Gambling Has Become a Mental Health Issue: Statistics & Helping Your Loved One Struggling With a Gambling Disorder.
Gambling is everywhere. And for millions of people, it’s becoming not just a financial problem, but a mental health concern that’s impacting their emotional and personal lives.
About two million U.S. adults, or a percent of the population, meet the criteria for having severe gambling problems. That’s according to estimates from the National Council on Problem Gambling, which says another four to six million Americans would be considered to have mild or moderate gambling problems. We’re looking at 1 out of every 20 adults living in the U.S. struggling with gambling in some way.
You no longer have to fly to Las Vegas or Atlantic City to place a bet, hit the slots or play blackjack; you can do it right from your phone. Roughly 85% of U.S. adults have gambled at least once in their lives. Six out of every ten have done so in the past year. Betting has become ubiquitous: It's on the screen when you're watching football. It's on your favorite sports channel, or an advertisement when you're streaming a TV show. It's on the billboard when you’re driving to work.
While a 15-year-old can’t step onto the casino floor, they’re exposed to advertisements from casinos and betting apps nonstop. Anywhere from 2% to 7% of youth develop a gambling disorder, according to Yale Medicine, and many gambling disorders begin in adolescence. College students also gamble at higher rates than the general population.
People who tend to be restless, easily bored, extremely hard-working, or very competitive may be at greater risk of developing gambling disorder.
Gambling, like drinking or substance abuse, can quickly become a problem. It can distract you from real life, living through a betting app rather than focusing fully on the person across from you. It can make your financial situation stressed, no matter how wealthy you are. It can put strains on your relationships with family and friends. According to the Mayo Clinic, compulsive gambling can destroy lives.
The NCPG defines problem gambling (otherwise known as gambling addiction) as such:
All gambling behavior patterns that compromise, disrupt or damage personal, family or vocational pursuits. The symptoms include increasing preoccupation with gambling, a need to bet more money more frequently, restlessness or irritability when attempting to stop, “chasing” losses, and loss of control manifested by continuation of the gambling behavior in spite of mounting, serious, negative consequences.
In extreme cases, problem gambling can result in financial ruin, legal problems, loss of career and family, or even suicide.
Financial ruin, legal problems, loss of career, suicide. Whether mental health issues themselves or not, they’re correlated with increased stress, anxiety, depression and a slew of other conditions.
Some form of legalized gambling is available in 48 states plus the District of Columbia, meaning it isn’t exactly escapable. If you or a loved one feel compelled to gamble, or your daily life is suffering, two options include calling 1-800-GAMBLER or seeking help from a mental health clinician. But gambling is a normal occurrence and many people partake without any significant issues—so how do you approach a loved one who you think might be struggling?
Gambling is a difficult subject to discuss. Someone suffering from a mental health issue may also be struggling financially due to their disorder.
Here's how you can approach a friend or family member who's succumbing to their gambling:
Listen and be patient with their willingness to open up
Support them; let them know you're there for them
Educate yourself—do your homework on what gambling addiction is and looks like
Set goals for them. Progress can alleviate what looks like an insurmountable burden
Screen Your Patients With MHT
Mental Health Technologies aims to help primary care physicians, mental health providers and other healthcare specialists identify, track, refer and bill for mental conditions.
Our platform can track if a patient is regressing in certain areas or developing signs of a mental health problem, like gambling addiction. We can help you send patients assessments, upload results into your EHR, notify you of high-risk answers and make referrals on your behalf.
MHT also tracks & uploads subsequent test results performed by referred specialists. To learn more about how the MHT service works, contact us here, today.
Resources:
https://www.ncpgambling.org/help-treatment/faq/
https://www.yalemedicine.org/conditions/gambling-disorder
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/compulsive-gambling/symptoms-causes/syc-20355178