Gambling Addiction Can Destroy Your Life As You Know It

Why would I say that gambling addiction is a great destroyer of lives? Well for one, I have seen the trail of destruction that it has caused other people. I have also been impacted by this addiction myself personally.

This affliction is a relatively silent addiction because many people will not know that you or a loved one is addicted to gambling.

You cannot smell this addiction on someone. Many people with a gambling disorder look like regular people that go to work everyday and pay their bills.

Many people with a compulsive gambling problem do not seek help and they continue to suffer in silence as they are unable to stop gambling.

Even though this is a behavioral addiction, it still creates chemical reactions in the brains of those who are actively gambling. The adrenaline rush of gambling is very similar or even more powerful than that of a drug.

Slot machine addiction is considered the crack cocaine of addiction and it has created millions of dollars lost by the victims of a slot machine addiction.

So why is this addiction a great destroyer of lives. Here are 5 main reasons that I believe this to be the case.

1. This addiction can create total social isolation on the part of the gambler whether it is online gambling addiction or casino gambling addiction. The gambler loses friends as the problem progresses. This can create extreme loneliness on the part of the gambler.

2. Gambling problems cause more financial devastation than any other addiction combined. It can take years to pay off gambling debts and many people never fully recover.

3. Severe gambling at its' worst can create depression and despair in very powerful ways. The mental health of a gambling addict becomes worse and worse as the addiction progresses.

4. Lack of sleep, lack of proper nutrition and exercise by an individual with a gambling problem can create a slow or rapid deterioration in physical health over time. People with a compulsive gambling problem can neglect themselves just as much as those with a severe drug and alcohol addiction. Lack of self care is a huge problem for a gambling addict.

5. This addiction has the HIGHEST suicide rate of all others combined. Need I say more.

Michelle Tee is a self-help coach and author on the subject of gambling addiction. If you are looking to stop gambling and have not had success in the past, visit her site today.