Is Gambling Mania Similar to Drug Addiction?

Ludomania is a behavioral disorder characterized by an uncontrollable urge to spend cash at online casino games despite adverse consequences or a desire to stop. Many individuals can potentially face this psychological problem, so be aware of mundane symptoms and ways to avoid forming an addiction to iGaming entertainment. Read this article to enhance your knowledge.

Classic Ludomania Symptoms

To deal with the issue, get as much information as possible. On this account, experts from our team want to indicate a range of symptoms online casino visitors may experience:

1. Preoccupation with Gambling: Regular thoughts about online casino pokies that don’t leave a chance to be distracted and think about something else.
2. Inability to Stop: Difficulty controlling the urge to spin the reels, even when wanting to cut back or stop entirely.
3. Chasing Losses: Continuing playing in an attempt to recover previous losses.
4. Lying and Deception: Hiding the extent of iGaming habits from family and friends.
5. Financial Issues: Experiencing financial hardships due to gambling losses.
6. Emotional Distress: Feeling anxious, irritable, or restless when not spending time at Australian casinos.
7. Risking Relationships: Visiting iGaming websites at the expense of personal relationships, work, or other responsibilities.

All symptoms initially appear mild, so sometimes they are pretty difficult to detect. That is why it is crucial to monitor your mental state and not hesitate to seek help in case of even the slightest problem.

Ludomania is described as a spectrum disorder with different degrees of severity. In the list below, check out the details:

• At-Risk Gambling: At this level, users can demonstrate occasional gambling behavior that does not yet have a significant negative impact on their lives.
• Problem Gambling: Gamblers at this level display symptoms of ludomania, such as preoccupation with playing, unsuccessful attempts to cut back or stop, and potential negative consequences in various areas of life: financial, social, and emotional.
• Compulsive Gambling: This level represents a severe form of ludomania. Individuals with compulsive gambling may exhibit a complete loss of control over their gambling behavior, experience significant disruptions in their lives due to iGaming, and keep visiting ludomania online casinos despite adverse consequences.
• Pathological Gambling: Pathological is believed to be the most severe level of ludomania. Individuals at this level may meet the criteria for a diagnosis of a gambling disorder in psychiatric classifications.

How is Ludomania Diagnosed?

Diagnosing ludomania involves a thorough assessment conducted by a mental health professional (psychologist, psychiatrist, or counselor). Such a procedure follows the guidelines provided in the DSM-5 – a widely recognized classification system for mental health disorders.

How to Prevent Ludomania?

Hearing about possible negative consequences of ludomania, Australian players may wonder how to protect themselves from this mental disorder. Luckily, it isn’t hard to do.

It’s enough to follow the Responsible Gaming principles to avoid the risks of ludomania casinos. It implies limiting the time and cash spent on the website per day, week, and month. You can control yourself without help or contact support agents and ask them to apply time and deposit limits to your account.

We also recommend finding another hobby that will distract you from online pokies. In such a way, you won’t be obsessed with the same activity.

Conclusion

Ludomania is not as scary as it sounds when you know how to keep clear of it. While you control your activity at iGaming platforms, you’re out of harm’s way. So do not hesitate to try out a new hobby and be quick to collect the best casino bonuses!