"Healthy Help
For Unhealthy
Gambling Habits"

Home Gambling Addiction Gambling Debt Gambling Debt Recovery Gambling Resources Gambling FAQ

Questions & Answers

What are the signs that a person may have a gambling problem?
* Gambling for longer and longer periods of time
* Constantly thinking about and preparing for gambling
* "Chasing losses"—gambling more often and playing higher stakes to "win back" lost money
* Neglecting family/personal needs—e.g., nutrition, sleep, schooling or general well-being
* Growing debt from gambling
* Often being absent from home and work
* Gambling to escape daily pressures and obligations
* Becoming involved in illegal activities to finance gambling
* Lying about where you were and what you were doing

Are gamblers addicted to money?
Pathological gamblers are addicted to action, not money. Many pathological gamblers will gamble to lose in the desperation phase of their addiction, because it is the action they seek, not the money. For a gambler, being in action is similar to being high on cocaine for the person addicted to cocaine. Both describe their "drug of choice" as seductive and ultimately destructive.

Is there one type of gambling that is more addictive than others?
Video poker and slot machines have been referred to as the "crack cocaine of gambling." Because of their immediate and effective reinforcement schedules, problem gamblers who regularly play these machines appear to progress into pathological gambling much faster than problem gamblers who only gamble at horse races, or other games that do not have such an immediate rate of gratification.

Just as crack cocaine ­ referred to as the "great precipitator" ­ shortened the length of time between first use of cocaine and chronic addiction, so too have video poker and slot machines apparently reduced the length of time between first wager and pathological gambling. In the past, a gambler would experience 15 to 25 years of "sick" gambling at the horse track before he or she reached the desperation phase. Today, it is not uncommon for a gambler addicted to slot or video-poker machines to progress into the desperation phase in two or three years.

Is there a biological basis for pathological gambling?
Biological findings from a recent study indicate that pathological gambling is an addiction similar to chemical addiction.

A study conducted by Alec Roy, M.D., a psychiatrist formerly at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, showed that some pathological gamblers have lower levels of norepinephrine than normal gamblers. This brain chemical is secreted under stress, arousal, thrill and excitement, so pathological gamblers may engage in activities such as gambling to increase their levels of norepinephrine.

This evidence supports the assertion made by Dr. Henry Lesieur, among others, that some pathological gamblers are "action seekers" who gamble, not for money, but for the excitement associated with being in action.

Do I Need Help?
Helpful Questions for Self-evaluation or gamblers, the “Gamblers Anonymous 20 Questions” is a helpful tool for self-evaluation. It lists 20 of the common behaviors and consequences of gambling too much. By answering these questions honestly you will learn more about how gambling has affected your life.

1. Have you ever lost time from work because of gambling?
2. Has gambling ever made your home life unhappy?
3. Has gambling affected your reputation?
4. Have you ever felt remorse after gambling?
5. Have you ever gambled to pay debts or otherwise solve financial difficulties?
6. Has gambling caused a decrease in your ambition or efficiency?
7. After losing, have you felt you must return as soon as possible and win back your losses?
8. After a win, have you had a strong urge to return and win more?
9. Have you often gambled until your last dollar is gone?
10. Have you ever borrowed to finance your gambling?
11. Have you ever sold anything to finance gambling?
12. Have you been reluctant to use “gambling money” for normal expenditures?
13. Has gambling made you careless of the welfare of you or your family?
14. Have you ever gambled longer than you planned?
15. Have you ever gambled to escape worry or trouble?
16. Have you ever committed, or considered committing, an illegal act to finance gambling?
17. Has gambling caused you to have difficulty sleeping?
18. Have arguments, disappointments, or frustrations created an urge to gamble?
19. Have you ever had an urge to celebrate any good fortune with a few hours of gambling?
20. Have you ever considered self-destruction because of your gambling?
According to Gamblers Anonymous most compulsive (pathological) gamblers will answer yes to at least seven of these questions. If your answers concern you, go to [Finding Help] to learn more about treatment and self-help options.