Pathful gambling, also known as gambling addiction or pathological gambling, is a psychological disorder that affects a significant number of people around the world. This disorder is characterized by the inability to resist the urge to gamble and gamble, which leads to negative consequences in the individual's life. Gambling addiction can manifest itself in different ways and affect different types of people. In this article, we will explore the 7 types of gambling addiction, their causes, symptoms and treatments.
Type of Gambling Disorder 1: Action Gambling Disease
Action gambling disorder is characterized by the compulsive need to participate in games of chance that offer quick gratification. People who suffer from this type of gambling disorder tend to seek intense emotions and adrenaline, which leads them to make risky bets and are often more interested in the sensation of gambling than in winning money. This type of gambling addiction can be especially dangerous, as it can lead to impulsive and risky behaviors.
Causes of Action Gambling Disorder
The causes of action gambling addiction may be related to biological, psychological and environmental factors. Some people may have a genetic predisposition to seek strong sensations and intense emotions, which makes them more likely to develop this type of gambling disorder. Additionally, traumatic experiences or stressful situations can trigger the need to seek escape in gambling.
Symptoms of Action Gambling Disorder
Symptoms of action gambling addiction may include the need to constant gambling, inability to control gambling impulses, irritability or anxiety when trying to stop gambling behavior, and continued seeking of intense emotions and stimulation. People who suffer from action gambling addiction may experience difficulties in their personal, financial and work relationships due to their gambling addiction.
Treatment of Action Gambling Disorder
Treatment of action gambling Action gambling usually involves a combination of cognitive behavioral therapy, group therapy, and family support. It is important to address both the emotional and behavioral aspects of gambling addiction to achieve successful recovery. Additionally, people who suffer from action gambling addiction can benefit from participating in support groups such as Gamblers Anonymous, where they can share their experiences and receive support from people who are going through similar situations.
Type of Gambling Disorder 2: Escape Gambling
Escape gambling is characterized by the use of gambling as a way to avoid emotional problems or stressful situations. People who suffer from this type of gambling disorder often turn to gambling as a form of distraction or disconnection from reality. Gambling allows them to momentarily escape their problems, but in the long term it only aggravates their situation and can cause significant damage to their lives.
Causes of Escape Gambling
The causes of Escape gambling may be related to the presence of unresolved emotional trauma, chronic stress, depression or other psychological disorders. Gaming can provide a temporary feeling of relief or pleasure, leading people to use it as a coping mechanism in difficult situations. However, this behavior only serves to mask the underlying problems and worsen the situation in the long term.
Symptoms of Escape Gambling
Symptoms of escape gambling include craving compulsive gambling to avoid emotional problems, the inability to face life's difficulties in a healthy way, denial of the negative effects of gambling on personal life and a progressive loss of control over gambling behavior. People who suffer from escape gambling may experience feelings of guilt, shame, and social isolation as their addiction intensifies.
Treatment of Escape Gambling
Treatment of escape gambling Escape gambling focuses on addressing the underlying causes of gambling addiction and developing healthier coping strategies. Individual and group therapy can be beneficial in helping people understand the reasons behind their need to escape through play and learn new ways to cope with stress and difficult emotions. Additionally, cognitive-behavioral therapy can help identify and challenge the distorted thoughts that fuel gambling addiction.
Type of Gambling Disorder 3: Social Gambling Disease
Social gambling addiction is characterized by excessive participation in gambling as a form of social connection or group membership. People who suffer from this type of gambling disorder may engage in gambling activities to fit into a specific social circle or to feel accepted by their peers. Although gambling can initially strengthen social bonds, in the long run it can deteriorate relationships and cause conflicts in the group.
Causes of Social Gambling Disorder
The causes of social gambling addiction can be related to the need for acceptance and belonging to a group, as well as pressure from friends or family to participate in gaming activities. Some people may turn to gambling as a way to fit in or impress others, which can trigger a spiral of problematic gambling. Additionally, recurrent exposure to gambling in social settings can normalize gambling behavior and facilitate the development of addiction.
Symptoms of Social Gambling Disorder
Symptoms of social gambling disorder can include excessive participation in gambling activities to maintain social relationships, the need to demonstrate skill or skill in gambling in front of others, emotional dependence on the approval of others in relation to gambling, and loss of interest in other activities. recreational activities that are not related to the game. People who suffer from social gambling addiction may experience conflicts in their personal relationships and feel alienated from those who do not share their interest in gambling.
Treatment of Social Gambling Disorder
Treatment of social gambling addiction Social gambling involves working on strengthening the person's social skills and self-esteem, as well as developing alternative interests and recreational activities. Group therapy can be beneficial in addressing acceptance and belonging issues underlying social gaming addiction and fostering connection with people who share healthier interests. In addition, it is important to establish clear limits in social relationships to avoid external pressure to participate in gambling activities.
Type of Gambling Disorder 4: Reward Gambling
Reward gambling is characterized by the constant search for instant gratification and emotional rewards through play. People who suffer from this type of gambling disorder are usually motivated by the excitement of making quick and easy money, which leads them to make compulsive and risky bets. The feeling of euphoria experienced when winning at the game reinforces the addictive behavior and hinders the ability to stop.
