People with a gambling problem can find help-regardless of how long they have been gambling or how many financial or legal problems their addiction has caused. The National Council on Problem Gambling, which offers a 24-hour problem gambling helpline, says one of the first steps is to recognize the signs of problem gambling. They include:

• Gambling for more time and/or more money than intended.

• Gambling more to try to win back what you’ve lost.

• Lying to loved ones about the amount of time or money spent gambling.

Gambling can be considered problematic, and no longer recreational, when it causes a disruption in any major area of a person’s life.

Finding Help

It’s estimated that 2 to 3 percent of the U.S. population is living with a gambling problem. It can affect men or women of any age, race or religion, regardless of social status. If you think you or someone you know might have a problem, the National Council on Problem Gambling may be able to help. Its mission is to increase public awareness of problem and pathological gambling and to ensure the widespread availability of treatment for problem gamblers and their families. It also operates the 24-hour National Problem Gambling Helpline, a link to treatment, recovery groups and other resources for problem gamblers and their family members.

A gambling helpline proved invaluable for Jane Skavinsky, a grandmother whose gambling problem began with simple bingo games, spiraled out of control and ended with her spending her 50th birthday in prison.

“My gambling addiction led to my losing focus on anything that didn’t have to do with bingo. Soon I was spending my whole paycheck on it,” Skavinsky explains.

Eventually, Skavinsky began embezzling money from her office to help fund her habit. She was sentenced to a year in jail for stealing a quarter of a million dollars.

“It was only after months of mental anguish that I called the helpline. I did not realize that my gambling was the root of all my problems,” she explains. Through its referral to treatment and self-help groups, the helpline helped Skavinsky begin to recover. Today, she works to spread the word about problem gambling and helps others beat their addiction.

“If you’re living with a gambling you don’t need to wait to ‘hit bottom’ before asking for help,” says Keith Whyte, executive director, the National Council on Problem Gambling. “And because so many addicted gamblers are in denial and will never call, we offer our services to the nongamblers as well. When their problem is your problem, you can call the Helpline to learn what help is available.”

To learn more or to find help, call toll free (800) 522-4700 or visit www.ncpgambling.org.

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Are You Addicted To Gambling?

To some people, nothing could be more exciting than winning a hand of Texas hold-em on the river. The adrenaline rush, the thrill of victory…all adds up to a great time. Thanks to national television coverage of poker tournaments on nearly every channel, gambling has made its way into the mainstream. There’s a good chance that you’ve played Texas hold-em at some point. You might even play a few times per week. There is nothing wrong with gambling, but how do you know if you’re addicted?

Gambling addiction is a terrible problem in our world today. It has always been around but at no time has it controlled as many people as it does today. It tears lives and families apart. There are several signs that point to a gambling addiction.

How seriously do you take gambling? Gambling is a game and it should always remain so. If you find yourself getting extremely angry after a hand, you might be addicted. Are you betting your discretionary income or much more? There is nothing wrong with playing a few hands of poker with the guys as long as you don’t play for pink slips. Some people bet their life savings and their kid’s college funds. If this is you, please stop! Only bet what you can afford. The adrenaline rush that you get after a win is nothing compared to what it feels like to lose all your money. Many people have left Las Vegas with only the shirt on their backs. Don’t let that happen to you.

If you think that you might have a gambling addiction, there is help available. Don’t be too proud. Many people battle this problem every year. You can beat it with the help of a support group or even counseling. The important part is that you admit you have a problem. Keep gambling what it is…a game.

By: Gabriel Adams -

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Opinions in this article do not necessarily reflect the view of Drug and Alcohol Intervention Specialist which the author would like for you to visit.

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How Will A Gambling Addition Effect You?

Gambling addiction is a growing problem for people all across the world. Whether it is gambling on sporting events, horse races, table games, or the increasingly popular poker games, the result can be the same. Certain people can gamble all day and it will never affect them. They will never feel like they are losing control no matter how much money is won or lost. Then there are the problem gamblers. They are usually good people, but they turn into degenerates when it comes to gambling. Most of their issues are either competition based or money based and their problems can become extremely large if problem gambling is not checked.

