Monday, March 15, 2010

Gambling A Hidden Illness

By Julie Thomas

Gambling ,or gaming is betting money on any game or event. It takes a variety of forms, from nickel-and-dime poker to state-sponsored lotteries. Different forms of gambling are legal in different parts of the United States and many other parts of the world like Macau.

Occasionally, the outcome of the wager is evident within a short period.It has its own charm and its own dangers. It is the wagering of money or something of material value on an event with an uncertain outcome with the primary intent of winning additional money and/or material goods.

With all the glamor and glitz associated it has assumed mammoth proportions today as an entertainment industry. In other words, you have to accept the fact that you cannot force a winning outcome and you cannot win every time. t is also referred to as a sport sometimes. Just look at the way the whole of Las Vegas is run. Gambling can be a form of entertainment if handled with the right attitude. A good approach is to aim to win but to also be prepared to lose - and lose only the amount you planned to risk on that day.

But sadly, gambling also has its ugly face. Reinforcement schedules may also make gamblers persist in gambling even after repeated losses. Studies show that though many people participate in gambling as a form of recreation or even as a means to gain an income, gambling, like any behavior which involves variation in brain chemistry, can become a psychologically addictive and harmful behavior in some people.

Most states in the USA including Connecticut have created agreements with Indian reservations for self gain. Actually speaking, over the past five years addictions to gambling have grown at an accelerated rate. Not only adults, but teenagers are gambling without realizing the consequences. The states are now realizing the negative impact the Indian casino reservations are having on their taxpayers . Besides the local Casino, people can now even gamble online. Gambling is a silent addiction. Most people can go years without anyone ever discovering that they gambled.

Growing up in such a situation leads to improper emotional development and increased risk of falling prey to problem gambling behavior. As debts build up people turn to other sources of money such as theft, or the sale of drugs. A lot of this pressure comes from bookies or loan sharks that people rely on for capital to gamble with. Also, a teenager that does not receive treatment for pathological gambling when in their desperation phase is likely to contemplate suicide.

Research shows that 20% of teenagers that are pathological gamblers do consider suicide. As with all the other addictions such as with food, alcohol and others, serious results for the gambler and his or her surroundings encompass the addiction. Gambling addiction doesn't end with the recurrence of constantly having to play. Abuse is also common in homes where pathological gambling is present.

The addiction could also lead to disturbances in the money and emotional fields. In addition feelings of angst, disturbances in relationships and employment negligence could ensue. And worse of all it could lead to losing friends, jobs, estranging family and in some cases suicide. To begin treatment for the gambling addiction, the gambler must first confess that he indeed is addicted. In order to bring the gambler to an awareness of the problem and a readiness to admit addiction

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