According to the Canada Safety Council, gambling addiction is linked to a range of severe personal and social harms such as depression and suicide, bankruptcy, family breakup, domestic abuse, assault, fraud, theft, and even homelessness.
That problem gaming is a serious issue, and here at Envavo, we are dedicated to promoting responsible gaming.
This article will discuss how you can identify problem gaming both from yourself and the people around you. This guide is for players suspecting that they have a problem or that someone they care for has a problem. Some may also be interested in learning the signs to avoid problem gaming later.
The Signs of Problem Gaming
You can use several signs to identify problem gamers. These include:
- An intense preoccupation with gambling, either as a result of thinking about it constantly or spending time planning the next session.
- Need more and more money to feel the same level of excitement.
- Avoiding friends and family in favor of gambling, especially if it leads to a drop in performance at work or school.
- Feeling irritable when not allowed access to the casino or local gaming venue, even when no one else is playing.
- Becoming defensive about spending time gambling rather than being with friends or family.
- Often gambling until the wee hours of the morning during business days, losing sleep as a result.
- Have trouble controlling impulses to gamble more than you can afford.
- Finding yourself bored by everything except playing the game or being online, no matter what you are doing.
- Lying about how much time or money is spent playing games.
- It is essential to understand that the number of times these signs appear in an individual will vary depending on how severe their addiction is.
Most people who suffer from problem gambling do not identify themselves as addicts but rather rationalize their behavior. This can make it difficult for them to seek help. If you need more information about how to deal with problem gaming, you can read our guide on how to react to problem gaming.