There are many reasons why people enjoy gambling. The excitement of making money on a bet or simply gambling to release stress can lead to gambling addiction, including online gambling. Like any other addiction, online gambling addiction can lead to mental health issues and social problems.

The Health Impact of Online Gambling Addiction

Whatever type of gambling you do, whether gambling in traditional concepts such as cockfighting, card gambling, or lottery, to gambling that is popular these days such as slot gambling or online gambling, can cause addiction.

Gambling addiction is a form of mental disorder mentioned in the DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder, Fifth Edition). If not treated appropriately, gambling addiction can lead to a variety of physical and mental health problems that can interfere with daily quality of life.

Some of the health effects of online gambling addiction include:

Financial troubles

One of the most common problems of online gambling addiction is financial problems. The excitement of earning money can trigger the desire to gamble more money, which can disrupt your financial condition.

Many gamblers choose to go into debt to get the money to gamble without knowing how to repay it. This can lead to other financial problems that impact the family economy.

Legal problems

Online gambling players are prone to legal problems such as difficulty paying debts, difficulty paying bills, to the tendency to commit criminal acts such as cheating to get money. This condition can cause online gambling addicts to be at risk of civil and criminal penalties.

Mental health issues

Gambling addiction can lead to several mental health issues, such as decreased self-confidence, anxiety disorders, depression, illicit drug use, and suicidal thoughts. In addition to triggering mental problems, gambling addiction can also exacerbate pre-existing mental problems.

Physical health problems

While gambling addiction does not directly affect the body, many addicts do experience physical health problems. In many cases, health problems arise due to psychological stress caused by gambling addiction. Stress due to difficulties quitting gambling, financial problems, broken social relationships, and work problems can worsen your physical health and lead to chronic health problems. 

Gambling addicts also commonly experience lifestyle changes such as not taking good care of themselves, avoiding exercise, and having a poor diet. Many addicts also drink and smoke excessively, thus improving their overall physical health.

Some of the health problems that can be experienced include hypertension, insomnia, digestive disorders, and cardiovascular disease.

Online Gambling Addiction Treatment

Gambling addiction treatment can generally be done in the following ways:

• Therapy, including cognitive behavioral therapy to help the addict discover the causes of gambling addiction, stop the urge to gamble, and change the mindset towards gambling activities.
• Medication. There are no medications to treat gambling addiction, but antidepressants and mood stabilizers can help reduce the symptoms of gambling addiction.
• Joining a group. Joining a self-help group can help gambling addicts quit their addiction more easily.

Gambling can trigger addictions that you may not realize you have. If you need medical advice or consultation, you can either visit a doctor or make use of the consultation features that are available in the Ai Care application by downloading the Ai Care application from the App Store or Play Store.

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