Addiction is the continued participation in a behavior despite the dangerous and negative consequences. When most hear the world addiction, they think of a crippling drug addiction or a serious alcohol problem. However, many Americans currently struggle with an addiction that is just as real and just as dangerous as any substance. Gambling addiction is very real, easy to access, and can quickly consume your life.
Drugs and Gambling: Two of a Kind
Many of us know how serious gambling addiction can be. In fact, studies show that about 1{b340406b661c1e5732b86e4172a84f651d0df9d8967334cfa4a3aae0d4c8bfbd} of American adults struggle with a gambling addiction. However, gambling addiction wasn’t always taken seriously. In fact, it wasn’t until 1980 that the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders actually recognized gambling addiction as something more than just a compulsive behavior. In the same way that drugs stimulate the reward center of the brain, gambling releases the same exact chemicals into the brain like dopamine and serotonin. Naturally, this can manifest in the form of a serious and life-controlling addiction.
Forming a Tolerance
Just like those with a drug addiction, those addicted to gambling can form a tolerance to the highs of winning. One study found that those who were problem gamblers had less electrical activity in the brain when they won compared to those who didn’t engage in gambling on a regular basis. Another study found that the area of the brain responsible for assessing risk had a great deal less activity than those who didn’t have a gambling addiction.
A Hidden Danger
Gambling addiction is dangerous for more than just how it affects the brain. While buying and using drugs is difficult, illegal, and incredibly detrimental to your health, gambling is often legal, easy to do, and doesn’t impact your health in a way that’s clearly visible. Because gambling is so easily accessible and so easy to become addicted to, it should be considered extremely dangerous. Now with online gambling, becoming addicted is all the more easy.
80{b340406b661c1e5732b86e4172a84f651d0df9d8967334cfa4a3aae0d4c8bfbd} of gambling addicts don’t ever seek help, and of those who do, 75{b340406b661c1e5732b86e4172a84f651d0df9d8967334cfa4a3aae0d4c8bfbd} end up returning to gambling. An addiction like this can bankrupt a family and ruin lives. If you or someone you know is struggling with a gambling addiction, it’s never too late to seek help.
Sources and further reading:
“Prevalence of Gambling Disorders.” NCRG. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Oct. 2016. https://www.ncrg.org/sites/default/files/oec/pdfs/ncrg_fact_sheet_gambling_disorders.pdf
Jabr, Ferris. “How the Brain Gets Addicted to Gambling.” Scientific American. Scientific American, 04 Oct. 2013. Web. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-the-brain-gets-addicted-to-gambling/
