Quote:
Originally Posted by SpewingIsMyMove
I think people are loosely defining addiction. Here is a blurb from the Anerican Society of Addiction Medicine
"Addiction is a primary, chronic disease of brain reward, motivation, memory and related circuitry. Dysfunction in these circuits leads to characteristic biological, psychological, social and spiritual manifestations. This is reflected in an individual pathologically pursuing reward and/or relief by substance use and other behaviors.
Addiction is characterized by inability to consistently abstain, impairment in behavioral control, craving, diminished recognition of significant problems with one’s behaviors and interpersonal relationships, and a dysfunctional emotional response. Like other chronic diseases, addiction often involves cycles of relapse and remission. Without treatment or engagement in recovery activities, addiction is progressive and can result in disability or premature death."
The key here is that addiction is a physical rewiring of the brains reward seeking circuitry and is progressive.
Someone who has a drink or two every day to take the edge off is not an addict. Someone who escalates their drinking to achieve a physiological reward is an addict.
Poker can trigger the same type of endorphin response that other risk taking activities can trigger. If you are an addict, you will be locked into a cycle of escalating behavior to try and achieve the same reward. There is no way to play winning poker if you are physically conditioned to seek greater risks to achieve the same reward.
Being drawn to an activity, or being deeply committed to an activity, is not the same as being addicted to it. Addiction is an unmanaged compulsion. There is a reason that most (drug\alcohol\whatever) addicts are not able to just scale back and must quit cold turkey.
I do not think it is possible for a true poker\gambling addict to be a winner over a significant sample size.
This is partially correct. It does not explain the cause and condition of addiction or compulsive gambling, drinking, eating, sex or smoki g ir any other compulsive behavior.
Addiction is merely another symptom. Just like compulsive drinking is a symptom of alcoholism.
Gambling to financial ruin is also a syptom of gambling addiction. Over eating, drug addiction, etc. etc.
The causes and conditions for most compulsive addictive behavior is selfishness and self centeredness and Ego. Combine these with low self esteem, a ton of resentment, jealousy,sloth, greed and wrap these all up with SHAME and GUILT and a victim mentality and you have an addict.
The addict hates themself. Their life is one of negative self talk. It creates FEAR, DEPRESSION, LONELINESS, TERROR, BEWILDERMENT AND FEAR. It causes troubled relationships, loss of jobs, inability to earn money, jail and death.
The gambling addict lives in a very simple but highly complex cycle. It usually starts with losses from a previous bet. Then the bubbling thought process begins as to how to win this money back. How to cover the loss. Hours and hours of time are spent planning their next move. Often it involves how to get their hands on more money to gamble.
They will lie cheat and steal from anyone and anything to create the opportunity. This can take days, weeks even. The climax of excitement is when the next wager is placed. All the time prior is also very exciting to the addict. There is much fantasy involved. It creates euphoria and releases dopamine as previously stated.
The planning stage of placing the next wager is as exciting as actually placing the wager.
The addicts entire life is consumed with this process. It becomes more important than family, children, financial solvency, anything.
When the bet loses, then the terror, fear, depression, anxiety and worry set back in and the only way to relieve these emotions is to start the process all over again.
Once this behavior is fully ingrained only an act of God, or being locked up or dying will stop it.
If anyone doubts this please read up on the life of Art Schlichter. Art is a case study. There are 1000's more cases. I have seen men lose their homes on golf betting and continue to gamble. I have seen lives destroyed and families ripped apart.
Many reading this will not be this far gone. Art Schlichter was once just like you. He started slowly, won some bets then went from there. It looked like easy money. It ended up costing him everything.
EVERY addict says it cant happen to me. EVERY addict says MY CASE IS DIFFERENT.
EVERY addict is in denial.
Have you ever said the following:
1. I only gamble what I can afford to lose.
2. Lied by saying I'm up a little bit, I'm down a little bit, I am about even on the month...and its all actually a BIG LIE.
Recovery starts with abstinence first then building up self worth, self esteem and filling the spiritual void.
The lying and deceit has to stop for recovery to begin.
Here is another good list of questions you can ask yourself.
Do you or does someone you know like to bet on games of chance? Here are ten signs and indicators to help you detect when gambling is becoming a problem. They will help you take stock of the situation.
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Ten signs of a gambling problem:
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Lying
Chasing losses
Borrowing money
Always betting more
Being obsessed with gambling
Being unable to stop gambling
Gambling out of need
Gambling to forget
Stealing or committing fraud to gamble
Gambling because it is the most important thing in the world
Lying
People who have gambling problems generally try to hide it from the people around them. They start lying to their spouses, families, coworkers, and friends.
“Chasing” losses
Some gamblers say they are just trying to win back the money they have lost. They will claim that once they win big, they will stop. Or that they lost because they changed strategies or were not lucky. But when they chase their losses, they end up piling up even more losses, and often debts.
Borrowing money
What do pathological gamblers do when gambling puts them into a financial hole? They borrow—from their family, friends, coworkers, or even strangers, without always admitting the real reason they need the money. They may also have other people pay their gambling debts. They may max out their credit cards or take out a second mortgage.
Always betting more
Like someone who has drugs or alcohol problems, problem gamblers have to up their “dose” of gambling to enjoy it. In other words, they have to bet more and more money to get the kind of rush they want. Unfortunately, the more they bet, the more they lose.
Being obsessed with gambling
When this happens, gamblers cannot stop thinking about the last time they gambled and the next time they will. Any reason is reason enough to go gambling, and they will try any strategy to get the money they need.
Being unable to stop gambling
Many gamblers know they should not gamble so much, and want to quit. They try repeatedly, but cannot fight the urge to play.
Gambling out of need
When trying to cut down on their gambling or stop altogether, some gamblers experience “psychological withdrawal symptoms.” Like someone who has a drug or alcohol problem, they become irritable, impatient, agitated, or tense if they do not get their “dose” of gambling.
Gambling to forget
These gamblers play to distract themselves, forget their problems, and reduce their stress. The game is not just entertainment for them. It is something they do to feel better and escape from whatever is bothering them. And then the gambling itself causes
Stealing or committing fraud to gamble
Despite their losses, problem gamblers continueplaying, and their finances keep getting worse. Borrowing money from family, friends, and coworkers is no longer enough. To fund their habit and try to solve their problems by hitting the jackpot, they turn to misdeeds and crime.
Gambling because it is the most important thing in the world
Gamblers can become so addicted to the game and the hope to win it all back that they fall into ever-deeper financial, social, and professional trouble. Everything about their lives gradually revolves around and is affected by gambling. It puts their families, friendships, studies, jobs, and future career prospects at risk.
