Mental Health Problems Caused by Gambling
Gambling involves risking money or something else of value in a game with an outcome determined partly by chance. It can be done for fun, but it can also be a way to try to win money or get something free. In some cases, it can lead to mental health problems such as depression and substance abuse.
The Bible teaches that gambling is wrong because it glorifies luck and superstition, instead of the biblical principle of work (see Romans 13:8; Philippians 4:12-16). It encourages laziness rather than hard work, which is condemned in Scripture (1 Thessalonians 4:9). It can also give people false hope that they will eventually win if they keep playing. This can deceive them into thinking that they can live off their winnings without working, thus negating God’s principle that we should “earn our living by the sweat of our brow.”
People can gamble at any age. It is more common for men to develop a problem, but it can affect anyone, including children and older people. People who are lonely, poor or depressed can be especially vulnerable to gambling addiction. Some people start at a young age, and their problem can worsen over time. People who play video and mobile games that have a gambling element can spend hours a day on the games, which can result in them missing out on school or work, or even spending their savings.
Research has shown that gambling can have serious consequences, including mental illness, bankruptcy, and suicide. There is a growing need to evaluate patients for gambling-related disorders in primary care settings. However, the prevailing nomenclature in this area lacks consensus and can cause confusion among research scientists, psychiatrists, other treatment clinicians, and public policy makers.
For example, the term “pathological gambling” has been used since 1980 in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders published by the American Psychiatric Association. But the definition of pathological gambling has changed over time. It now includes a combination of behavioral, psychophysiological, and cognitive warning signs. But the current edition of the DSM – the manual that informs psychologists – dropped one of these warning signs (crime-related gambling).
This has led to debate over whether or not it is appropriate to use the term pathological gambling, given that some people who have serious gambling problems do not meet criteria for a diagnosis of a pathological disorder. In addition, these individuals may be progressing toward a pathological state or they may be pathological gamblers in remission who are recovering from their problem gambling behavior.
In an attempt to reach a consensus, the APA’s Task Force on Psychiatric Labeling and Classification has suggested a new name for this condition, which is called “gambling disorder.” The new designation recognizes that a person’s difficulties in gambling are not just due to a temporary loss of control, but rather are a chronic recurrent symptom in a complex constellation of risk factors that include recreational interest, impaired mathematical skills, distorted thinking, social distancing, and negative emotional responses.