Although it is known as a form of entertainment, gambling quickly turns into an addiction that destroys lives like any other addiction.
You are a witness to this because you feel you have ruined your life with uncontrolled gambling.
Do you remember why you started gambling in the first place?
The reasons why people gamble are the adrenaline rush when they win, greed, boredom, loneliness, socialization, and as an escape from problems.
All these are already problems in themselves, and betting is undoubtedly not a smart choice to solve them.
We don’t know what gambling stage you are in now, but we will assume it is more serious as soon as you feel it has ruined your life.
In this article, we will get to know your addiction better and what problems it has caused you.
We will also offer you some solutions to finally escape from gambling hell.
Why Did You Start Gambling? 5 Potential Reasons
To better explain why betting ruined your life, we must analyze why you started gambling.
Everyone is driven by different reasons, but we can single out some universal reasons related to betting, which are:
1. You Started Gambling to Solve Financial Problems
You’ve heard stories about how people become rich overnight by gambling.
Or have you watched tutorials on Youtube on how to crack the system?
You know those videos like “How to always win” or “How to cheat the bookmaker.”
All of that got you thinking about why you shouldn’t do that too.
You had some financial problems, debts, and loans, or you have not been doing well financially.
Gambling seemed like a perfect solution for solving problems, but also for additional income.
Maybe you didn’t even have financial problems, but your greed made you want more and more money.
In the end, you realize you’ve wasted all your money betting, so what do you do now?
2. You Started Gambling as a Form of Entertainment
Gambling is part of the entertainment industry.
Gambling is even presented as an enjoyable and cool activity in pop culture.
Many people do not see the dangers and think it will happen to someone else and they will have control over gambling, but unfortunately, it does not happen that way.
However, as is usually the case with addictions, they escalate quickly.
One glass of wine after dinner seems harmless, but it can quickly turn into a bottle a day.
So you also started with small stakes just for fun and thought you had everything under control, but here you are, putting your entire salary as if there is no tomorrow.
You don’t even have to leave the house to bet anymore. You can do everything on your phone from your home.
The game is starting, and you’re probably thinking, “When I’m already watching the game, why not bet, just to spice things up and make watching more interesting.”
3. You Started Gambling Because of The Social Aspect
If you are lonely and depressed when you are alone, going to the casino breaks that loneliness.
You may be just an extrovert who likes to socialize, so a casino that’s always packed seemed like a great idea.
Every casino is shiny, fancy, and full of bright colors with lots of fun activities.
Actually, the casino is like a game room for adults.
In addition, there are many people with whom you can socialize.
4. You Started Gambling Out of Boredom
Even people who live perfect lives can fall into the trap of boredom.
And we know that boredom is the devil’s playground, and it can lead us to various bad decisions.
Such decisions are addictions, and gambling is one of them.
We already mentioned that it’s always fun in the casino, but the most fun is when you win.
When you gamble, your brain releases dopamine, the feel-good neurotransmitter that makes you feel excited.
You’d expect to only feel excited when you win, but your body produces this neurological response even when you lose.
That sense of risk is what drives you.
Escaping from boring reality into a new fantasy where everything is possible.
Maybe you will be a hero at the end of the day, or perhaps a loser, only the goddess of fortune knows.
5. You Started Gambling Because of Emotional Problems
Various life problems can force a person to find relief in gambling.
We have already mentioned financial problems because they are usually the first thing that comes to mind regarding gambling.
But it can also be various other life problems such as divorce, loss of job, dissatisfaction with life, etc.
That’s why you decided to go to another reality, a casino, where no one will judge you, and you will be able to forget why you are unhappy, at least for a moment.
What Are The Potential Risks of Gambling?
Gambling, like any addiction, carries many risks.
We won’t go into too much detail about the horrors betting can lead to, but if you want and feel it’s necessary, you can read horrific gambling stories on Reddit.
These are the potential consequences that gambling can have on your life:
- Financial troubles – which can lead to complete bankruptcy. There are also potential debts, borrowing money from other people to get out of the situation and similar.
- Relationship problems – no one wants to be with a pathological gambler. It is even possible that your significant other will give up on you because your addiction is beyond repair.
