A gambling addiction can be as destructive to a relationship as those of a drug addict. It’s not just a spouse or family member but anyone from a friend to a work colleague and even your boss can be affected. Many lives are negatively affected by a gambling addiction and not just the gambler themselves.
Drug addiction is a substance based addiction while gambling addiction is more about lack of control of your impulses. Losing control is the essence of an addiction regardless of the actions or substance involved. It is known that gambling can ruin a life in many ways and it appears that many gamblers are more inclined to have other disorders that they may be unaware of. The consequences of an untreated gambling addiction can be devastating to the addict.
Trends
commonplace trends, patterns and tendencies for gambling addiction show:
- It is more likely that a gambling problem can increase in people with alcohol dependency
- Gambling Commission reports more than 2 million people in the UK are at risk of becoming addicted to gambling or already are
- 35% of at risk gamblers gamble online
- UK men are 7.5 times more likely to be problem gamblers than UK women
- On average UK gamblers were aged 12 when they first gambled
Criminal Activity
There is a direct link to gambling addiction and partaking in criminal activity to fund the addiction.
- 50% of those affected by a gambling addiction commit a criminal offence.
University and College Gambling
Gambling Commission figures indicate that:
- 2million students in the UK gamble at college or university
- Of those students 1 in 4 has reported to have incurred debt of over £10,000
- 1 in 8 student gamblers have bunked off lectures as a result of gambling
- 54% of students who gamble do so to make money
Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
It has been suggested that those with PTSD are very likely to have a gambling addiction due to the nature of the stress and anxiety they suffer.
Mental Illness
Gambling addiction stats suggest gamblers are more susceptible to certain mental illnesses that include:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Substance Abuse
- Anti-social personality disorder