Ludomania symptoms
Are you worried about being addicted to games such as sports betting, slot machines or casino games like poker, roulette or blackjack?
Gambling addiction – also called pathological gambling, gambling addiction or just gambling – can be hard to recognise in yourself. That’s why we’ve compiled this list of 20 questions that can help you uncover gambling addiction symptoms and recognise a possible gambling addiction.
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What is gambling addiction?
Ludomania is a mental disorder in which the sufferer is so engrossed in gambling that it overshadows the person’s life and emotions.
A gambling addict will find it increasingly difficult to maintain good social relationships, hold down a job and fulfil obligations to family.
Play escalates in attention and focus, taking over other interests and daily activities.
Ludomaniac is an addiction
Ludomania involves impaired impulse control but is an addiction and thus an addictive disorder that leads to a strong urge to gamble. It is therefore mostly fast-paced games that attract and develop gambling addicts.
Slow money games, like lotto and tips, are less addictive as the satisfaction comes long after the bet.
The addict avoids negative emotions and develops satisfying substances in the brain, which are addictive and trigger the addiction.
20 signs you’re a gambling addict
If you can answer yes to many of these questions, you should see a therapist who can help you uncover your gambling addiction symptoms and determine if you are suffering from gambling addiction:
- 1. Cannot stop:
Have you repeatedly tried to stop or reduce play without success - 2. Escalation:
Do you get more excitement the bigger bets you make, so your money bets get bigger and bigger? - 3. Neglect:
Do you neglect your daily obligations because of gambling and prioritise gambling over spending time with family and others, or do you call in sick to gamble? -
4. Mood swings:
Do you get irritable and restless if you try to stop playing?
- 5. Intensity:
Do you get into the all-consuming mood of playing? -
6. Can’t live in the moment:
Do you find it hard to live in the moment because you’re always thinking about games?
- 7. Rumination and concerns:
Do you replay already completed games in your head, wonder how you’ll get the money for the next game, or wonder when you’ll get to play next so that it takes up too much of your daily life? - 8. Overwhelming negative emotions:
Do you tend to gamble if you’re feeling negative emotions like stress, anxiety, guilt, helplessness, depression or just generally low mood? - 9. Lies:
Are you lying to avoid others getting a glimpse of the extent of the gambling? - 10. Relationships:
Are you putting your important personal relationships at risk because of gambling? - 11. Unrealistic expectations:
Do you think your odds of winning are greater than the statistics attribute? -
12. Losses lead to further bets:
Do you often return to the game in an attempt to win back lost amounts?
- 13. Winning leads to further bets:
Do you think you are in a lucky streak if you win, so you have to play more to win further? - 14. Economic impact:
Do you play for more money than you want? - 15. Debt:
Have you fallen so far behind financially that you rely on others to help you get out of financial problems caused by gambling? - 16th Debut:
Can’t you control when you want to play and start, even if you’ve agreed with yourself that you don’t want to play? - 17. Game context:
Can’t you control in which contexts you play so that it becomes inappropriate to play at the times you do? - 18. Game frequency:
Do you gamble more often than you want and agree with yourself? - 19. Duration:
Do you play for longer than you set out to, so much of your time is spent playing? - 20. Stop spinning:
Can’t stop playing once you’ve started?
How to help a gambling addict?
If you are a relative of someone suffering from gambling addiction, please feel free to reach out to us. We are here to provide guidance and tools on what you can do to help people with gambling addiction overcome their illness.
Read also about: Exclude yourself from gambling in Denmark
What can you do about gambling addiction?
If you are experiencing symptoms or think you might be suffering from gambling addiction, it is important to seek help for gambling addiction treatment.
You are always welcome to contact us – our phone is open around the clock. Call us or send us a message in our contact form.