Compulsive gamblers who suffer from gambling addiction have as difficult a time with their condition as people with smoking, alcohol, or drug addictions. It doesn’t matter if they are winning or losing, either. Gambling addiction can make people feel just as terrible when they are up as when they are down. It is when those gamblers hit rock bottom that the real problems occur, though. When money is owed to different sources, people will do just about anything to get it. This can lead to crime, dishonesty, and a whole host of social problems that will simply compound the problem gambler’s awful set of circumstances.

There are not a whole lot of cures for gambling addiction. One cannot just go into the store and purchase a pill to kill gambling addiction. Instead, mental issues must be worked out in order for a person to shake the habit. hypnosis has been proven to be a good remedy for gambling addiction. hypnotherapy is not just something that they portray in the movies. It is a real treatment for many problems that people experience such as addictions.

Like most hypnotherapists, I have been using hypnosis to stop a bunch of different problems. Most commonly, people come into my clinic in search of help for different addictions like smoking and alcoholism. Recently, I have been taking on more cases for gambling addiction, though. With the raging popularity of poker on television and gambling in general, there are more people who struggle with gambling addiction. When it seems like all hope is lost, that is when hypnotherapy can work the best. If you are struggling with a gambling problem or any other issue and you think hypnosis could help, then you need to get information on the process and begin to change your life, today! It’s the best decision you can make in getting rid of your gambling addiction.

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Addicted To Gambling: How To Diagnose It

Like so many vices and hobbies across the world, gambling is no different. Many people learn to control their urges to spend and gamble everything they have, but some do not and then these can gamble and gamble until they not only jeopardize their personal finances but also their personal and psychological relationships. Such addicts are usually unaware that they have a problem until its too late and they are already deep into trouble.

How Will This Article Help You?
We will examine some of the most obvious symptoms that are easy to notice and then if you are pretty certain that you have diagnosed it correctly, we will show you how and where to get help for that pathological gambling problem.

Definition:
Pathological or Compulsive gambling is a type of progressive addiction caused by an increased preoccupation with any kind of gambling activity. Such persons feel an uncontrollable urge to heighten the excitement by betting with more and more money. The lure of a big jackpot is not what drives them on, but the rush from gambling.

How to Recognize a Person with a Gambling Problem?
1) One of the first things you should do is try one of most typical symptoms of a gambling problem: finances. If the person you suspect seems to be having financial trouble without any apparent reason, its time to look at them more closely.

2) The Eyes: If they are red and bloody because of no sleep or too much alcohol and not from a party, note it.

3) Attitude: Addicts tend to become numb on all other issues and seem to focus all their efforts on that addiction. So, if a person has suddenly lost interest in an activity they once loved doing or even if they are suddenly not interested in a certain person or persons, its time to confront them.

4) Go Gambling: This might seem extreme but it’s the only real way to recognize an addict. Take them to a casino and then watch them play. Look at their eyes. If they are only interested in gambling and nothing else or if they want to spend all their money (ahem - we all do - but if they make a big fuss!) the very same night, one needs to get help.

How to Help a Gambling Addict?
Confronting an addict directly is not the most appropriate manner in which you can help them because they will not only decline your help but that they will deny that they have any kind of problem. They might even shun you from then on. So then what can you do?

1) Consult the Family: Call up their family. If it is someone from your family, call a family meeting. Tell them about your fears and then set up a time when you can all confront the addicted person. Remember that it is pretty easy to ignore one person but not the entire family.

2) Once the addicted person is ready, direct them towards seeking professional help. It would be good to check for such help services such as Gamblers Anonymous. Contact them or seek a local branch through their website: Gamblersanonymous.org

3) Take Control of their Finances: At least in the beginning, check their financial situation and determine the best method of action in order to ensure that their money problems will also be taken care off.

Conclusion:
Addiction in general and gambling addiction is not to be taken lightly. Do not think that it will just go away or that you can stop a person from gambling by ensuring he doesn’t visit casinos. Nowadays, one can play a number of casino games at any number of online casinos or online poker rooms. You have to take action now to save that person. Do it Now!

