In general, gambling can be defined as the act of placing a bet or a wager on an occasion with unknown results with the goal of gaining more money or valuables than the original sum. According to a 1974 theory by psychiatrist Dr. Robert L. Custer, people who gamble can be further classified into one of six different categories, which are:
Professional
Anti-social
Casual-social
Serious-social
Relief and escape
Compulsive
With the exception of professional and casual social gamblers, those within one of the above categories are at risk of developing addiction problems without proper supervision and self-control.
When it comes to gambling addiction in Malaysia, quite a few patients tend to opt for similar methods used in regular drug addiction treatment due to their effectiveness.
Causes of Gambling Addiction​
There are several reasons why some people turn out to be heavily addicted to gambling activities. These may include:
The need to make some quick cash
Yearning for excitement and an adrenaline rush
Tempted by the high social status that comes with lucrative gambling
Symptoms
When left untreated, a person might end up suffering from severe gambling addiction if they exhibit certain behaviours, such as:
Being overly secretive about their gambling activities and financial situation
Keep on gambling despite running out of money
Unable to control or stop gambling altogether
Developing strained personal and professional relationships
Additional Risk Factors for Gambling Addiction
On top of the main causes, gambling addiction can also be triggered by the following aspects, for instance:
Personality traits
Use of dopamine agonists
Mental health disorder
Influence from a family member or peer
Treatment
Typically, the most common method implemented in order to combat gambling addiction in Malaysia is a series of therapy sessions that include behavioural exposure. Other than that, much like any other drug addiction treatment, anti-depression medications can be administered to alleviate gambling tendencies.