Around the world, more than 350 million people have problematic gambling habits. In Canada, some of the worst gambling addicts lose more than $500,000 a year! Like most addictions, bad habits begin with a small, innocent action, but gradually lead to something much more sinister. One common question is: “Is gambling addiction worse than drug addiction?” In this article, we’ll answer that question, dive deep into the different signs of gambling addiction and explore how to stop gambling and save money. Keep reading to learn more.
What Is Gambling Addiction?
Gambling addiction goes by many names — compulsive gambling, gambling disorder, and problem gambling. No matter the name, it refers to the uncontrollable urge to gamble, even if it has negative consequences on your life.
By nature, gambling means you’re risking something to win something of greater value.
From a medical perspective, gambling stimulates the brain’s reward system, just like how alcohol or drugs can. This makes it quite similar to substance addiction. However, instead of health consequences, it can lead to huge financial losses and debt.
This can cause a chain reaction that leads to other unhealthy behaviours like lying, theft, and fraud. It’s a serious condition that can destroy your life.
Is Gambling Addiction Worse Than Drug Addiction?
Compared to gambling addiction, substance addiction is a bit more based on a person’s behaviour. It is considered a disease. A substance addict might abuse any kind of substance, including:
- Alcohol
- Prescription drugs
- Legal substances
These addictions can lead to serious health problems, and possibly death.
Although gambling and substance addictions have many similarities, there are some key differences.
Gambling is more behaviour-based and cognitive-based. Excessive gamblers typically show cognitive distortions in their core beliefs. This directly affects how they view their ability to win.
Treatment is also different for both kinds of addictions. People with gambling problems are usually treated with cognitive-behavioural approaches. This allows them to learn the real odds of winning and change their core beliefs about the profitability of gambling.
Substance addiction, on the other hand, relies more heavily on withdrawal management and treatment.
The diagnosis process is also different for both addictions. For substance addiction, it is based on their usage despite their physical or psychological issues. Gambling focuses on the negative impact that it has on their family and friends.
So which is worse than the other? They can both be incredibly detrimental to people’s lives, but the severity varies from case to case.
11 Signs Of Gambling Addiction
In Canada alone, there are about 19.3 million active gamblers.
For some people, gambling can be a fun, controlled activity that they casually partake in. But for many people, it can turn into a serious compulsive disorder.
If you think that a loved one might have a gambling problem, there are several signs you should watch out for. Let’s take a look at some important ones.
1. Unhealthy Obsession: Unable to Stop Gambling
Although this might seem obvious, it’s an important place to start. If they spend all of their time gambling, it might be a sign of a bigger problem.
It might seem like they are consumed with it. They might constantly talk about their gambling experiences, like reliving past big wins.
Whenever you see them, they might be on their phone or computer placing bets or playing different gambling games. No matter how many times they say they’ll stop, they just can’t.
Gambling activities include but are not limited to:
- Sports and event betting
- Scratchcards
- Lottery tickets
- Gaming
- Trading
- Casino games
Unfortunately, the breakneck advancement of technology makes it incredibly easy to gamble nowadays. Gambling apps and websites are easy to access and connect directly to bank accounts. The instant access to betting can make it that much harder to quit.
2. Lying or Hiding Gambling Habits
People who struggle with different types of addictions often try to conceal their habits from the people around them. Gambling is no different.
They might try to hide bank statements or receipts from different gambling platforms. When confronted, they may make excuses, lie, or go out of their way to avoid being questioned.
Obviously, it is impossible to help someone who doesn’t let any of their loved ones understand what they’re going through. It’s important for them to understand that it not only affects their lives but the lives of those around them as well.
3. Continuous Gambling Despite the Consequences
The consequences of gambling are obvious. Continuous gambling can lead to disastrous financial issues and even legal consequences. Despite the problems though, a gambling addict will press on because they can’t contain the urge to gamble.
There’s always the thought that one “big win” will be able to solve all of their problems. Unfortunately, even continuous losing doesn’t make gamblers quit. They still get a “high” from gambling whether they win or lose.
4. Experience Withdrawal Symptoms When Not Gambling
Gambling addiction isn’t just a mental game. The stress and guilt of having an addiction or going through large financial losses can lead to physical symptoms.
Just like people that have problems from substance abuse, gamblers will go through withdrawal symptoms when they aren’t gambling. This can include symptoms like:
- Depression and anxiety
- Irritability
- Loss of sex drive
- Restlessness
- Loss of sleep or appetite
Just like a drug, the gambler’s body becomes reliant on the rush that gambling gives them. They can’t feel normal or happy when they aren’t gambling.
5. Causes Dysfunction in Their Daily Lives
Gambling affects the addict’s everyday life, as well. If they have a gambling disorder, they might have trouble focusing on work, maintaining relationships, and might even stop enjoying their favourite hobbies.
