Gambling is the betting or staking of something of value on an uncertain event with awareness of risk and in the hope of gain. It varies from lottery tickets and casual betting on a sporting event to sophisticated casino gambling. Some forms of gambling have social benefits, including bringing people together and providing a form of entertainment. However, others can lead to serious problems and are a cause of social distress.
The psychological factors that can contribute to gambling addiction include the desire for control, a lack of understanding of random events, the use of escape coping, boredom susceptibility and impulsivity. They can also lead to poor decision making and cognitive distortions. In some cases, these can be exacerbated by life experiences such as depression and stress.
Some people find it difficult to stop gambling, despite having a budget and telling themselves they’ll only bet a certain amount. This is because of partial reinforcement – where the actions you take don’t always produce positive outcomes, but also cause negative results. This makes you keep doing them in the hopes that eventually they will, but it doesn’t happen. Eventually, you’ll lose so much money that you can’t afford to continue.
Another problem is that the brain becomes accustomed to an activity, which means it no longer stimulates you in the same way as before. This is why games on your phone, for example, start to become less fun after a while. It’s similar to how you build a tolerance for drugs.
Many people can walk away from a game of blackjack or a slot machine after a few rounds, but for some this isn’t possible. Those who continue to gamble can develop an addictive behaviour, and this is often a sign that they have a mental health issue.
The term ‘gambling addiction’ is controversial, and it is important to recognise that there are a number of different reasons why someone might develop this type of behaviour. It could be that they have a genetic predisposition to it, or because they have a particular personality. They may be attracted to the social aspects of gambling, such as being with friends, or they might be using it for coping reasons such as forgetting their worries.
Some people can’t overcome their addiction and end up in a downward spiral of spending more money than they have. Others, however, can learn to deal with it through therapy. For instance, they might be taught to confront their irrational beliefs, such as the idea that a string of losses indicates an impending win. This is known as false confirmation bias and can be helped by cognitive-behaviour therapy, which trains people to resist unwanted thoughts or habits.