It's no secret that lives are destroyed when close friends or relatives become so invested in the thrill of craps, roulette or high-stakes poker that they sacrifice everything else. Innocents suffer most as they watch homes, possessions and lives slip away---all because someone they love can't stop gambling. Social scientists have made inroads identifying personality traits of people predisposed to such addictive behaviors. If your life is being impacted by a gambler who's unable to stop, protect yourself by knowing what to expect if things don't change.
History of Gambling
Gambling is as old as recorded history. Examples of wagering and high-stakes gaming go back to biblical times when temples were desecrated by armies committed to showing their contempt for other faiths by holding high-stakes games on religious land. Romans played games of chance that put lives on the line. In 1980, the American Psychiatric Association defined gambling addictions as Impulse Control Disorders, a form of obsessive-compulsive behavior. The repercussions of gambling addictions have been identified, studied and mediated by counseling, pharmaceuticals and behavioral interventions.
Identifying the Problem
Problems resulting from addictive gambling are usually divided into social and economic consequences. People unable to stop wagering are often oblivious to the decrease of a social support system, but economic effects of gambling precipitate catastrophic lifestyle changes. An early study (1998) on the impact of the overall cost to society of a single gambler's problem, funded by the National Gambling Impact Study Commission (NGISC), produced frightening results. At the time, approximately $5 billion per year in losses by pathological gamblers in the U.S. alone were estimated by social scientists.
Society Ultimately Pays the Bill
The commission of criminal acts by gamblers needing cash to support their burgeoning habits is the foremost financial consequence of a gambling obsession. Gamblers fall into a deeper financial pit when they borrow from unscrupulous lenders or use household money for gaming rather than living expenses. Embezzlement, check forging and fraud are among the largest contributors to this phenomenon. These burdens ultimately fall upon the nation's legal, penal and social service systems. According to the NGISC, one in three gamblers committed illegal acts to get quick cash when the study was undertaken in 1998.
Ramifications for the Gambler
A downward spiral experienced by compulsive gamblers can include any or all of these: Job loss, poor sleep patterns and the escalation of a casino-based or online gambling habit. Out-of-control debt, bankruptcy filings and foreclosure add to the gambler's financial downfall. An increase in associated addictions (drugs, alcohol, sex, shopping, etc.) compound the problem leading to poor physical and mental health, divorce and suicide. Financial ramifications are pervasive throughout this spiral.
Impact on the Family
The obsessed gambler rarely stops to consider the economic damage foisted on the family. Children are impacted in myriad ways: School fees, extracurricular activities, braces, summer recreation and other "luxuries" disappear when money grows scarce. Children are not impervious to the impact bill collectors have on family life. The loss of a home (security net) can scar them for life. Unfortunately, news stories of parents leaving children in cars so they can gamble are becoming more commonplace as gambling addiction increases.
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