I have lots of friends in the casino industry and I saw many of them come and go. This was the most common story: They start off being honest, working hard, and play with a level head. The Brews News However, as time goes on they get addicted to playing risky games like blackjack just as people get addicted to anything else.
It feels like something is wrong when your whole life changes because you’re playing with other people’s money instead of your own. You start going to casinos more than you should and your time off is spent thinking about how to beat the casino games.
You’ll probably experience losing streaks and you’ll be worried about your finances. And then eventually, at some point, you realize that there’s something wrong with your behavior and decide to quit gambling for good.
I love playing blackjack now and then but I’m not addicted to it. However, recently I started wondering how people get addicted to it in the first place and what are the most common symptoms of addiction.
How I Got Addicted to Casino :
1. You start playing more than your friends
If you begin playing blackjack more often than most of your friends, then you’re probably getting addicted to the game. I’ve played with some people from high school and they always ask me if I want to play, but if I don’t have time–I don’t.
Now that I’m in college, it’s the same thing. They’ll invite me over but if there’s something fun going on, like a club meeting or an activity night, I won’t be able to make it. This leads me to wonder why they use their dumb money when they can enjoy wasting it with me instead.
2. You start going to casinos
Another thing that’ll lead a person to become addicted to casinos is the fact that you’re going too often. You start going to casinos more than other people and it feels like you’re the only person there.
You’ll be playing at a Vegas casino, bingo hall, or even an Indian reservation. This leads you to think about how much money you can win at these places because your friends don’t go.
3. There’s a problem with your behavior and other people notice it
After a while someone’s going on and on about how this gambling problem is starting to appear in their life and they wonder what they can do about it. My friends started noticing that I was going to casinos more often than they’d expect and they would ask me questions like: “Are you really addicted to casino games?” or “What’s wrong with you?” These questions are usually asked out of a joke but there’s a bit of truth in those comments.
4. You’ve forgotten about other activities
When gambling starts taking up a lot of your time and energy, then it’s probably time for you to stop. When I was going to college, I always had something else to do in my free time besides going to casinos.
Whenever I had a day off, I would still go to school, party with friends, or hang out with my girlfriend. Now I don’t have any friends, my girlfriend hates me for spending a lot of time in the casino instead of visiting her, and my grades are at an all-time low. I always went to casinos when I was bored but now that’s the only thing that interests me.
5. You want to stop but you can’t
Most people eventually decide they want to stop gambling and they try to quit many times. The problem is that they can’t stop because it feels like there’s something more important than that activity in their life. They’ll be at college and they decide to go to a casino instead.
Then they’ll lose some of their money and go back to school. Or, they remember that they need to finish some work for class but end up spending the night playing roulette. This is what it’s like when you’re addicted lifelong and you know it.
6. You’ll do anything for money
The final symptom of gambling addiction is when you become desperate for quick cash, so you’ll use whatever means necessary to get your hands on it. When this happens, it might be time to call it quits since gambling has now taken over your life completely.
How Do I Quit Gambling For Good?
So, now that you know what it’s like to be addicted to gambling and the symptoms that go along with it, you should be able to quit anytime you want. However, quitting is one thing and staying quit is another. So how do I quit gambling for good? Well this is a topic that has come up on several different occasions.
