am I a compulsive gambler?

[BlackRaven]

ok. I have sold things, borrowed money and stuck my tea money in a fruit machine but that was ages ago. I am not that bad now. I have epilespy and I know I shouldn't be gambling but I can't help myself. It's not like I do it everyday. Same with all gambling. I can go without it. But I can't walk pass an amusement arcade. When I win I get an urge to put it back and win more but I have always resisted. My friends tell me I am addicted. I even know the arcade owners. I don't see how I can be addicted.

[ghost69]

i don't understand. do you play or are you resisting? if so, how is it you are resisting playing to win more? kind of confusing.

[BlackRaven]

When I don't even gamble everyday. The most I have stuck in the fruit machine is £35 and £60 on scratch cards. But it was a moment of madness. I haven't done anything like that for ages. Am I still a compulsive gambler? Am I addicted? Thanks for the help.

[BlackRaven]

I don't understand myself. I meant to say I always put my winnings back in and it is hard to resist.

[ghost69]

i think it is compulsive when you try to sell items you own to get money to play. or you steal. your bills don't get paid, etc. then i think you have a problem. if you have an extra $20 this week and go spend it gambling i don't think that is a big deal. and if you win $100 off that $20 but you put it back in the machine and lose. technically you only lost $20. but you know that is it for the week. nahhh, that'd be okay. is this your scenario?

[Snoopy24]

If you haven't done it in awhile, I wouldn't say you are.

 

Heck, I spend probably like $100 on scratch offs a week. ....now that is bad.

 

I think if you gamble all of the time, with money you can't afford to loose. e.g. money for food, rent, gas..etc. then you have a problem, and you should stop. ..but you said you haven't gambled, so I guess you are doing ok with it.

[Raiden]

Your income not withstanding, popping the odd £35 in a fruit machine or £60 on scratch cards isn't excessive at all, as gambling goes.

 

As long as you limit yourself to what you're doing, I'd say you're fine.

[agent1607307371]

Your income not withstanding, popping the odd £35 in a fruit machine or £60 on scratch cards isn't excessive at all, as gambling goes.

 

God, it is. £60 at a casino on a night out is one thing, but scratch cards?

 

but I can't help myself.

 

Yes you have a problem. You go on gambling binges, you know the owners of arcades. You can't walk past an arcade. You've borrowed money and sold belongings (I assume they belonged to you.)

 

Those are not good signs.

[TheSmilingTurnip]

ok. I have sold things, borrowed money and stuck my tea money in a fruit machine but that was ages ago. I am not that bad now. I have epilespy and I know I shouldn't be gambling but I can't help myself. It's not like I do it everyday. Same with all gambling. I can go without it. But I can't walk pass an amusement arcade. When I win I get an urge to put it back and win more but I have always resisted. My friends tell me I am addicted. I even know the arcade owners. I don't see how I can be addicted.

 

Yes, you are addicted. That is why you are here asking, because even you are starting to wonder. Your friends and family in your real life know you way better than anyone here.You haven't hit rock bottom yet but if you keep it up, you will eventually.

 

Addiction doesn't have to be a substance. It is more of a set of behaviors. Here is some information I got off the internet.

 

Now you may not have all of these, but if the gambling is impacting your life negatively in any way and you keep doing it, then I would say that's crazy gambling. In the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous, basically what I personally consider the definitive work on addiction, you can read that where our substance is concerned we have acted in ways that are crazy...that is where it becomes less habit and more addiction, when you are selling stuff to get your 'fix', when you are borrowing money to get your 'fix', when you know you shouldn't be doing it but you're doing it anyway.

 

I recommend you find a Gamblers Anonymous group near you and get involved. Here is a link...

 

link removed

What are the warning signs of addictive gambling?

 

1 - Preoccupation

 

A constant fixation on gambling is one of the easiest ways to notice a gambling addiction. Reliving past gambling triumphs or failures, always planning the next excursion, and continuously thinking of how to get more money to gamble are a few examples of preoccupation.

2 - Escalation

 

Problem gamblers experience an actual physical reaction that is similar to a drug stimulated ‘high.’ Symptoms from this high can be an increased heart rate, dissociation from reality, among others. Also like a drug high, a tolerance to the amount of money gambled will develop.

 

To achieve this ‘high’, a problem gambler will need to wager increasingly larger amounts of money to attain the desired effect.

