TREATMENT FOR GAMBLING ADDICTION

WHAT IS GAMBLING?

Gambling is basically an agreement between two or more persons that requires staking or betting with the use of money, or any other valuable substance with the primary aim and intent of winning money or material valuables. It usually consists of three basic elements, which are consideration, chance and prize. It could be referred to as gaming in the case whereby it is permitted by the law, but cannot be contractual because it deals with uncertainty.

HOW ADDICTION TO GAMBLING OCCURS

It is an activity that could be carried out with the aim of just deriving pleasure or for fun purpose. However, it is quite unfortunate that gamblers usually get too carried away with the benefits that are being derived from the game, and soon become compulsive, obsessed and addicted to staking their money and other valuables, to get in return, higher quantity of money or more material goods, which are not guaranteed. It can be in form of a dice game, coin toss, card games and other games that deals with uncertainty and vagueness.

TRIGGERS OF GAMBLING ADDICTION

The causes of gambling addiction are not far-fetched, they will always be traced back to psychological changes and character reconfiguration. Addiction itself is a brain disorder that is being characterized by an obsessive and compulsive attachment to an activity regardless of the consequences, whether good or bad.

Addiction comes into play when there is an involuntary attraction with a will, irrespective of the end result of such act. Most times gambling addiction is caused by desperate financial need and peer group influence. It is a psychological obsessive disorder that is propelled by repeated contacts and exposure to them.

THERAPEUTIC MEASURES FOR THE TREATMENT OF GAMBLING ADDICTION

The treatment for such compulsive and obsessive disorder is not a one-time remedy, it requires a conscious and gradual withdrawal from it. It is also not a one-size-fit-all proposition, there are different approaches to curing gambling addictions, depending on the cause of the addiction. So the first thing that is needed to be known for sure, is for the person that is being addicted to realize that he or she has an addiction, and after that the cause of such addiction should be diagnosed to know the treatment that is needed.

Peer-group influenced addiction can be corrected with the family therapy. In such situations, gamblers really need the help of their family members to help and guide them on how to abstain from such friends that serves as proponents of the addiction. Therapists are also available for counselling and recommendations on such addictions.

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