If Winning and Losing Leads to Gambling Addiction, Is There Really no Way Out?

[serjent05]

I am really intrigued by how a normal gambling session can lead to gambling addiction.  I read people saying winning in a gambling session can lead to gambling addiction, while I read in articles that losing also leads to gambling addiction.  Does this mean that whether a person gambles for fun or for profit will be a gambling addict, since both winning and losing are experienced by the same group.

Maybe we will ask, "Why does winning contribute to gambling addiction?" or think that since winning leads to gambling addiction, losing shouldn't be.  But I was surprised when I read that both winning and losing contribute to gambling addiction.  This makes us think that there is no way out for gamblers but to get addicted, right?

Before that, let us see the reason why winning contributes to gambling addiction.

Winning makes us think that we can beat the system, so our feeling is high, and with the brain reward system, dopamine is excreted, making us feel good, and our brain hungers for it, so we tend to gamble more to recreate the feeling of euphoria and excitement.  With continuous activity like this, we end up breaking the control, thus leading to uncontrol urge to gamble.

Over time, the brain’s response to dopamine changes. In chronic gamblers, studies show that the dopamine system becomes less sensitive to rewards, a phenomenon known as tolerance. As a result, individuals may gamble more frequently or take greater risks to achieve the same level of satisfaction, perpetuating the cycle of addiction.

But wait, how does losing contribute to addiction?

According to this site the more a gambler loses money the more they persevere gambling activity which lead to chasing losses creating a trap for the gambler.  It is also stated that there is a release of dopamine in both losing and winning, and study shows that those gamblers who lose have a more pronounced release of dopamine.

Determining the exact timing of subjective feelings or how losses spur on a gambler's desire to play during gambling episodes is difficult because different emotions and cognitions constantly overlap. Nevertheless, Linnet et al., (2010) were able to measure mesolimbic DA release in PG and HC winning or losing money. Unexpectedly, they found no difference in dopaminergic responses between PG and HC who won money. Dopamine release in the ventral striatum, however, was more pronounced for the losses in PG relative to HC. Given the motivational impact of mesolimbic DA, Linnet and colleagues argue that this effect could explain loss-chasing in PG

This is the reason why playing for fun is no different from playing for profit.  Both groups experience wins and losses, which makes our brain release dopamine that can trigger addiction.

So the question is, "Is there really no way out for gamblers to stay fit and in control?"  Is gambling addiction inevitable??   If winning and losing lead to addiction, how can we maintain our sanity?


Before that, I think this video can help us understand how gambling addiction develops.
 

What Is This Video About?

This video features a brain character called ‘BE’ going through the phases of a gambling problem. It shows how the brain gets hooked on gambling, how its functioning can be hijacked but also how the brain can be restored if the gambling stops. Key concepts in the ‘Clinical Handouts’ and ‘BE Briefs!’ are introduced.

[Ojima-ojo]

Regardless if you playing for fun, or playing for the profits, if you play beyond the normal level you are expected to play, and you get so involved, you can become addicted, same ways if you win or you lose in gambling you can still be addicted.


What matters is how you gambling, and not or what you get from gambling, whatever you do too much is already addictions, when it becomes uncontrollably done multiple times

[nelson4lov]

Gambling only because a problem of addiction if one allows it to be. It's almost the same with how other forms of addiction work so that's why I agree that even constant winnings can contribute indirectly to the addiction. One mentality that fuels gambling a lot is the fact that in gambling, you can only lose 100% of your money but you can win as much as 1000x worth of profit.

If you do it long enough to convince your brain that it's a need must situation, then it becomes an addiction.

[kotajikikox]

This is the reason why playing for fun is no different from playing for profit.  Both groups experience wins and losses, which makes our brain release dopamine that can trigger addiction.

Yes but those who are playing for profit are most likely to do it a lot more, no? Hence it’s more likely for them to get addicted. Those who only play for fun will only do it when they’re free but if you’re hoping to get profit you are most likely to spend more time gambling.

So the question is, "Is there really no way out for gamblers to stay fit and in control?"  Is gambling addiction inevitable??   If winning and losing lead to addiction, how can we maintain our sanity?

If it’s inevitable, then we all should be addicted by now but we know that’s not the case.

[Sticky Bomb]

The way out is to apply moderation in both scenarios. When winning, do not get too greedy and gamble endlessly seeking more wins. Truly you might hit more wins, but the tendency of over indulgence is building up and surely over indulgence brings addiction and you'll end up repeating such excessiveness in a losing day which would see you chasing loses and losing heavily in the process and since you're prone to excessiveness, you'll lose control and continue gambling and then it has become a big problem for you.

