Gambling Addiction
There’s nothing wrong with gambling. It fulfills our need to be involved in even an indirect form. The bet you place on a roulette wheel makes that little white ball a part of you. When you bet you are stepping outside the safe routine of your life and involving yourself in the adventure of taking a chance.
We all crave excitement of some kind. Very few, if any, of us can live an Indiana Jones lifestyle. But we can pit ourselves safely against others (playing poker) or take part in a big adventure along with others (buying a lottery ticket). Scientific tests have shown that a poker players adrenalin levels go up when he has a good hand or even when he’s bluffing with a bad one. The same applies to people who buy lottery tickets and watch the draw on TV. Their adrenalin levels rise as the draw is being conducted.
Adrenalin boosts you metabolism and gives you a safe and natural “high.” That’s something we all crave. And the one of the most common ways of getting this “high” is the emotion that comes when we are involved in an activity and where the outcome affects us. In most of us, our bodies regulate our desire for this excitement and keep it in reasonable limits. But occasionally the regulation mechanism short circuits. That’s when the need for the excitement of gambling gets uncontrolled and passes all safe limits. That’s when you become a gambling addict.
Gambling is a way for us to be safe and yet part of an adventure where the outcome is unknown. As long as it is kept under control and within limits and we do not bet – in money terms – more than we can afford, it is a safe outlet for all the tension that builds up in us. Even losing is not bad. At least you took part in the adventure.
So you say you have never placed a bet in your life? I bet you
are wrong!
berksmateo 