Problem gambling and substance addiction overlap in many ways, however, there are distinct differences between the two. Gambling is a more behavioral and cognitively rooted disorder compared to substance addiction. In cognitive terms, research shows that excessive gamblers have distorted perceptions of their ability to win at games of chance. Similar to how a schizophrenic can have delusions of grandeur. It is difficult to determine if someone is a gambling addict because there are no physical tell tale signs like with substance abusers. Furthermore, a persons financial and bank records are confidential making it difficult to determine what their spending habits are like.
You can determine if a person is a problem gambler by paying attention to behavioral changes and to talk to them about it. Ask if they won anything recently, and use the conversation to probe for information. You can pretend to take an interest and ask them how to play or place bets. Ask them what is the most they ever won, and the most they ever lost in one session. If the largest amount they lost in one session seems too much compared to how much they are earning, then there is a high chance they have a problem. If you can find a way to let them open up to you about their interest in gambling, you can get an idea if they are just casual or problem gamblers.
You can also try to find a way to see their spending patterns. Take a look at their credit card statement and look for charges for online gambling. Casually ask to borrow their phone and see if they have a lot of gambling apps. Find out if they have been borrowing money from friends and co-workers. Take note if they are suddenly selling or pawning household items. These are usually indicators that a person is having problems managing their finances due to excessive gambling.
For more information regarding problem gambling, contact Milestone Health & Wellness HERE.