Gambling As a Compulsive Activity
Gambling is any form of putting something at risk in the hope of gaining some reward, such as buying a lottery ticket or placing bets on sports events. Often people gamble because they feel an urge to win, and if they do they experience a feeling of excitement and euphoria. However, if the gambling becomes compulsive and causes harm it can lead to depression, anxiety, substance abuse and problems with relationships and finances.
While many people have a few flutters in a casino or race track, most of the money that is lost is by those who are addicted to gambling. They lose control of their finances and spend more and more time gambling. They may also hide their gambling activity from family members and lie to therapists and others. If you know someone who has a problem with gambling, encourage them to seek help.
The aim of the research was to develop a functional definition of gambling related harm that is consistent with public health approaches and that can be used to measure gambling related harms. It is important that the definition clearly delineates harm as an outcome, which separates it from issues such as defining categories of gambling behaviour, clinical diagnoses and risk factors. The definition also recognises that harm can be caused by or exacerbated by many different aspects of a person’s life and is complex, highly subjective and diverse in nature.
Because of these limitations, longitudinal studies are essential to identify the underlying factors that moderate and amplify a person’s participation in gambling activities. This type of research has the added benefit of identifying a causal link between an individual’s gambling involvement and the associated harms. Longitudinal data are critical to establishing and supporting the effectiveness of gambling interventions. However, a number of practical and logistical challenges prevent longitudinal research from being conducted.
Gambling is any form of putting something at risk in the hope of gaining some reward, such as buying a lottery ticket or placing bets on sports events. Often people gamble because they feel an urge to win, and if they do they experience a feeling of excitement and euphoria. However, if the gambling becomes…