What Are the Signs and Symptoms of a Gambling Disorder?

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Gambling is the wagering of something of value, usually money, on an activity based mostly on chance with the hope of winning a prize. It has been part of human societies since prerecorded history and is found in a wide variety of customs and rites of passage. Although a significant subset of people who gamble develop a problem known as gambling disorder (defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition, as a persistent, recurrent pattern of involvement with gambling that results in distress or impairment), most people who gamble do so without problems.

Some of the most common signs and symptoms of a gambling problem include:

Feeling the need to be secretive about your gambling activities. This can be because you feel that others won’t understand your addiction, or because you think you might be able to convince yourself that you’re about to win big.

Beating gambling problems takes tremendous strength and courage, especially when you’ve lost a lot of money and strained or broken relationships as a result. But it’s possible, and many others have done it before you.

A key step is to realize you have a problem and to get help for it. There are many resources available for those struggling with gambling, including therapy. BetterHelp matches you with licensed, accredited therapists who can help with depression, anxiety, and relationships — which may be contributing factors to gambling problems. Start with a free assessment today.