What is Sports betting?
Sports betting refers to a situation whereby individuals or players place a wager on sporting activities or events. Usually, betting is carried out on traditional sporting events such as horse racing, football, wrestling, baseball, basketball, hockey, rugby, boxing, and others.
It also extends to betting on political events, entertainment, and TV reality shows. In this era of mobile phone proliferation and internet accessibility, sports betting occurs through mobile phone applications and on different websites. Some other individuals also enjoy the luxury of walking into a sports betting arena to place a bet.
People attribute sports betting to different factors and motivations. For some, sports betting is a fun activity which they use while away time. Others have taken to sports betting as a way of making some extra cash. Such persons may have heard the news of people who won millions from sports betting and this compels them to keep on betting with the hope that they will hit it big someday.
Whatever the reason or motivation for sports betting, continued indulgence increases the risk of addiction as observed by Psychgam Services. Suffice it to note that Psychgam Services is the leading centre for the treatment of sports betting or gambling addiction.
Causes of Sports Betting Addiction
Sports betting as earlier noted is an activity which is considered to be good and possibly rewarding. However, continued involvement in sports betting can become a serious problem when out of control and this raises a high index of suspicion for sports betting addiction.
From the perspective of the team of Clinicians at Psychgam Services – Psychiatrists and Psychologists, sports betting addiction is a form of gambling addiction or disorder, which is a persistent and recurrent problematic gambling behaviour leading to clinically significant impairment or distress.
Sports Betting Addiction
The root causes of sports betting addiction are similar to the causes of other gambling addictions as observed by the therapists at Psychgam Services. These causal factors can be broadly categorised into genetic, biological, behavioural and environmental reasons which need to be highlighted in this discourse. Some of these factors could be a focus for modification in the course of therapy.
● Genetic Factors:Research by Gateway Foundation revealed that genetic or hereditary factors play a dominant role in the risk of sports and gambling addiction. The report of the study indicated that the “allele genetic variants” are related to the neurotransmitter systems which are directly associated with the problem of gambling. Hence, people may become disposed to gambling addiction when a family member as determined by genetic discourse is a gambler.
● Biological Factors: The biological factors which may cause gambling and associated sports addiction may include an increase in the level of dopamine, irregularities in serotonin levels, an increase in Norepinephrine (NE) levels and irregularities in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).
● Behavioral and Environmental Factors: Several environmental and behavioural factors have been advanced among the list of factors influencing sports or gambling addiction as also verified by the therapists at Psychgam Services. The causal factors include nearness or easy access to venues of sports betting, advertisements relating to sports betting, living in a settlement of low-income earners, having a mobile phone or internet device which is used for sports betting, desire to solve financial problems and having friends who also do sports betting.
Common Signs and Symptoms of Sports Betting / Gambling Addiction
It is believed that regular sports betting or gambling does not always imply an addiction. In a sense, the signs or symptoms of sports betting addiction are frequently detected when the individual experiences severe suffering or impairment as a result of participating in sports betting or gambling. The following are some probable indicators of a sports betting addiction:
● Being preoccupied with thoughts about betting, relieving past betting experiences, planning the next venture, and thinking of ways to get money for the next bet.
● Desiring to bet with an increased amount of finance to obtain the desired excitement.
● Asking others for financial help to cover up desperate financial situations caused by betting.
● Denying that there is a problem and trying to cover up the extent of the betting problem.
● Borrowing money to engage in sports betting.
● Engaging in theft or illegal activities to fund the act.
● Returning to betting after losing money in an attempt to recover the losses (‘Chasing one’s losses)
● Isolating from colleagues, families, and friends because of the habit.
● Performing poorly in education and career due to so much time wasted as a result of sports betting.
● Using betting as a relief from life problems, anxiety, depression, and stress.
● Often feeling sad, anxious, restless, irritable, possibly angry, and violent when not engaging in the habit.
● Attempting to control or stop the negative behaviour without any success.
● Feeling restless or irritable when attempting to cut down or stop gambling.
Most times, it is better to have a clinical diagnosis to determine if it is sports betting addiction or another mental health condition. You can request a physical or virtual assessment for gambling addiction by sending a WhatsApp chat to 0915-3693-856
Dangers and Effects of Sports Betting Addiction
Sports betting addiction or gambling can be very harmful to the affected individual. Persons with sports betting addiction may face diverse negative psychological, social and physical problems if the uncontrollable habit is left untreated.
The affected individuals can face serious financial crises, bankruptcy, indebtedness, failure in relationships, workplace problems and physical issues. From a chat with an experienced therapist at Psychgam Services, it was learnt that sports betting addiction does indeed result in loss of jobs, academic or work problems, self-destructive behaviours, increased suicidal thoughts, lack of sleep or insomnia, stress, anxiety, and depression.
Solutions/Treatment for Sports Betting Addiction
It is estimated that no fewer than 80 per cent of people suffering from gambling addiction such as sports betting addiction, do not seek treatment in good time. While there is a tendency for people to consider “Doing It Themselves”, this is usually inefficient and there are greater chances of relapse when such individuals try to quit without receiving the right treatment.
Besides, overcoming sports betting addiction can be difficult especially if there is the presence of substance use disorders or co-occurring mental disorders. However, such persons can get appropriate treatment to overcome the addiction when a clinical specialist is involved in providing holistic care for the patient. The available options for treatment include the following;
● Therapies: Motivational interviews help people overcome their resistance to changing the habit while simultaneously boosting their motivation and self-esteem by dealing with underlying problematic behaviours. Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), is a successful therapeutic method for treating compulsive gamblers with the main goal of disproving irrational beliefs or thoughts and mental patterns that lead to such obsessive behaviours. Here, patients are taught techniques and skills throughout the therapy to assist them in altering their beliefs and addictive behaviours. Other therapies include the Twelve Steps of Gamblers Anonymous, Dialectical Behavioural Therapy, Relapse prevention and Financial management.
● Medication: Several medications have been studied as treatments for gambling addiction such as sports betting. Medications are also utilized in the management of mental health comorbidities that may exist together with sports betting addiction. These medications come from a variety of drug classes such as opioid antagonists, Serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SRIs) and Mood stabilizers. These medications are not sold over the counter and rather than self-medicating, it is strongly advised by Psychgam Services that individuals with gambling addiction should seek appropriate medical evaluation and comply with professional advice in their treatment.
● Other strategies: There is a range of other treatment strategies which can be deployed to overcome sports betting addiction as administered by a licensed therapist. Some of these options may align with the inpatient and outpatient programs, aftercare planning and support which ensure that the treated individual stays on the right path, avoid triggers and high-risk situation and prevents relapse. Gambling anonymous programs, family or couple therapy and art therapy could be organized as appropriate. Also, individuals who have recovered from sports betting addiction can be engaged to play useful roles in gambling addiction support groups and awareness campaigns.
There are a lot of misconceptions and thus need for clarification on issues relating to sports betting and other gambling addiction problems. Please channel all enquiries via call or WhatsApp chat to 0915-3693-856