is serious.

6- Lying

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

7- Alienation

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

How to quit gambling

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

1。 Try not to have money when you haven't quit.

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 build 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 everything in the end. Always remember this and remind yourself every day.

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

Psychologists believe that there are four factors that make people addicted to gambling: psychological factors, thrill-seeking, impulsive personality and anti-social behavior. In order to get rid of gambling addiction, we can learn from four psychotherapy methods.

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 at once. But you can gradually reduce the time of betting and gambling, and finally evolve into a pure "health card", no longer talking about winning or losing.

Be patient with gamblers and make them feel more concerned. Especially between words, we should pay attention to the fact that always complaining and cursing each other may lead to broken jars and a psychological misconception. We should melt the 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 people free of charge. You can also visit children in orphanages on a regular basis and offer love to 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 you can have group therapy. In the process of treatment, we can get useful suggestions, feedback and mutual encouragement to achieve the best effect of treatment.

Drug therapy-some drugs that help to treat psychology and emotions are usually helpful 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, for the excitement of winning money, for temporarily forgetting the troubles in life, or for the way of making quick money, as well as boredom and depression, casinos are chosen to relieve boredom.

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

Gamblers do not happen overnight. It takes time. So pay more attention to the people around you and see if they are behaving 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 their 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 boundaries for them.

Don't trust their control easily until they completely quit gambling addiction and turn off their money. Help them with their finances.

self test

Answer "Yes" or "No" to the 10 self-test provided by the National Gambling Commission.

1. Your actual gambling time is longer than planned.

2. You often gamble until every penny is 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 lost money because of gambling, and you have been depressed or have suicidal thoughts.

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, and I suggest you see a doctor or consultant.