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24 hours rehab

Call Now for Immediate Confidential Help and Advice 02038 115 619

24 hours rehab
Immediate Access for help and advice

Dealing with a Gambling Addiction

For many people throughout the UK, gambling is something taken for granted. They may go to bingo at the weekend or buy the odd line in the lottery. They may even place an occasional football or horseracing accumulator bet. They think nothing of doing this and, if they win they are delighted and if they lose, they chalk it up to one of those things.

However, for many other individuals in the UK, gambling becomes an obsession. They become addicted to the thrill and anticipation of the bet and, before long, it takes over their lives. They cannot control their compulsion to gamble, and when they are not actually gambling, they are thinking about it constantly.

A Growing Problem

Gambling has become very easy since the advent of smartphones and other mobile devices. Everyone can access the internet via a phone or tablet these days, and provided they have a bank account they can open up an online account within minutes. The promise of free bets and big wins can be enticing to many, so it is no surprise that gambling addiction is a growing problem.

However, it is not just online gambling that is leading to the increasing number of individuals becoming addicted. Betting shops with fixed odds betting terminals and casinos are also providing gambling addicts with the perfect opportunity to get their ‘fix’.

Unfortunately, those with gambling addictions often find themselves struggling with financial hardship as they continue to bet even when they do not have disposable cash. They will borrow, beg or steal to get their hands on the money they need to feed their habit, and this inevitably leads to mountains of debt and hardship for families across the country.

Consequences of a Gambling Addiction

Gambling addiction can have a negative impact on families in a number of ways. Those who are compelled to gamble will be unable to control their urges despite knowing that giving in to them will cause their family financial hardship.

In many instances, gambling addicts will spend money meant for bills such as the mortgage or electricity, leaving their family at risk of losing everything. Nevertheless, they cannot stop, even if they want to. This can inevitably lead to a breakdown in relationships as family members feel hurt, angry and betrayed when their addicted loved one fritter away their money.

This leads to a collapse in trust and causes emotional problems that can be difficult to heal. Spouses find it extremely difficult to be intimate with someone they no longer trust and who they believe is putting their family life at risk. It is hard for a person who is not suffering from an addiction to understand why those affected act the way that they do.

Gambling addiction can also lead to mental and physical health problems. Those affected may suffer from stress, anxiety and depression, which can result in physical problems such as headaches, aches and pains and insomnia. It is not just those with the addiction that suffer in this way. Living with a gambling addict can cause a great deal of stress and anxiety, too.

Getting Help

It is vital that gambling addicts get help as soon as possible before their lives spiral out of control. This is an addiction that leads to devastation, but the good news is that there are many treatment providers all across the country that are helping gambling addicts to get their lives back on track. Rehab Helper is here to put you in touch with them.

If you or a loved one needs help for a gambling addiction, call us today for advice and information on our free services and how we can help you.

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