Gambling is the betting or staking of something of value, such as money, on an event that has a random outcome. It is often associated with a game of chance, but it can also include events such as horse and greyhound races or football accumulators where knowledge and skill may affect the outcome.
Whether you’re playing a card game, buying a lottery ticket or placing a bet on the outcome of a football match, when you gamble your brain produces dopamine, a neurotransmitter that makes you feel excited. It’s a natural response that helps you learn from positive experiences, like shooting baskets into the net, but it can cause problems if you gamble to escape boredom or stress.
Problem gambling can damage your physical and mental health, harm your relationships, performance at work or study, leave you in debt and even lead to homelessness. But you can get help. There are many organisations that provide support, assistance and counselling for people who suffer from harmful gambling. Some offer free or low cost services such as family and individual counselling, financial management training, self-help books and helplines. Others are more intensive and focus on treating gambling as a serious addiction.
It can be hard to recognise a problem when it begins. People often try to hide their behaviour, lie about their spending and spend more time on gambling. They can also become angry or aggressive, and spend less time with friends or relatives. They can even begin to think about suicide. Studies show that people with gambling disorders have the highest rate of suicide among all addictive disorders.
Getting help is the only way to change your gambling habits. If you’re struggling with a problem, speak to your GP or contact a local gambling helpline or rehab centre for advice. Some services offer face to face counselling and some are open 24/7. Others are based in community centres and offer telephone or internet counselling. You can also find support in peer groups such as Gamblers Anonymous, which follows a 12-step model similar to Alcoholics Anonymous.
Changing your gambling habit isn’t easy, but it’s important to understand why you gamble and how the activity can hurt you. It’s also worth remembering that gambling is a form of entertainment, so you can find other ways to have fun without risking your money. This could involve spending more time with friends who don’t gamble, trying new hobbies or practicing relaxation techniques. You can also strengthen your social network by reaching out to family members and friends who don’t gamble. In addition, you can make better use of your leisure time by exercising, volunteering for a charity or joining an interest group. You can also take steps to reduce your debts by setting up budgeting systems, letting someone else manage your finances and reviewing your bank and credit card statements. It’s also a good idea to make sure you have enough cash on hand, so you can’t use your credit cards to fund gambling.