Problem Gambling

Despite harmful, negative consequences or the desire to stop, problem gambling is an urge to gamble. As few people describe and experience by the term true compulsion in the clinical sense, compulsive gambling is used by many professionals. Rather than by the gambler’s behavior, problem gambling can be defined by what is experience by the gamble or others. Pathological gambling is considered to be an impulse control disorder because the term gambling addiction is generally used in the recovery movement. Gambling which leads to adverse consequences for the gambler, others or for the community, problem gambling is characterized by many difficulties. Crossing over into the realm of mental disorders are extreme cases of problem gambling. To be diagnosed, a person must show at least five or more of the symptoms in the following list: preoccupation, tolerance, withdrawal, escape, chasing, lying, loss of control, illegal acts, risked significant relationship and bailout. Used as a basis for research and clinical practice internationally, the DSM-IV definition of pathological gambling is widely accepted, as with many disorders. Evidence indicates that pathological gambling is an addiction similar to chemical addiction, according to the Illinois Institute for Addiction Recovery.