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Over 80 percent of U.S. adults have reportedly gambled at least once in the past year and done so responsibly. Approximately one percent of adults (two million individuals), however, meet the criteria of a pathological gambler. Another 2 to 3 percent have less significant, yet serious, problems with their gambling. (National Council on Problem Gambling, March 2003)

One third of problem gamblers who received treatment for compulsive gambling also received treatment for either chemical dependency or mental health problems. (Evaluation of the Minnesota State-Funded Compulsive Gambling Treatment Programs Final Report, July 1997)

Gamblers who wagered larger amounts more than $1,000 in a day were more likely to complete treatment than those who did not. (Evaluation of the Minnesota State-Funded Compulsive Gambling Treatment Programs Final Report, July 1997)

Gambling addiction can be hard to treat because you may not want to tell others about your problem.

1 Person have admit that have a gambling addiction problem by telling your friends and family.

2. Person must join Gamblers Anonymous, a fellowship support group for compulsive gamblers. Your family and friends can join GA. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop gambling. There are no dues or fees for Gamblers Anonymous membership; we are self-supporting through our own contributions. Gamblers Anonymous is not allied with any sect, denomination, politics, organization or institution; does not wish to engage in any controversy; neither endorses nor opposes any cause. Our primary purpose is to stop gambling and to help other compulsive gamblers do the same.

Your doctor may refer you to a psychologist expert for more help. This help may involve talking about your gambling problem. It may also include advice about how to understand your gambling urges and how to handle them. Treatment for Gambling addiction may also include treatment for depression or substance abuse, if needed.

Gambling addiction can be hard to treat because you may not want to tell others about your problem.

1 Person have admit that have a gambling addiction problem by telling your friends and family.

2. Person must join Gamblers Anonymous, a fellowship support group for compulsive gamblers.

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In recent years, researchers have been doing work to try and identify what causes gambling addiction. Like alcoholism and smoking addiction, gambling addiction can cause often life altering problems for a person if the problem goes unchecked. Most studies show that gambling problems arise because of a couple of things. Either that person has issues with competition and must be in the ‘action’, or the person has deep rooted problems with money. A less than fortunate childhood can sometimes prompt people to begin to gamble.

Compulsive gambling can be dangerous because it strips the compulsive gambler of all sense of reality. In a regular setting, they would never be alright with losing thousands of hard earned dollars. When they sit down at the poker table, however, it somehow becomes ok to lose this amount of money. This dangerous self-convincing act is what fuels gambling addiction to points where it becomes dangerous. As people lose touch with reality, they begin to lie, break relationships, and even deceive themselves. All of these things are extremely dangerous issues and can lead a person to do things that they normally would not.

Losing a big chunk of money is not even the worst thing that can happen to a person because of a gambling addiction. When people begin to get desperate, as gambling often causes extreme desperation, they will do almost anything to dig out of that hole. This can lead to crime, which simply compounds all of the problems that they are facing. Many gamblers have to fight off depression as they feel terrible about the pain they have caused themselves and their families.

Because gambling addiction is such a mental issue, hypnosis can be a successful treatment option. Hypnosis is known to help people regain their sense of reality and it can help people to have a different outlook on life. These are needed when a person is in the throws of a gambling addiction. Many people never consider hypnotherapy because they see it as something that is done on a stage in Las Vegas or something that only happens on television. Those messages are false, as hypnosis is a very real way to treat ailments like gambling addiction.

If you are suffering from a problem like gambling addiction, then you should consider hypnosis to help you get away from it. I have been serving clients for years that have successfully broken gambling addictions and other addictions with the help of hypnotherapy. Get the information that you need and change your life.

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First we have to know what is addiction. It is a big issue in present era and most of people are suffering from it. An addiction is nothing but only a psychological craze or dependence towards anything specially any activity. Addiction occurs when someone fails his or her control and continuously by any mean that activity is making some harmful effect to him or her. Accordingly it can take place in anything like drugs, alcohols, food, and sex and when it comes to gambling field; it becomes really a serious issue among the gamblers.