 

People with a gambling disorder will play until their last dollar is spent. Many problem gamblers end up in dire financial straits and need to rely on others to provide money for their gambling addiction. In severe cases, problem gamblers will break the law to finance their habit.

3 - Trying to Stop

 

A problem gambler may, unsuccessfully, try to control or stop their gambling. Multiple unsuccessful attempts to stop are a warning sign of a disorder.

 

Gambling addicts, similar to narcotic addicts, will become restless, irritable and angry during the periods when they try to control or stop their gambling habits.

4 - Escape

 

Although it may seem that a gambling addiction is a type of pleasure-seeking behavior, the origin of an addiction is to compensate or cover for some type of loss or pain. A problem gambler will use the addiction as a way to forget or escape from the pain.

 

Emotional pain can also cause a person to feel numb and block out other emotions in the process. Gambling and other addictive behaviors cause a rush of excitement and pleasure that allows the person to get a rush and escape from numbness.

5 - Chasing

 

If someone is constantly trying to win back losses with more gambling, this is considered ‘chasing.’ A problem gambler will become fixated on trying to win back the money they have lost which often leads to severe monetary problems.

6 - Lying

 

Lying to friends and family about the amount of time and money spent gambling is a definite warning sign of a gambling disorder.

 

Problem gamblers will sometimes feel guilty about lying where they have been or how they have spent the money. The guilt adds to the emotional pain and can, in turn, lead to even more gambling to assuage the guilt.

7 - Alienation

 

When gambling begins to alienate a person’s friends, family or career, this is clear sign that someone is in trouble. Problem gamblers continue to gamble despite risking or losing significant relationships or aspects, like school or career, of their lives.

[ghost69]

If you haven't done it in awhile, I wouldn't say you are.

 

Heck, I spend probably like $100 on scratch offs a week. ....now that is bad.

 

I think if you gamble all of the time, with money you can't afford to loose. e.g. money for food, rent, gas..etc. then you have a problem, and you should stop. ..but you said you haven't gambled, so I guess you are doing ok with it.

 

wow, seriously? that's a car payment a month.

[Snoopy24]

wow, seriously? that's a car payment a month.

 

hahah..yeah.

 

My boyfriend and I will go to the gas station and sit in the car and scratch off tickets for like an hour. We will win $20, $50, $100 on one ticket, buy more with the money we win, and then loose it all.

 

We went to Atlantic City and won $1000 our first 15 minutes there..and then lost it. we have problems.

 

I always think I'll win big..but never do.

 

It's coming! haha

[ghost69]

hahah..yeah.

 

My boyfriend and I will go to the gas station and sit in the car and scratch off tickets for like an hour. We will win $20, $50, $100 on one ticket, buy more with the money we win, and then loose it all.

 

We went to Atlantic City and won $1000 our first 15 minutes there..and then lost it. we have problems.

 

I always think I'll win big..but never do.

 

It's coming! haha

 

this is more compulsive than the OP.

[metrogirl]

The woman standing at the door of the casino trying to sell her designer purse to get more money to gamble is an addict, IMO....

 

She was trying to sell her purse, her shoes, and her coat! I kept thinking she was going to walk home naked.

[Snoopy24]

this is more compulsive than the OP.

 

Yea..I think so.

 

I don't spend my money I need for the week, or sell anything to gamble.

 

But the money I spend, I really should be saving or at least buying something ..instead of basically throwing it away! hah

[ghost69]

Yea..I think so.

 

I don't spend my money I need for the week, or sell anything to gamble.

 

But the money I spend, I really should be saving or at least buying something ..instead of basically throwing it away! hah

 

i think that defines compulsive. really bad if ur selling stuff and what not. when you notice you are throwing away money yet you continue to do it and not break that habit.

[Snoopy24]

i think that defines compulsive. really bad if ur selling stuff and what not. when you notice you are throwing away money yet you continue to do it and not break that habit.

 

Yeah...I guess I have spend so much money. I hope if I keep playing, I'll win it all back.

 

I think I'll start spending $15.00 a week. If I loose I loose. If I win, I'll just keep it. And that will be that.

[ghost69]

Yeah...I guess I have spend so much money. I hope if I keep playing, I'll win it all back.

 

I think I'll start spending $15.00 a week. If I loose I loose. If I win, I'll just keep it. And that will be that.

 

you will never get it all back. that's why casinos have so much money.