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Online Casino gambling - Addiction and effects - Article by JackpotCity.com in interest of Indian students
Responsible Gambling
INTERNET ADDICTION DISORDER AND ONLINE GAMBLING
Internet Addiction Disorder or IAD and online gambling are both naturally related topics. To articulate the relationship differently, internet addiction can be said to be the entire syllabus and online gambling one of the chapters of the entire course. So, although internet addiction is a relatively new finding, but is not of a very recent origin. The IAD is traveling from the developed countries to the developing countries now. A disorder can be understood in simple language as, an uncontrollable urge to do a particular act over and over again. Before the concept of IAD, the disorders were generally related to the evident physical changes a person exhibits when under influence of a habit or object. The symptoms of those disorders were visible and so their identification was not very complicated.
The use of internet is now no more a tool to get connected or a medium to provide world wide information, rather it has turned out to be a hobby or a pastime. One can find countless profiles, where the hobby of an individual is written as ‘internet surfing’. The switchover from hobby to disorder is a gradual process. Almost at all times the person having disorder does not know himself, when he has crossed the fine line of a pastime to addiction.
SYMPTOMS
However, there are certain diagnosed symptoms which would make the disorder identifiable.
• Generally the person with IAD is obsessed with the use of internet and even conscious efforts on his part become futile in controlling himself.
• The time spent on internet keeps an upward trend. One tends to hide the level of involvement from his family members thereby leading to lying to them which in due course of time leads to mistrust amongst family members.
• At several occasions one even forgets his daily chores and neglects important events in order to surf the net.
• Important relationships, job, social events are bargained for the internet.
WHAT IS THE ATTRACTION?
Next on our minds is to know that what are the activities which lure a logger?
• Sometimes it starts with avoiding some grey area of life, where in order to get away with some event one tends to start surfing the net and end up in making surfing a problem by itself.
• The availability of all types of information on internet makes it very attractive. The countless options to enjoy games and other interactive sessions, which can only be available on the net makes it all the more inviting.
• The comfort of interacting with others without revealing one’s identity is yet another feather in the cap.
ONLINE GAMBLING AND IAD
Online gambling is one of the pleasure sport which leads to IAD. Gambling in land based casinos, is as it is addictive in nature and its easy access on the net makes it available worldwide, thereby increasing its addicts.
Gambling is a game which gives excitement, pleasure, recreation and financial gains. All this makes up the brew so tempting, that maybe unwillingly but everyone wants to have a sip of the same. This psychology of the people is well tapped by the online casino owners. In order to invite an individual into the thrill of the game, free trials are advertised on almost all the sites and the software is so designed that one generally wins in the trail offers. This tempts the logger to go for the actual thrill of the game for once, and then the online casino owners make sure that there’s no looking back. Winning 5 or 6 times the actual amount staked gives the gambler a boost and he keeps on gambling.
Online gambling is also more addictive due to its easy access. At times a person under huge debt tends to fall prey to online gambling by trying his luck in hope of winning and getting relieved from his debts. But, as a matter of fact, every gambler loses more than he wins. One keeps on staking in the hope of covering the loss in the next turn, and eventually lands up in more debts.
Since the loss cannot be seen or physically felt the realization seeps in at a much later stage. This also triggers gambling addiction.
Gambling addiction or compulsive gambling can be said to be a ‘state of mind’ when an individual cannot stay away from betting, knowing completely the adverse consequences of the same. It can be said that when involvement in gambling shifts its role from deriving pleasure to disrupting one’s life it is problem gambling.
TYPES OF COMPULSIVE GAMBLERS
There are two categories which have been formed of problem gamblers.
• Escape gamblers
• Action gamblers
Escape gamblers are those which tend to gamble in order to avoid certain problems of their lives. The problem could be anything ranging from a broken relationship, deceit, failure or just hopelessness. They tend to gamble to avoid thinking of their problems, and their inclination is towards choosing game options which does not require ‘logic’ or ‘rationale’.
Action gamblers are ones which gamble for the thrill and excitement. The pleasure of betting, taking risks, staking, all this gives a push and feeling of satisfaction to gamblers. Like other addictions, the more they spend time on it, the more pleasure they derive from it. They tend to participate in games which involve skill and logic.
The most terrible aspect of online gambling addiction is that it cannot be diagnosed easily. There has not been much research into it and unlike rehab centers for other addictions; we do not have one for this disorder. Still research is going in this field but nothing concrete has come up. The worst part is that since it does not involve intake of any commodity which results into highs, it cannot be diagnosed easily. A person with such disorder tends to start lying and getting isolated. Other things and people in his life gradually lose significance and he loses interest to cater to them.
If one feels that someone in their family is suffering from IAD, he/ she needs to address the problem tactfully, so that the victim doesn’t outsmart the family member and continue with his obsession. Internet in itself is a vital tool for many of our issues, so it cannot be blamed for disorders. As rightly said that, ‘excess of anything is bad’, same theory goes for getting hooked to internet as well. Restraint is the key, how well we understand this is all self dependant.
This article has been contributed Jackpotcity.com online casino to bring awareness about addiction to gambling.
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