Gambling in moderation both when winning and when losing would strike a balance in your gambling activities and there would be a very slim chance of getting addicted.

[AmoreJaz]

Gambling only because a problem of addiction if one allows it to be. It's almost the same with how other forms of addiction work so that's why I agree that even constant winnings can contribute indirectly to the addiction. One mentality that fuels gambling a lot is the fact that in gambling, you can only lose 100% of your money but you can win as much as 1000x worth of profit.

If you do it long enough to convince your brain that it's a need must situation, then it becomes an addiction.

It is yourself that is your enemy here. Addiction comes from days and days of playing without thinking that one day, you will get addicted. If you are not checking your lifestyle every once in a while, the chance that you will head to addiction is high as you are not assessing where you are now at your supposedly side hustle. So yes, it needs constant assessment of what you are doing, else, you would know you are already too deep in this habit where it is like impossible for you to get out.

[Odogwu-Blockchain]

Before that, let us see the reason why winning contributes to gambling addiction.

It's even the worst factor to addiction, because it gives you a fake feelings that you can still win again and again, you keep on trying more and more and more to the point you chase loses while it continues like that.

The only way out to this is gambling only weekend especially on sport betting, not extending to casino is a good step.

[Sonia_123]

The only way out will be based on the individual to learn how to control himself in other not to get addicted either in winning or losing be gamble is not meant to be held responsible for whatever actions or what you turned out to be because there are rules and regulations that bide gambling therefore if you failed to follow the rules and regulations you should be held responsible for your actions and you should have learnt from past experienced gamblers, since gambling has being from time memorial.

The only way out is to have self control of yourself, be satisfied with the outcome of your gambling result, don't gamble with what you cannot afford to lose, avoid chasing loses or wins, set limits for yourself.

[acroman08]

So the question is, "Is there really no way out for gamblers to stay fit and in control?"  Is gambling addiction inevitable??   If winning and losing lead to addiction, how can we maintain our sanity?

Gambling addiction is not "inevitable" even if the gambler gambles a lot, I mean, there are a lot of gamblers who frequently gamble and yet they are not addicted. Also, if you want to protect yourself from becoming a gambling addict, gamble responsibly. There are a lot of tips out there that come from organisations that deal with gambling addiction on how to gamble responsibly.

[BitMaxz]

It's even the worst factor to addiction, because it gives you a fake feelings that you can still win again and again, you keep on trying more and more and more to the point you chase loses while it continues like that.

The only way out to this is gambling only weekend especially on sport betting, not extending to casino is a good step.

That's not a fake feeling; it is because of an increase of dopamine. If you win the game, it will trigger your greediness to keep you bet because you think you can achieve more reward; in the end, you will end up losing.

Like you said, limiting yourself is the solution, but gambling every weekend isn't the best solution if you're already addicted. I think a vacation with family will help reduce that addiction or if there's a rehab facility near attending to any of this will help drop your dopamine.

[PX-Z]

Limit your wins and losses. Discipline and decision making matters most on such thing. It's not that there's no way out. I still gamble in anyway i can, but not to extent that i want it or need to play daily.
But of course if you are already addicted such things will not work and you need some medication and health experts and other stuff.
What i'm saying is prevention, before anything worst.

[Agbamoni]

I think you are misunderstanding how addiction works. You dont get addicted because you won or you lose. People get addicted because they become greedy. The moment you start chasing loses and going for more win, it's the moment addiction begins. On a regular day, if you gambling with discipline you wont get addicted even if you win or you lose.

[BitGoba]

So the question is, "Is there really no way out for gamblers to stay fit and in control?"  Is gambling addiction inevitable??   If winning and losing lead to addiction, how can we maintain our sanity?

Although both wins and losses can increase the risk of addiction due to dopamine release and chasing losses,this does not mean addiction is inevitable. Players who set clear limits on time and money, and gamble only for fun, can stay in control and avoid developing compulsive behavior.

[Fivestar4everMVP]

I am really intrigued by how a normal gambling session can lead to gambling addiction.  I read people saying winning in a gambling session can lead to gambling addiction, while I read in articles that losing also leads to gambling addiction.  Does this mean that whether a person gambles for fun or for profit will be a gambling addict, since both winning and losing are experienced by the same group.

Maybe we will ask, "Why does winning contribute to gambling addiction?" or think that since winning leads to gambling addiction, losing shouldn't be.  But I was surprised when I read that both winning and losing contribute to gambling addiction.  This makes us think that there is no way out for gamblers but to get addicted, right?