Unlike any other type of addiction this addiction is hard to identify. But generally it is seen when a person experiences win in several gambling and accordingly feels that they cant control their deep impulses to gamble and they can make a nice deal and gain more and more money through that type of activity without facing any trouble, that mainly play role in making addiction towards gambling field. Gambling addiction makes the gambler so impulsive that they can’t give any single thought to be involved again in this activity and in the winning stage the gamblers become so excited with their earnings that they don’t want to quit gambling by any mean. With that they feel their increasing intensity to gambling field. Even sometimes it is found that they are deterred by recurrent losses as they think that they can win again and get their money back. The addicted gamblers forget to think although it is a form of harmless entertainment and fun yet that can become a devastating illness too and can affect them negatively. It can lead the players very badly to big financial problems (when they start to borrow huge amount of money), mental restlessness, relationship stress and many other activities related to their lives.

Thus a recreational sport gambling turns out to be a denting experience to any gambler when he gets addicted to this betting field. Like winning phase and losing (as discussed above) there is also desperation stage which can lead a gambler to get addicted horribly. Keeping hope in mind that they can earn more and more through this betting process and eliminate their losses which they may even face on every alternative day of their playing they become mentally fatigued. Unmanageable state of their increasing debts makes them desperate to face gambling every day. Desperately the gamblers are found engaging in illegal activities to finance their gambling. They may suffer badly by hopelessness, suicidal thoughts, even arrest, divorce and any other drug exploitation. That surely leads to a complete breakdown of an addicted gambler.

Although gambling addiction cannot be identified so easily, there are some signs which can denote that addiction a little bit. That includes constant discussion about gambling, making gambling plan, gambling at any odd time, getting into a long debt circle, giving priority to only gambling not even to personal life and responsibilities and feeing the need to gamble to wipe off any practical issue or stress. It is only a concept but deliberately the sign of addiction is not confined among such behaviors only. There may be many other signs which assign gambling addiction.

There are some treatment programs also for the addicted gamblers. The therapies and medication are supposed to be the most successful way to be cured from this addiction. Counseling with various support groups can also help to remove this type of addiction. But above everything for successful result in this treatment firstly it is required that the addicted person has to admit that he or she is facing restlessness with such type of activity and is feeling to give it up as soon as possible, unless and until the recovery process will not go make any further step.

Casino Gambling Addiction

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Before we start our study on drug abuse related to online gambling we should first understand what online gambling is all about.

What is online gambling?
Online Gambling can also be known as Internet Gambling. In this you can play many types of gambling games by using internet. There are types of online gambling, some of them are:
Online Casino
Online Poker
Online Bingo
Online Sports Betting etc.

Here we will discuss in detail the first and very important type of Online Gambling that is Online Casino.

What is Online Casino?
Online Casino can also be known as Internet Casino. As you get money as profit in land based Casinos same is the case in Online Casino. Here also you get the profit percentage if you win the game.

Types of Online Casino: Online casino is basically of 3 types. They are:
Web based Online Casino
Downloading based Online Casino
Live based Online Casino

What is Web based Online Casino?
In Web based online casino the players can play the game directly on the web site and there is no need to download the game which becomes very and time saving activity for the players.

What is Downloading based Online Casinos?
In Download based Online Casino as the as the name itself suggest the player have to download the game first before playing it. It is a time consuming activity as compared to Web based Casino but the speed of the game becomes much faster because of the downloading.

What is Live based Casinos?
In Live based casino the environment becomes so live to the players that they can imagine themselves to be in the land based casino.

Getting help from professionals is the most important step you should take if you are seriously willing to stop drug addiction.
Try to be in positive environment all the time.
Try to avoid the company of those people who are drug addicted.
If you’ve avoided drugs one full day then pamper yourself by giving small gifts as reward.
Replace the unhealthy habit of Drug Abuse by adopting some new healthy habits like having fruit juices, chewing sugar free gums etc.
Participate in the stress diminution programs. Yoga, meditation are the best option for that.
Do a lot of Physical Exercise. Exercise is an activity which can easily keep your tension level under control.

These are some measures which can help anyone to cure  Gambling and Drug Abuse.

Online Gambling is promoting Drug Abuse big time which is making the nation not only helpless and but it is also creating obstacles in the path of growth and development of any country. As unhealthy people cannot serve the nation it is highly important not only for the common people but also for the government to apply the best possible measure to cure Drug Abuse in the society.

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