When you hear of the word ‘Gambling’ and its problems a few things come to mind, like financial troubles, rocky relationships, work, and other serious issues. But you might not be aware of the mental and psychological effects of gambling, which many people experience no matter how much or how often they bet. These effects usually start off small and often build-up, causing stress which later leads to depression in our lives. But it doesn’t have to because here you can understand the cause of the problem and its effects.
Gambling has a lot to do with emotions, the unsureness of taking risks, the wait, the thrill of winning, or unfortunately the soreness of heart that accompanies loss. According to statistics gamblers are more likely than others to suffer from low self-esteem, develop stress-related disorders, severe anxiety, and usually suffer from depression. We will dive into some of the reasons for this, and also offer advice on how to combat this. Although some people gamble to escape feelings of depression or other mental health problems, gambling can actually make these conditions worse.
If you’re an adept gambler, you might have found yourself enjoying the thrill of expecting a big win which can be very mentally involved and extremely euphoric, perhaps better than the feelings you experience taking part in any other activity. You may also have found the reality of loss to be a devastating blow, leading to feelings of despair. This is usually the situation when huge sums of cash are being risked, increasing the potential for a massive win, but also makes the feeling worse when you lose. The feeling that accompanies loss is what makes a gambler attempt to make back what he or she has lost, thereby sinking him or her deeper into the muddy pit he or she already is in and by continuing to gamble, any negative feelings will only get worse.
The impact of these highs and lows on your mental health can be significant. Let’s take a look at some of the effects:
- Stress
For someone who is a gambling addict, you find this individual mostly under stress as a result of the outcome or possible outcomes. These people probably have an active bet pending and the ongoing event may be going against them and with the investments made by these individuals their minds are hardly at rest until after the results are in, and being an addict, the circle is likely to continue and the body and mind are subjected to stress over and over again.
- Anger
Sometimes people who lose are unable to get their emotions under control and begin to exhibit certain traits accustomed to anger and they may not even be aware till someone else informs them. You can sometimes understand the frustration that comes with losing even if it’s a football match as fans are seen fighting and even harming themselves for situations totally not in their control.
- Depression
It is known that people handle losses in different ways, some persons may let the effects of the loss get them down and it begins to affect other aspects of their daily lives. Depression is something that most people don’t acknowledge and it can affect anyone from the youths to the elderly. Take for instance a gambler stakes almost everything on a horse race and loses the bet. Now the possibility of the wind is gone the reality comes to light and he/she may sink deep into depression.
- Suicide
Although not too common, this is usually an extreme case and it is really bad because we may not even know a person who is on the verge of committing suicide. The sad reality here is that it happens as people have killed themselves on the account of losing bets. Most times the victims start off with accumulated stress which then leads to low self-worth which eventually sinks deeper into depression before they commit suicide.
These are a few effects of gambling on the mind. But you must know it’s not all sorrow and tears when the word ‘Gambling’ is mentioned as there are a few people who have made quite serious earnings from gambling. These are the ones that are tagged ‘professionals’. These sets of avid gamblers take calculated risks and never let their impressions get the better of them. King Billy is one site that offers good options and these pros take advantage of that. But to get to this level it takes years and years of experience but unfortunately, most people never get to that stage instead they fall by the wayside. If for some reason you decide you want to have a go at gambling or you have already been on it, I suggest you check out Unikrn, a site with nothing but its customers in mind, a wide variety of options, and lots of opportunities to make money.
Once it becomes a problem quitting gambling is no easy task, but it can be done with the help of a solid support group and treatment program. It can be difficult to get started on the path to recovery without the assistance of professionals who have helped people through the process before. Friends and family are also vital to a full recovery but remember it begins and ends with you. Gamble responsibly.