Winning can lead to gambling addiction because like Oliver twist, the gambler will get greedy and want even more winning to enable him make more money since money is never enough, he will continue to gamble to gain more money until gambling becomes a major part of him.

On the other hand, talking about how losing can also lead to addiction? It's also very simple, the gambler gambles and loses his money, he knows that there is still an opportunity to win and recover that money and even make gains if he continues to gamble, so he continues, at a point, he is even no longer interested in the profit, all he wants now is to recover back the money he had lost, so he continues to play the game until gambling becomes part of him.

But on both scenerios, there is always a way out to escape from addiction as a gambler whether you are winning or losing, and that way out is to gamble responsibly, don't waste too much time every day on gambling, gamble like 3 or 4 times a week and not consecutively, use the free off gambling days to do other things you like that is not related to gambling at all, could be reading a novel or any good book, or traveling to a new location etc, this would help your brain to not dwell on gambling alone and get used to it which is what is known as addiction.

[SmartGold01]

Regardless if you playing for fun, or playing for the profits, if you play beyond the normal level you are expected to play, and you get so involved, you can become addicted, same ways if you win or you lose in gambling you can still be addicted.


What matters is how you gambling, and not or what you get from gambling, whatever you do too much is already addictions, when it becomes uncontrollably done multiple times

That is right and what makes gamblers becoming easily addicted to gambling is the much time they are focusing on gambling site or using to gambling, if activities occupies our day to day activities without us having to think something else apart from gambling then such person easily becomes addicted to that particular they were putting much efforts and time. Addiction doesn't come in only gambling, smoker, drunker, womanizer and gangster, all these things are what makes people easily got addicted whenever they so much put their interest and thinking over there it becomes that easier for them, and changing from it could be that very hard for them.
To prevent addiction, you must learn how to regular your gambling activities, the time, the funds and focus you do give to any gambling site you must reduce them to be able to free from gambling addiction.

[Rruchi man]

Regardless if you playing for fun, or playing for the profits, if you play beyond the normal level you are expected to play, and you get so involved, you can become addicted, same ways if you win or you lose in gambling you can still be addicted.

What matters is how you gambling, and not or what you get from gambling, whatever you do too much is already addictions, when it becomes uncontrollably done multiple times

The summary of this is "balance" and how important it is to exercise. Wins or losses, joy or tragedy, etc., can all lead to addiction; there is no fixed path to that state. This is why the practice of balance must be engaged to ensure that things are done in moderation regardless of the state you are in.

Now thinking of "balance," to maintain it, I think it goes back to discipline, because it will require discipline to maintain balance in gambling.

[Fortify]

Losing is inevitable when playing regular games against the casino, they build every game to give them an edge - it might be 1% or it might be 10%, but they are usually upfront about it because gamblers play these games regardless. Nobody is forced to play these games but the worst mindset you can get into is thinking you're owed a win because you've ploughed so much money into a game. Each new spin on a slot, roll of a dice or spin of a roulette wheel is separate from all others and subject to those inviolable odds. There are limitless resources out there for somebody that wants to learn the mathematical odds and calculations, presented in many different ways to understand.

[DaNNy001]

The key to maintaining a healthy gambling lifestyle is moderation...if winning and losing causes one to be addicted then that means that you have to be very careful when you experience either one of them...whenever you are in profit you must ensure that you have a limit, instead of trying to get more wins ensure that you take a break and on the other hand when you are losing avoid trying to chase losses to recover

[michellee]

That will depend on how gamblers treat gambling. If they know that gambling is for fun, they will not playing gambling too long. Even though they do not playing gambling too often. They know about the risks so they will not playing gambling over time.

But many people get deeper into gambling. They can not stop gambling and difficult to control themselves. That makes them spend more money without thinking about their losses. So that will makes them addicted to gambling.

No matter the result we will never chase more wins or recover the loss. We know the consequences of playing gambling so we will limit ourselves.

[lovesmayfamilis]

OP is right; every time we play, we get a dose of dopamine, after which the desire to play increases. I think that this is the root cause of all gambling addiction, because people cannot win regularly, but the process of the game itself helps them feel what attracts them to the game. How to avoid this? Perhaps someone who knows how our "system" works will be able to resist it without giving in to their emotions. In addition, if the gameplay is very addictive, we need to train ourselves to play for a certain amount of time, so as not to become slaves to games, and strictly adhere to it.