Gambling is an activity that involves risking something of value on an event whose outcome is primarily chance in the hope of winning a prize. It has existed in virtually all societies since prerecorded history, and it is incorporated into local customs and rites of passage. Many people enjoy gambling for social reasons, and others do it for the thrill and excitement of winning money. People also gamble for coping reasons, to forget their worries or because they feel more self-confident when they are gambling. The underlying psychological causes of these reasons are not well understood, but it is important to remember that a person does not choose to become addicted and they did not start gambling on purpose.
Regardless of the reason, when someone becomes addicted to gambling it is no longer about the entertainment or profit. It is a compulsion that provides short term relief from stress while contributing to even more stress in the long run. The addiction changes the reward pathways in the brain, turning gambling into a habit that does not produce positive outcomes.
There are a number of signs that someone may have a problem with gambling, including: (1) gambling in secret; (2) lying to family members, friends, therapists or other professionals to conceal the extent of their involvement with gambling; (3) spending more money on gambling than they can afford to lose (chasing losses); (4) borrowing or selling items to gamble; and (5) jeopardizing relationships, careers or educational opportunities to gamble. In addition, people who have a problem with gambling often experience cognitive distortions that distort their decision making and outcome processing, which leads to an overestimation of their chances of winning.