Having a Gambling Problem and How to Deal with It

Having a Gambling Problem and How to Deal with It

If you have ended up on this site then it is probably because you suspect or know that you or someone in your immediate vicinity has worked up a problem with gaming. As with any addiction, whether it be substances like drugs and alcohol or behaviors like gaming, cellphone, social media etc, the first step towards improvement is recognizing the problem. But it is often a process to come to this realization and it may take some time.

No shame in being addicted

One thing to know, though, is no shame. It is no shame because all or almost everyone has established personal acquaintance with some form of addiction. Be it nicotine addiction, caffeine addiction, TV or Internet addiction. The fact that an addiction does not create an immediate social or economic problem does not mean that it does not exist. It should therefore be more or less possible for everyone to understand and understand what a gaming addict is struggling with.

Our brains tend to become addicted

To some extent, it can be said that it is not the addict's fault, because our brain is designed to seek pleasure and avoid pain. Bottom line, it will automatically drive you towards what it finds brings pleasure and drive you from what it finds causes pain or requires an extra effort. For the brain will see an extra effort, such as changing a behavior such as pain and status quo is comfortable. So joy.

This does not relieve us of good responsibility for ourselves and our actions. On the contrary. It rather gives you a tool to control you, because you now know that the brain will try to pull you towards what you are trying to avoid. It starts a discussion with the part of you that wants to change behavior and tries with every possible trick to make you fall back into the old familiar pattern. Because it is known and because it feels safe there and maybe also because you get a rush when you do what you are now trying to avoid doing. Although not for your own good. It's not evil. It's that part of your brain, called the amygdala, like a little child. It knows no consequences and does not know what is good for it itself. It just knows what it wants. Just like a kid in a candy store. You as an adult know that the child cannot feed on chocolate. But the child doesn't know that. Therefore, you must help the child and stimulate it to another, more desired behavior. That's it with the amygdala, too.

Take responsibility for yourself and seek help

It is perfectly okay to ask for help  if you realize you have a gambling problem. In fact, it's the best thing you can do. Settling with an addiction alone is not easy. The chances of getting over the addiction are much greater if you get help from someone who has struggled with the same addiction yourself. And remember that a relapse does not mean that everything is lost. It's just a temporary step back. A new experience and knowledge that will make it easier next time to resist temptation.

Find something more useful and fill the void your cured addiction will create. Here, the typical 12-step program, with its fellowship with others in the same situation, can be useful. But find something that's right for you. For some, a longer meditation or yoga seminar, which breaks with everyday life and helps you connect with your inner self, will fit. Others need something more breathtaking as a sport. On the whole, it is about hacking into something that creates endorphins, seratonin, dopamine or other of the body's own happiness chemicals. We all have something we like, the question is just to find it.

If gaming is no longer a choice then there is a problem

Here at Norske Casino Online we like to write about casinos online and playing casinos online. For some of us it is a hobby, for others it is a livelihood. We realize that even though we like this and have no problem, some people may have problems with gaming. Of course, this is not something we want to happen. Zuckerberg probably did not want to create addiction to social media, wineries did not want to create alcohol problems, shops are not there to create shopping addiction.

The problem is rather that our amygdala, which in many situations is of great help, in our modern society finds too little to do and too useless entertainment. You have to take responsibility for the situation and find other outlets, otherwise chances are that when one addiction is cured another will be created. Make sure if the new addiction happens to be something that is in your favor.

Seeking help is: www.gamblingtherapy.org/en