When they can’t enjoy a single second of the day without placing wagers or talking about betting, it’s a serious sign that they have a problem.
Gambling can also lead to serious financial problems. This might lead to signs like:
- Often asking to borrow money for their primary expenses like rent or utilities
- They often make excuses about why they can’t pay you back
- Warning letters for missed bills arriving
- Missed bills leading to service disruptions with electricity, internet, or utilities
- Only limited amounts of food can be found in their kitchen
- Lying to friends and family to have them lend them more money to get themselves out of trouble
All of these signs point directly toward the need for addiction recovery.
6. They Get Defensive When Confronted
A telltale sign of an addiction is when people get defensive when confronted about their problem. Most of the time, it’s a sign that the accusation is true.
If the person you love gets defensive about their gambling, you probably won’t be able to help them by confronting or shaming them. The best course of action might be to speak to a professional counsellor.
7. They Commit Other Crimes Like Stealing
Because gambling can be a never-ending black hole that money seems to disappear into, gamblers will often need to find other ways to fund their bad habits.
This might include stealing money or valuable items to sell. They might even commit fraud to fund their gambling habits. This is an immediate red flag that needs to be addressed before something serious happens.
8. They Express Guilt or Remorse After Gambling
Not all signs are negative. If you see a friend or family member who often feels sorry or guilty after gambling, but still not being able to quit, this could be a sign of a bigger problem.
It’s important to speak to friends and family members to see if they’ve noticed these kinds of behaviours. Getting a professional involved is also a good idea.
9. They Become More Isolated
People with addictions tend to become more isolated for a number of reasons. They might feel ashamed or guilty of their habits, so they become isolated to prevent friends and family members from knowing what’s really going on.
The loss of financial health can also be an embarrassing thing to share with others, especially with their partner.
You might notice that they are spending less time with friends and family while spending more time on their electronic devices or at the casino. Whenever they are with friends or family, they might seem bored, preoccupied, or irritable.
If they do feel loneliness, they often visit betting shops or casinos to help overcome social isolation.
This can have a negative impact on important relationships they have.
10. Needing Bigger Bets to Get the Same “Thrill”
When it comes to substance abuse, many users’ tolerances begin to rise significantly after taking the same drug over and over again. This leads them to need higher doses of the drug, which can be increasingly dangerous to their health.
Gambling is similar. Gamblers might need to bet with increasing amounts of money just to get the same thrill as before. The same “small” wins might not do it for them anymore, which can lead to significant financial losses.
11. Constantly Needing Others to Bail Them Out
When it becomes a serious problem, gamblers might become increasingly dependent on friends and family to bail them out of tough situations. They might need help paying for important living expenses, like food, rent, and utilities.
Other serious problems can arise as well. Gambling addicts might borrow from shady loan sharks to fund their gambling habits, which can lead to dangerous situations if they aren’t able to pay them back.
How to Stop Gambling and Save Money
If you or a loved one has a problem, the first step to stop gambling is to understand the problem. While gambling might just be a fun, occasional activity for some, it can be a serious issue for others.
The gambler needs to understand that although you might not feel as many physical symptoms as you would from substance addiction, it is still a process addiction. This means that every action you do contributes to negative outcomes that you might not notice at first.
Once you understand this, the first step is admitting that you have a problem. But the thing is, most people can’t tackle this problem alone, despite what they may think.
Only a very small fraction of those with a problem will seek treatment at a rehab center, while the rest will try their best to fix the problem on their own. But with gambling being so accessible in this day and age, it can be a near-impossible task.
Get Professional Help
The best thing you can do is realize that you can’t take this on yourself. Joining a support group could be a helpful option for those that need it.
Consider going to a rehab center and seeing what options you have with a professional counsellor. There are often support groups for gamblers. Being able to connect with others that are fighting the same problem that you have can be hugely beneficial.
They can provide valuable assistance to those that feel lost. You’ll have people who empathize with what you’re going through, and others that are farther along can show you the way out.
There’s no shame in getting professional help, either.
Entering a treatment programme is one of the most effective steps toward addiction recovery. You can learn how to avoid triggers that hinder your progress toward recovery.
By confronting your cravings head-on, you can return to a normal life with your friends and family.
Get the Help You Need
So is gambling addiction worse than drug addiction?
The answer is that any addiction can be disastrous for any life, whether it’s from gambling, drugs, sex, alcohol, or anything else. Now that you know the signs of addiction, make sure to check in with anyone that you think might have a problem.
The first path to recovery is admitting there is a problem and receiving treatment. If you live in the Ontario area, Simcoe Addiction & Mental Health offers the best private treatment in the area.
Get a no-cost consultation with us today!