- Family issues – a gambler often involves his family in his hardships. He can also completely neglect his family due to his obsession with betting.
- Job loss – poor performance at work caused by gambling obsession can easily get you fired.
- Poor general health – sleepless nights and substance abuse are usually associated with betting. All that stress will certainly not have a good effect on your physical and mental health.
How Do You Finally Stop Gambling? 5 Potential Solutions
Assuming that you consider gambling a big mistake that you think has ruined your life, it is clear that you want to change that too.
Here’s what you should do:
1. Understand Where Your Addiction Comes From
All addictions have their source, and it’s up to you to find and work to change them.
If you are unsure, the reasons we mentioned above can help you.
If, for example, boredom makes you take risks, find other ways to make you feel that adrenaline rush.
Extreme sports like snowboarding or mountain biking are much better adrenalin boosters than waiting for some team to score or for three same signs to appear on a slot machine.
2. Comprehend The Consequences of Your Actions
We have listed above the risks of gambling addiction. Do you recognize your current state in one or more of them?
Just think how much hard-earned money you threw away while hoping to hit the jackpot.
How many close people have you hurt because you lied to them and hid your gambling urges.
They probably don’t believe you anymore, even when you tell the truth.
Your physical and mental health may be totally neglected because of this obsession.
If you don’t believe us, write down everything you’ve won from gambling, but more importantly, what you’ve lost.
Be honest about it, and we are sure that there are more losses than gains, and we don’t mean money, but your whole life.
3. Find Healthy Alternatives to Gambling
I know you think that nothing can produce that sweet dopamine more than when you win a bet with a goal at the last minute, but you are wrong.
After all, gambling makes you feel like the king of the world one moment, and the next, you feel like the worst loser ever.
Gambling is a roller coaster; somehow, it always makes you win just enough to keep you addicted, even though your losses are much bigger.
Isn’t it better to devote to some healthier decisions, and above all, safer ones?
How many times have you spent all your money and felt depressed?
There’s no such thing as fast money unless you’re fortunate, but we’ll tell you one truth right now: You’ll be happiest with the money you earn, not the money you get.
Also, many healthy hobbies can give you immense pleasure instead of gambling, and be sure that you won’t have a guilty conscience after them, as is the case with gambling.
4. Change The Way You Think
We understand that gambling can seem like a fun activity.
It does not mean that everyone who gambles will one day become addicted, but the huge number of gambling addicts shows that it is a realistic possibility.
What is a sign that gambling can become dangerous for you:
- You think about gambling as an excellent way to make money;
- you lie to everyone about how much you gamble;
- going to the casino is your only social activity;
- You obsessively think about when you will bet next.
Now think about whether you want to be that kind of person?
Worshiper of material things and another victim of cruel capitalism and the entertainment industry.
Instead of opening your mind to new experiences and knowledge, you close yourself in the colorful casino and spend your hard-earned money.
Hey, did you notice how they don’t have windows or clocks in the casino?
That’s because they want you to lose track of time and space entirely and stay and spend money as long as possible.
You try to shift your brain from material to spiritual instead.
If you already want to do something with the money, invest it in knowledge or in some gift for important people.
After all, you can always donate it for humanitarian purposes.
It will surely be a better feeling than throwing away money chasing the jackpot.
5. Don’t Be Too Hard On Yourself
The very thought that you consider that you have ruined your own life is already rough on you.
Everyone has the right to make mistakes, including you.
No matter how bad the mistake is, you can correct it if you really put your mind and soul into it.
Instead of being hard on yourself, be thankful that you realized your addiction before it took even more of you.
If you need help in this way, reach out to family members who will understand you, support groups, or a specialist.
To Conclude – Gambling is a Sure Way of Getting Nothing For Something
“Show me a gambler, and I’ll show you a loser”
— Mario Puzo
The first step in overcoming any addiction is realization, and you did that by reading this article.
Apply as many solutions as possible to attack the problem from multiple sides.
As much as it seems to you now that your life is ruined, know that you can change that.
It is possible to look back on gambling as one big life lesson if you are persistent in your intention.
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