Addiction to sports betting – how to win with addiction?

In the era of widely available online gambling, addiction to sports betting is a serious threat. How does this addiction develop and what are its symptoms? What tests should we perform when we suspect such an addiction? Do medicine and psychology offer effective treatments for compulsive gamers?

Poles and addiction to gambling

The last major study on gambling addiction was conducted in 2019 by CBOS. It showed that 37,1% of the Polish population takes part in gambling. According to the results the estimated number of Poles who play pathologically is just over 27. people. This data does not sound alarming, but it may be far from the truth – if only because addicted gamers routinely use the denial mechanism.

Regarding risk groups addiction to gambling, addiction is more often played by men than women, very young people (up to 24 years of age), people with primary or lower secondary education and assessing their financial status as bad. In turn, in the forefront of games perceived by Poles as those with the greatest addictive potential are, among others betting.

We would like to remind you that gambling games, including bookmakers, are allowed in Poland only for people over 18 years of age. This is due to, inter alia, from the fact that minors are particularly susceptible to addiction.

What is sports betting addiction?

What exactly is addiction to sports betting? Medicine classifies any gambling addiction, including betting addiction, as a form of habit and drive disorder. Is it type of behavioral addiction – in this case, the addict is dependent on participation in gambling. The pathological player feels compulsion to play, so he cannot refrain from repeating gambling activities and he does not control the way the game is played (e.g. how much time or money is spent betting on sportsbooks).

For the compulsive gambler, participation in gambling becomes a priority and all his actions are subordinated to him. Therefore, the disease at an advanced stage is very strong translating into various spheres of the player’s life: it has a destructive effect on work, study or hobbies, weakens or destroys the relationship with a partner, family and friends, and ruins the addicted person’s physical and mental health and their financial condition.

Addiction to sports betting – symptoms of the disease

Unfortunately, gambling disorders can be difficult to detect for a long time. Symptoms of addiction to sports betting can be basically imperceptible because the compulsive gambler usually hides his problem very well – both in front of people around you and yourself. Nevertheless, sooner or later, the disease becomes more and more evident, and its symptoms begin to be noticeable in various dimensions of the compulsive gamer’s functioning.

The first batch of symptoms caused by gambling addiction is related to the way of the game itself. Typer begins to feel irresistible need to play (the so-called gambling hunger) and betting more and more often and for increasingly higher stakes, seeing bookmaker as a way to earn a living. It also falls in extreme emotional states – he fantasizes about gigantic wins, but often succumbs to negative emotions in reaction to failures in the game (e.g. anger, shame, self-contempt, guilt). They are characteristic repeated attempts to quit gamingwhich also make you feel unwell (incessant irritation, anxiety, etc.) and do not bring lasting results.

However, they do have gambling disorders as well consequences for the material and sometimes legal situation addict. The uncontrolled need to play is often the reason for losing a job and prompts the gambler to take out loans, sell possessions, steal or cheat. Significant symptoms of the disease concern addict’s psychewho becomes indifferent to everything that is not related to betting – he ceases to care about relationships with other people or issues such as his own health, appearance, nutrition, etc. so that they do not know the truth about his addiction to gambling or his financial situation.

Addiction to sports betting – stages of disease development

Psychology divides addiction to sports betting or other gambling games into several stages. It is watched first victory phase – a period filled with the joy of making good bets and wins, and reassuring yourself of your skills. Already at this stage, the player gradually increases the stakes and the playing time, and each win only stimulates his appetite.

Then the player enters loss phase. Losses occur earlier, of course, but as the gambler gambles more and more with time and risks more, losses accumulate over time. However, the player does not back down, believing that he will “play back” soon. The addiction to bookmakers starts to be felt strongly for his environment, but only in the desperation phase he himself begins to see the problem. Unfortunately, the addicted person cannot cope with the disease on his own, and its consequences are already becoming very serious in all areas of the player’s life. Relationship, family, work, health … – everything is subordinated to the game. The norm is panic attacks, depression, a sense of helplessness, remorse, etc.

Disorders of participating in gambling inevitably lead to phases of losing hope. This stage is dominated by the feeling that everything is lost, there is no chance of getting help or the possibility of “getting back”. There is a high probability that a compulsive player may attempt suicide at this stage, fall into other addictions or go to prison – unless he starts treatment.

What is gambling addiction treatment?

The first step in diagnosing a gambling addiction may be a simple test. Free psychological tests are available, for example, on the websites of behavioral addiction clinics. However, in order to get out of addiction, the help of specialists is necessary. In Poland, addiction to gambling is treated both in public and private clinics, hospitals and addiction treatment centers (here we can find their list). The treatment depends on the severity of the addiction. At the initial stage, the disease does not have to mean a referral to a closed center – a psychologist or a psychologist can help psychotherapy conducted in an outpatient formula. In the later stages of addiction it is usually necessary treatment in a closed clinic. Here, the doctor and medical staff take care of the patient around the clock – from specialist therapy to proper nutrition.

The goal of therapy is awareness addicted person what the disease is aboutwhat is its background, what are the symptoms, and then education internal motivation to change. Only the next step may be to acquire the skills needed to control your emotions and behaviors and recover fully. A psychologist or psychotherapist works with the patient on changing his mindset and learning to cope with stress and emotionswithout escaping gambling. The whole process is multi-stage and lengthy.

Your doctor may also prescribe medication, but this is only a supportive measure. They are used antidepressants, painkillers or mood stabilizers (mood stabilizing), whose task is to alleviate the symptoms of abstinence and help the patient survive the most difficult moments. Participation in self-help groupwhere people addicted to gambling meet and support each other.

Addiction to gambling in a loved one – what to do?

When you suspect that a loved one has become addicted to sports betting or other gambling activities, you need to seek specialist help. But it’s worth it first learn as much as possible about the diseasein order to be able to understand what is happening to the addicted person and what their behavior results from. It is also worth getting to know the psychological mechanisms that apply to co-addicted people, i.e. ourselves.

The biggest challenge is usually getting the gambler to take treatment. Relatives should try to patiently and persistently talk to the patient about the current situation and fears, and argue the need and possibility of change. Doctors emphasize that psychotherapy should be applied not only to the addicted person, but also to co-addicts – the closest family or friends. It is good to know that if the attempts to convince the compulsive gamer to start treatment are unsuccessful, relatives may start family therapy even without his participation.

Sponsored article