High Stakes: D'Amore Healthcare Offers Gambling Addiction Treatment

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Feb 07, 2020, 08:00 ET

HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif., Feb. 7, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Many people see gambling solely as a way to raise the stakes on major sporting events or kill some time on vacation. You may like to get an office pool together to bet on the Super Bowl or to see who builds the best Final Four bracket. But in the internet age, gambling is no longer limited to friendly wagers. Nor is it restricted to resort cities like Las Vegas and Atlantic City. International gambling websites and mobile apps make placing large bets as easy as checking your email. Unfortunately, easy access to gambling can enable people with addictive tendencies to take it too far.

As a result, the need for gambling addiction treatment has increased dramatically in recent years. Until the 80s, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) considered gambling addiction to be an impulse-control disorder. However, more recent research shows that problem gambling is more closely related to drug addiction. Both activities impact the brain's reward system and prompt a massive release of dopamine.

Just like an opiate addict, problem gamblers will eventually need larger amounts of their drug of choice. Gambling addicts build up a tolerance to the "high" that gambling gives them. They require bigger and riskier bets to produce the desired effects. This type of process addiction is closely tied to other mental health disorders and substance abuse issues.

A person who is unable to stop gambling may begin to feel helpless, frustrated, and out of control. They often experience intense guilt and resentment due to their addiction and can attempt to self-soothe with drugs and alcohol. A gambling addict may develop an anxiety disorder or Major Depressive Disorder as they begin to spiral downward.

When a friend or family member has a gambling addiction, they often start out being very secretive about it. In many instances, you may not become aware of the issue until the consequences of their behavior begin to pile up. In a fit of desperation, they may reach out to you and ask for help. But a loan is not the type of support that this person needs. Addiction often turns a parent, child, or partner's loving instincts against them. In these situations, it is usually best to get professional help.

D'Amore Healthcare's residential treatment program helps those suffering from a gambling addiction by reducing distractions and removing gambling triggers. We provide a comfortable and safe environment full of encouragement. Our approach is designed to address the many aspects of a gambling addiction and its consequences. Our gambling addiction treatment plans are personalized for each individual to ensure precision and lasting results.

Please visit D'Amore Healthcare's website at damorehealthcare.com or call (714) 375-1110 for more information on this and other important subjects.

SOURCE D'Amore Healthcare