Causes of Reward Gambling Disorder
The causes of reward gambling addiction can be related to the predisposition to seek instant gratification, low tolerance for frustration, the search for excitement and novelty, and the influence of advertising and the media that promote gambling as a way to get rich quick. People who suffer from this type of gambling addiction may have difficulty delaying gratification and valuing long-term rewards over immediate gains.
Symptoms of Reward Gambling
Symptoms of Reward gambling disorders include the constant need to win money through gambling, the inability to stop despite significant financial losses, the mistaken belief that lost money can be recovered with more gambling, and the feeling of euphoria and excitement. when betting. People who suffer from reward gambling may experience financial problems, debt, and conflicts in their relationships due to their gambling addiction.
Treatment of Reward Gambling
Treatment of Reward gambling focuses on changing distorted beliefs about gambling, developing alternative coping skills, and setting realistic long-term goals. Cognitive behavioral therapy can help identify and challenge the irrational thoughts that underpin gambling addiction, as well as develop strategies to manage anxiety and impulsivity. Additionally, it is important to address the financial problems associated with reward gambling and establish a plan to manage finances responsibly.
Type of Gambling Problem 5: Competitive Gambling
Competitive gambling is characterized by the compulsive need to outperform other players and demonstrate skill or skill in games of chance. People who suffer from this type of gambling disorder focus on competition and comparison with others to reaffirm their self-esteem and feel validated. Gambling becomes a way to validate their worth, which leads them to invest a significant amount of time and resources in competitive gambling activities.
Causes of Competitive Gambling Disorder
The causes of competitive gambling may be related to the need for recognition, fragile self-esteem, lack of alternative social or sporting skills to gain validation, and external pressure to demonstrate success and superiority in gambling. People who suffer from this type of gambling disorder may experience difficulty accepting defeat and may resort to aggressive or competitive behaviors to maintain their image of success in the eyes of others.
Symptoms of Competitive Gambling Disease
Symptoms of competitive gambling include a compulsion to excel in competitive gambling activities, the constant need to compare oneself with other players, irritability or aggressiveness when faced with the possibility of losing, and linking personal self-esteem to achievements. in the game. People who suffer from competitive gambling may experience tension in their personal and work relationships due to their obsession with winning and their inability to accept defeat.
Treatment of Competitive Gambling
Treatment of competitive gambling involves working on self-acceptance and recognition of personal worth beyond achievements in gambling. Acceptance and commitment therapy can be beneficial in helping people develop a healthy self-image and learn to deal with the external pressure to constantly demonstrate success. Additionally, cognitive-behavioral therapy can help identify and change the perfectionistic thought patterns and need for external validation that underpin competitive gambling addiction.
Type of Gambling Disorder 6: Comfort Gambling
Comfort gambling is characterized by the use of gambling as a way to relieve stress, boredom or loneliness. People who suffer from this type of gambling addiction turn to gambling as a source of comfort and distraction from the difficulties of everyday life. Although it may initially provide temporary relief, in the long term gambling only aggravates underlying problems and contributes to a cycle of dependency and emotional distress.
Causes of Comfort Gambling
The Causes of comfort gambling may be related to a lack of healthy coping skills, low tolerance for frustration, the need for emotional escape, and the search for instant gratification. People who suffer from this type of gambling addiction may turn to gambling as a quick and easy way to relieve emotional discomfort or cope with stressful situations, without addressing the underlying causes of their problems.
Symptoms of Comfort Gambling
Symptoms of comfort gambling include constant participation in gambling activities to relieve stress or loneliness, the use of gambling as the main source of emotional comfort, avoidance of facing life's problems directly, and the emotional dependence on the game to regulate mood. People who suffer from comfort gambling may experience a worsening of their emotional problems and a deterioration in their overall well-being due to their reliance on gambling as a coping mechanism.
Treatment of Comfort Gambling
Treating comfort gambling involves learning new coping strategies and skills to deal with stress and loneliness in a healthier way. Cognitive behavioral therapy can be helpful in identifying and changing automatic thoughts that perpetuate reliance on gambling for emotional comfort, as well as developing alternative coping skills. Additionally, it is important to address underlying emotional problems through individual or group therapy to provide emotional support and facilitate the resolution of internal conflicts.
Type of Gambling Disorder 7: Combined Gambling Disorder
Combined gambling refers to the presence of multiple types of gambling in the same individual, which complicates the diagnosis and treatment of gambling addiction. People who suffer from combined gambling may present a combination of symptoms and characteristics of different types of gambling, making it difficult to identify the underlying causes and design an effective, personalized treatment plan.
Causes of Combined Gambling
The causes of combined gambling addiction may be related to the presence of multiple risk factors, such as genetic predisposition, emotional trauma, self-esteem problems, chronic stress, and lack of healthy coping skills. The combination of different types of gambling addiction may be due to the interaction of these factors and the presence of multiple triggers that fuel gambling addiction at different levels.
Symptoms of Combined Gambling Disease
The symptoms of combined gambling addiction can be diverse and cover a wide range of manifestations, including participation in multiple types of gambling, the compulsive need to gamble in different contexts and situations, the presence of various emotional and behavioral problems, and the difficulty setting limits on gaming behavior. People suffering from combined gambling may experience additional complications in their recovery due to the presence of multiple sources of addiction and therapeutic challenges.