Who is the gamer

Today, problem gambling is quite topical, because so many people have such a dependence. Let's see what is gambling addiction and help us in this Markin Artem Igorevich - the psychologist of the rehabilitation centre "Pulse", which is directly involved in the treatment of pathological gambling. Detailed visit .

Gambling addiction

Ludomania, gambling (from lat. ludus - the game),  pathological gambling or gambling addiction – it is a mental disorder based on pathological desire to play for money (in computer and gaming clubs, casinos, sweepstakes, etc.). The main symptom of this disease is recurring all the time the patient's participation in gambling, which often deepens and leads to impoverishment and destruction of his personal life and family.

There is a perception that the player is likely only to easy money, limited people, but it is true. Often, gamers is largely talented, energetic people who have either experienced success or aspire to. Most of them have had a great career, loved sports, in business they were risky. Play begins not with the purpose of enrichment, and for leisure and entertainment, because the game is an easy way to escape from problems. Gamers want "to disable the brains", to relax, to escape from the monotony of existence, boredom and loneliness, to experience a joyful and pleasant emotions at the end of the day, to regain previously lost strong emotions. But most of them do not understand that this passionate and dramatic play bet is not money, but their mental health and sometimes even life.

Drawn into the game very quickly, sometimes in a few weeks. As soon as these people start to win, it begins to seem that it will happen always. They begin to spend more time and waiting a cash prize as a reward, but they only guaranteed loss and win - only probable. After losing, the addict begins to blame himself, feeling anger and frustration, trying by any way to win, thus fueling the excitement. Pathological gamblers have in common that they do not know how to lose and love to win.

of Course, not all compulsive gamblers become pathological gamblers. There are people who play with "almost" a cool head. It has a high level of self-control, self-sufficient people who pridelyayut the game very little time, not make big bets, and play only on the amount of money that afford to lose. They play occasionally and only for recreation do not pursue the vain and selfish goals, while winning react with restraint.

TRANS

In a time when gamers log in on the excitement, and during the game makes increasingly higher rates, thereby increasing the risk in the game, then quietly to himself he begins to sink games a trance and forget about everything. And if they win, you have no idea what to do with the winnings and bet again, playing until end funds. Such trance States soprovojdayutsya emissions of a huge number of neurohormones that, in turn, gives the player the opportunity to receive strong emotions, it is difficult to obtain in real life. Gamers immersed in some virtual state and does expense money and time. From games it can Wake up only when cash or it will fall exhausted.

Players very quickly forget remorse, and in a short time they again feel a strong attraction to the game. Overcomes their anger and resentment, they think they "threw". They want to otygratsya and return lost funds. This motive leads them again in gaming establishments. But in reality, they're attracted to the game itself and unforgettable emotions that they want to relive. Then traced the pattern: suffering from the loss of the heavier and deeper, the stronger will be the pleasure of winning. Mental state during the game of trance, comparable to the effect of narcotic substances. The attraction to these sensations so strong that the addict eventually loses interest in real life. The higher the stakes, the higher the dose of these vergemoli. That is, slot the deeper the trance, the higher the risk a lot to lose and hope to win a lot. Not banal greed, and it is this pathological condition and becomes the cause of the catastrophic ruin of the player.

How to recognize a gambling problem?

Pathological players for some time can't play (if they are in the territory where there are no gambling house or when they have no money for games). But they just want to be near the playing hall and to have the required amount something in their brain snaps and they are playing trance, forcing them to think only about the game and about anything but her. In this state the addict becomes sly, cunning, inventing all sorts of pretexts, so as only to leave and start the game. His passion they hold in secret for a very long time, so it is very difficult to understand that they have a similar problem. But relatives of the players may notice that the last for no apparent reason started:

• very carefully monitor all purchases;
• all in a row to save money;
• to hide their costs and revenues;
• to come up with different versions of loss of money;
• to take under various pretexts money from acquaintances and friends.

For gamers sophisticated deception becomes a habit. The same change may indirectly indicate that they are trying to save money for a new game.

Pathological players for a long time convince themselves that that is not okay and that at any moment they can stop playing. Gamers say: “I would act out and would never return to the game". But over time, the desire to play becomes overwhelming and leads only to increasing severity of addiction, family disintegration, destruction and personal degradation. Very often the desire at any cost to get money for the game pushes gamers on offense and far often, they commit suicide, unable to withstand his fall.

Treatment

Treatment of pathological gambling should be long and complex and in any case can not be transient. In order to get rid of this severe disease need to exercise persistence and patience. Cure is largely connected not only with restoration of mental health of gamers, as well as change in its lifestyle and the revaluation of life values. Treatment needs to connect as professionals (psychologists, psychiatrists-psychotherapists), and friends and relatives of the patient. But, unfortunately, in practice, few are willing to endure the madness of a pathological player and as a result he is falling especially fast.

Translated by "Yandex.Translate": translate.yandex.ru.