Gambling is an activity in which people bet or risk something of value — usually money – on the outcome of a random event. The activity is regulated by state and national law and may involve activities like lotteries, sports betting and casino games. People gamble for a variety of reasons, such as to win money, socialise or escape worries or stress. However, for some people gambling can become an addictive behaviour. Having a problem with gambling can have a negative impact on mental health. It can lead to depression, anxiety and suicidal feelings. If you or a loved one is struggling with these issues, there are a number of organisations that can help.
Many people with mental health problems struggle with gambling, including those who don’t have a diagnosed condition. This is partly because gambling can provide a temporary high, but it also has the potential to increase the severity of existing conditions (such as depression). It can be difficult for friends and family to recognise when gambling becomes a problem. They may notice that a person is spending more money than they have, hiding bills or taking out loans to fund their gambling activities. They may also notice that the person is missing events, lying to them or avoiding contact.
For some people, their addiction to gambling is so severe that it meets criteria for an official diagnosis of a pathological disorder. To help identify people with a gambling problem, a number of screening tools have been developed. These include the EIGHT questionnaire, a short assessment designed to spot early signs of problematic gambling. The tool asks a series of questions about how often and how much a person gambles, whether they have ever tried to cut back on gambling, and whether they’ve experienced any financial problems as a result of their gambling. It can be completed by a friend or family member and takes about five minutes to complete.
A number of theories have been proposed to explain why some people develop an addiction to gambling. One theory suggests that people who gamble may be more likely to have a personality type that makes them more impulsive and susceptible to rewards. Another theory involves the idea that a person’s brain chemical, dopamine, may play a role in the development of an addiction to gambling.
The research on gambling and psychiatry is ongoing. Some recent studies have looked at the effect of different treatments on gambling and other impulsive behaviors. Others have looked at ways to prevent gambling relapse. Still others have focused on the relationship between gambling and depression and other mood disorders.
To assess the quality of this evidence, we used the MEDLINE database (1966 to present) to search for articles that reported on the effects of gambling on physical or mental health. The resulting articles were examined to determine whether they met the following criteria: 1) The article involved humans and was published in a peer-reviewed journal; 2) The text was written in English; 3) It discussed the effects of gambling on human health; and 4) It discussed screening strategies for problem and pathological gambling and treatment interventions.