Signs Indicating Gambling Obsession in an Individual from Novosibirsk
In the Novosibirsk region, authorities and residents are grappling with a concerning surge in illegal gambling dens, as organized crime seeks illicit income. In fact, the number of criminal cases opened for such offenses has exploded by tenfold within a year.
This predicament has sparked worry among experts, resulting in a psychologist, Igor Liakh, sharing insights on the root causes of gambling addiction and warning signs of unhealthy gambling habits.
The Root Cause of Gambling Addiction
According to Liakh, the transformation from incipient addiction to detrimental consequences can unfold over several years. Individuals usually seek assistance after losing valuable assets such as their homes, vehicles, or family properties.
The gambling addict persona is characterized by dreams of grand winnings and a stubborn belief that casinos can’t be conquered, coupled with a craving for effortless wealth. Liakh outlines the following psychological traits in gambling addicts:
- Irresponsible behavior
- Mental sluggishness
- Arrogance
- Delusions of grandeur
Gambling Addiction versus Other Addictions: Common Symptoms
With addictive behavior being a defining characteristic of those vulnerable to gambling addiction and other compulsions, it's crucial to recognize gambling addiction's warning signs and their interconnectedness with other addictions.
Often, family members and spouses may struggle to identify a loved one's gambling addiction. Typically, they notice:
- Dramatic mood swings
- Exorbitant spending
Individuals with a strong cultural upbringing, grounded since childhood, may find it easier to overcome gambling addiction, as Igor Liakh points out. The journey towards recovery starts at home.
Financial Warning Signs of Gambling Addiction
- The person gambles beyond their means, risking money intended for essentials like rent, bills, or food.
- They continue to wager to recoup losses, sliding further into financial trouble.
- Accumulating debts, maxing out credit cards, borrowing from family and friends, or dipping into savings or emergency funds for gambling.
- Hiding financial information by shuffling money between accounts or engaging in illicit activities to fund gambling.
Behavioral and Emotional Changes
- Obsession with gambling: substantial time spent planning bets or scheduling activities around gambling opportunities.
- Misrepresenting gambling habits or whereabouts to family members or spouses.
- Prioritizing gambling over personal relationships, work, school, or other significant commitments, causing neglect.
- Emotional instability, marked by irritability, anxiety, or depression related to gambling outcomes or concealed behavior.
Social and Interpersonal Consequences
- Straining or rupturing relationships due to gambling behavior.
- Seeking financial aid from family or friends due to gambling losses.
Psychological Traits
- Impulsiveness and an inability to abstain from gambling despite negatively impacting one's life.
- Belief in a miraculous big win as a solution to life's problems, fueling more gambling and exacerbating troubles.
By recognizing these signs, family members and spouses can better identify potential gambling addiction and its underlying psychological traits.
Early recognition allows loved ones to offer support and encourage the individual to seek professional help. Reach out to treatment referral services or helplines dedicated to gambling addiction for guidance.
What symptoms identifies a gambling addiction, alike other addictions? Sometimes, family members struggle to recognize a loved one's gambling addiction due to dramatic mood swings or exorbitant spending. Financial warning signs may include gambling beyond means, continuing to wager to recoup losses, accumulating debts, and hiding financial information. Behavioral and emotional changes often include an obsession with gambling, misrepresenting gambling habits, prioritizing gambling over personal relationships, or emotional instability related to gambling outcomes. Additionally, straining or rupturing relationships, seeking financial aid from family or friends due to gambling losses, and impulsiveness or a belief in a miraculous big win as a solution to life's problems can serve as psychological traits of a gambling addiction. Recognizing these signs early allows loved ones to offer support and encourage the individual to seek professional help from therapies and treatments in the realm of health-and-wellness and mental-health, with the guidance of science.
