How to Treat Gambling Addiction

Among the list of vices prevailing nowadays is gambling. This poses a big problem to the society since this vice conquers the person eventually by his becoming addicted to it. Addiction to gambling is a serious threat to one's family solidarity and ruining of life as well. These are the ultimate reasons why there is an urgent need to devise measures to contain its widening grip especially among the youth.

Some of the recommended measures to treat gambling addiction are the following:

1. Through intake of prescribed medicines.

Normally, the right medicines prescribed by doctors to addicted gamblers are the kinds of anti-depressant or medically termed as "Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors" or the SSRR. This medicine is highly applicable to gamblers who become high whenever they win.

2. By way of psychological treatments.

Since the problem of gambling addiction is linked to cognitive behavior of the player based on the theory of psychologists, then, there is a need to subject them to cognitive behavior therapy. This therapeutic approach will enable them to realize the adverse effects of gambling in the long-run, by converting negative thoughts into positive ones.

3. Through group therapy.

Gambling addiction can also be corrected thru organized wholesome forums. In this process, the need to present one's personal problem which led him to addiction will be shared among the group and solicit each member's comment for possible solution. In this way, everyone will realize his own mistakes and negative behavior as if he is the one talking at the center and his own experience resembles that of the speaker. He will thus realize his own failure to identify his mistakes and discuss these with the members of his family due to fear of shame, rejection or that he could be misunderstood.

Gambling addiction has penetrated the society especially among college students. In 2004, the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania reported that 11.4% of their male students are addicted to cards betting. This is notably alarming given the previous year's report of only 6.2% or an increase of 84% in a year's time. Further, based on the Journal of Gambling Studies, gamblers who are mostly college students comprise 1.6% of the total population.

The constant rise in the percentage of gamblers among the college students has gone to an alarming stage. Therefore, it is imperative that gambling addiction be stopped at once!