Signs and Symptoms of Compulsive Gambling
While the occasional foray into sports betting or poker playing is an acceptable part of adult life, when gambling morphs from a pleasurable way to pass time into a compulsive activity with a range of negative side effects, the results can be devastating. MVP Health Care compulsive gambling treatment can help you get your gambling under control, but first you’ll need to recognize the signs and symptoms:
- Taking increasingly bigger risk or placing increasingly bigger bets
- Preoccupation with gambling or reliving past gambling experiences
- Using gambling as a way to escape real-world problems or emotions
- Feeling guilty, angry, or remorseful as a result of gambling activity
- Hiding or lying about how much or how often you’re gambling
- Borrowing money or stealing to support your gambling habit
- Trying to cut back on gambling or stop gambling altogether and not being able to
Treating Compulsive Gambling Disorders
Though there is no one single cause of compulsive gambling, there are some conditions or situations that can work to lessen inhibition and make compulsive behavior more likely. People with bi-polar disorder experience manic episodes that can contribute to excessive gambling, and medications used to treat restless leg syndrome and Parkinson’s disease can play a part as well. Pre-existing conditions like antisocial personality disorder and schizophrenia can increase the risk of compulsive behavior, as can co-addictions like drug and alcohol abuse.
Any successful MVP Health Care compulsive gambling treatment plan will take all of these factors into consideration, but ultimately recovery depends on a combination of physiological and psychological care designed to treat the patient on a holistic basis.
- Medication can help with impulse control and address any underlying physical, emotional, or psychological issues.
- Psychotherapists will work with patients to help identify triggers and redirect cravings to prevent relapse.
- Financial counseling is an important part of recovery as it addresses a major motivator for compulsive gamblers: money.
- Family counseling is important not just for patients, but for loved ones who have been affected by their family member’s compulsive gambling and need to know why it happened and how they can help in the future.
- Support groups and 12-step programs give patients a chance to openly express their concerns and address their feelings in a safe space amongst like-minded people without fear of judgment or reprisal.
Cost of Care
MVP Health Care compulsive gambling treatment may be covered in partiality or in full, depending on your individual policy. A qualified insurance expert can help you evaluate your coverage and how much out-of-pocket expenses you can expect so that you can structure your recovery without risking financial security or overall piece of mind.