Gambling disorder and substance abuse often go hand-in-hand, and many individuals with compulsive gambling behaviors often develop an addiction to either drugs or alcohol as a result of their compulsive gambling behavior.
Gambling disorder is associated with various substance use disorders, including alcoholism, marijuanaism and tobaccoism. Behavioral therapy has proven the most successful form of treatment; although medications may also be employed.
Risk Factors
Gambling problems can have serious repercussions for an individual’s finances, relationships and mental health. Like drug addiction, pathological gambling causes people to make impulsive decisions that can have tragic outcomes; those more susceptible to impulse control disorders are at a greater risk of developing gambling problems than others. Research also points towards the fact that there exists a correlation between gambling and substance abuse: those diagnosed with pathological gambling tend to also struggle with alcohol, tobacco or marijuana use disorders simultaneously.
Gambling and substance abuse often co-occur, creating negative consequences for those close to those afflicted. Friends and family may need to help cover the cost of gambling addiction which may require overdrawn bank accounts, liens against real estate properties and legal fees from paying. Prevention strategies include setting personal financial boundaries; not using credit cards for gambling activities and staying away from places or influences which encourage such behaviors.
Symptoms
Gambling addiction and substance abuse involve engaging in repeated harmful behaviors that cause financial strain and emotional stress, with lasting financial repercussions and emotional anguish as a result. Furthermore, people develop tolerance to either drug or behavior, needing ever higher doses to achieve similar effects – leading to cravings and withdrawal symptoms making recovery from either disorder challenging.
Gambling and substance abuse are inextricably linked, both affecting the reward center of the brain and increasing dopamine levels. People at high risk include those genetically susceptible, those suffering from mental illnesses like depression or anxiety and environmental stressors; individuals may also possessing impulsive personalities that could lead them to make risky decisions more readily.
Individuals suffering from gambling disorder need to understand what triggers and coping mechanisms work for them, in order to maintain recovery. If certain places or people make you more inclined towards gambling, make a plan to steer clear of them until you have developed tools to overcome them.
Treatment
As with other substance use disorders, treatment for gambling addiction focuses on helping an individual live a more satisfying life – this often includes improving relationships and finding effective methods for stress management. Furthermore, treatment often includes learning about any triggers that could trigger gambling relapse and finding strategies to avoid them; medication may sometimes be used as part of this approach to controlling gambling behavior but is usually not considered first when selecting treatment approaches.
Depression or bipolar disorder, among other co-occurring psychiatric conditions, may exacerbate gambling addiction symptoms. Alcohol or drug abuse may further compound this risk and interfere with efforts to quit gambling altogether, increasing financial loss, health issues or family discord as a result of gambling behavior (SOGUS1 Landline and Cellphone Surveys showed 23% had co-occurring substance use disorders as part of their pathological gambling treatment), leading to greater negative consequences as a result of gambling behavior than those without any co-occurring mental conditions.
Prevention
Effective prevention strategies may include recognizing triggers and staying away from gambling venues, as well as learning to recognize when an urge to gamble arises, then finding healthier ways to cope with those feelings, such as exercise, socializing with others or cancelling shared credit cards.
An effective support network can also help you manage and avoid relapse. One effective approach to doing this is attending recovery meetings with people facing similar struggles – this allows you to share stories and receive advice from a counselor.
Finally, it should be noted that although pathological gambling was traditionally classified as an impulse control disorder not elsewhere classified (DSM-IV), new research supports the view that it more closely aligns with addictive disorders; accordingly, DSM-V moved it into its Addictive Disorders section.