For many, gambling is an enjoyable recreational activity consisting possibly of a yearly visit to Atlantic City, buying lottery tickets for a $10 million jackpot, betting on horses at the races or sports games such as football. Gambling is so common today that it has become an acceptable form of recreation in many cultures. For some individuals, however, gambling has become a typical part of their weekly or even daily routine. Gambling is common in men and women of various age groups, ethnic backgrounds, and socioeconomic status. Gambling often begins in adolescence and continues into adulthood. Gambling can be considered a learned behavior, meaning that children who grow up with parents or other role-model figures who gamble, will be more likely to engage in gambling themselves.

People sometimes find that their gambling habits have gotten out of control, which is referred to as "compulsive gambling," or a gambling addiction. Compulsive gamblers will most likely experience problems in one or more of the following areas:

Excessive Time Spent Gambling - gambling during lunch, before and after work, on vacation, etc…

Mood Swings or Changes - irritability, decreased self-esteem, dishonesty or secrecy, anxiety, or suicidal thoughts and ideas

Boasting - increased talk about winning while minimizing losses

Relationships Changes - less time spent with friends and family, increased isolation, increased neglect of family and social responsibilities

Continual Increasing Size and Frequency of Wagers - increased feelings of 'loss of control', failure to quit or cut back, no spending limit, ongoing search for the "big win"

Health Issues - stress, back pain, and other physical ailments (digestive problems, cardiac problems, hypertension, high blood pressure, etc…)

Financial Difficulties - serious debt, pattern of borrowing money, complaints about poor financial situation

Legal Problems - borrowing / embezzling, theft, fraud

Problems at Work - Absenteeism, frequently on the phone, decreased productivity, impaired performance, gambling in the workplace, stealing from the organization and/or colleagues, and manipulation of expense accounts.

Compulsive gambling occurs on a continuum, ranging from mild to severe. The majority of people affected with a gambling problem rarely exhibit all of the above signs and symptoms at any given time. Rather, it is more common that a person will experience a few of the above problems and will continually deny that there is a problem with his/her gambling activities.

As devastating as compulsive gambling can be for the individual and the family, there is treatment. Compulsive gambling is a complex problem that must be treated with a multi-faceted and multi-dimensional program. Treatment begins with a thorough assessment and diagnosis of the problem. This can be done by your company's EAP professional, outside doctor or therapist. The actual treatment phase for compulsive gambling usually consists of education about the problem, individual and group counseling, financial planning, and participation in support groups (i.e. Gambler's Anonymous).

Similar to other addictions and compulsive behaviors, gambling is an addiction that does not "go away" with treatment, but rather can be managed by the individual in recovery. Working a program that includes appropriate aftercare services are encouraged and effective for the recovering gambler.

Resource: Gambler's Anonymous (National Hotline) 1-800-522-4700

If you need additional information or assistance, please contact your EAP.