Introduction
In this day in age, where faster is better, many people find that gaining certain things like money should not take forever. There are apps like HQ that give you money for playing games or doing surveys and there are new businesses that make a profit from inventing items that do simple tasks like tracking your house keys so you won't lose them. Apparently, new casinos have been appearing in different locations in South Florida and as most individuals know, casinos are the hotspot for quick cash and lots of thrill. But the truth is, many people do not walk out winners. On any day, a casino gambler can leave a winner 30% of the time which is very small. To add, approximately 2 to 3% of Americans meet the criteria for having a gambling issue which is a problem (Familiarize;n,d). Although, with the availability of casinos and gambling's ability to alleviate the financial hardship of struggling individuals, the risk of losing that money can cause an unfortunate aftermath, which can ruin relationships and cause many regrets.
For those in poverty, quick money is something that is very magnetizing and with individuals who have to provide for their families and themselves, gambling may seem like the only option. In areas where financially stricken people are trying to find their way out, the rate of gambling is much higher. The poorer the neighborhood, the higher the risk for problem gambling, according to a study from the University at Buffalo Research Institute on Addictions (RIA) (Poor Neighborhoods;n.d). It is distressing that individuals with the lowest socioeconomic status in the poorest neighborhoods are at the highest risk for gambling problems. To the average American, gambling seems like a maze where every move that's made brings you to victory, but it's a device or illusion used to lure vulnerable people who aren't knowledgeable of its harmful effects. So being educated, aware, and informed of its potential consequences it will greatly help those who may find themselves in that situation.
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On the contrary, there are wealthy, successful individuals who partake in this activity primarily for the fun. Even if one was to lose while gambling, one’s body still produces endorphins and adrenaline. There is an area in the brain that is often associated with gambling and substance use disorders- which is the prefrontal cortex. This region is correlated with judgment, controlling strong drives, and cerebral control. Various studies have shown that problem gamblers and drug addicts both displayed less stimulation of the prefrontal cortex which is vital for reasonable functioning. Problem gamblers also address cravings and highs in return to gambling as well (Labarre). The high created by gambling stimulates a desire or need to continue gambling leading to an addiction. As a result, the addict builds a tolerance to the “drug” or activity, leading them to need a larger amount of gambling time to get that same high. With that being said, losing money comes to provoke the rewarding dispensation of dopamine approximately to the same level that winning does. As a consequence, in problem gamblers, losing exhorts the desire to keep playing, rather than the disappointment that may probably prompt them to walk away, which is a circumstance known as chasing losses.
But, gambling is not a promise of gratification and a possible winning. Up to 2% of U.S. society are problem gamblers, suffering from what’s been redesignated as a gambling disorder. At the Wyn Macau, a luxury casino and a hotel resort, $1089 are lost at an average table game every hour of the day, bringing them to $9.5 million in revenue at each gaming table a year. Not only this certain casino, but many other casinos are accumulating money from the numerous people who gamble on a regular occasions. Many individuals engage in this activity having a false notion that their winning when in reality the casinos are profiting from them and their ignorance. This brings me to my conclusion, that gamblers truly never win and will never be fully aware of the tricks the gambling business brings to society.
In the same fashion that gambling can ruin someone financially, it can ruin relationships and become very detrimental to one’s mental health. Prevalent gambling issues reported by family members include rage and violence; dishonesty and deception; inadequate communication, and negatively affected relationships. The outcome of gambling problems in intimate relationships has been branched into three definite phases: (1) the denial phase, (2) the stress phase, and (3) the exhaustion phase. In the denial phase, the partner usually accepts the increased gambling, accepts the anguish of the gambler, and has occasional worries while keeping concerns to themselves. In the stress phase, the gambler usually spends less time with the family, and the partner sometimes feels abandoned and has intense resentment for being treated the way they are. Lastly, in the exhaustion phase, the gambler suffers confusion, anxiety, panic, and also suffers physical symptoms like headaches and hypertension (Australian Institute;n,d.).
To add, one with a gambling problem may demand money from a spouse or loved one and even go as far as stealing to fulfill their gambling desires. This occurrence can lead to the lost trust of partners and full-blown arguments from the financial crisis of the gambler. Consequently, making the gambler reflect upon their past actions and regret the mistakes they have made. So, the gambler will have to acknowledge that issue and therefore get treatment by joining a support group or getting counseling. Nevertheless, the children of problem-gambling parents have a possibility of developing gambling problems themselves. The discovery across four impartial investigations exploring the intergenerational and familial transferral of gambling problems in Australia disclosed that individuals who had a parent or sibling with a gambling problem were two to ten times more prone to undergo gambling crisis than people without a parent or sibling with a gambling crisis(Australian Institute;n,.d).
It's sad to say, that the youth has also fallen into the trap of gambling and it seems to be much more detrimental to this age group than ever. Various risk factors for problem gambling or pathological gambling in adolescents are having parents with gambling problems, having an earlier age of first gambling activity, acquiring higher impulsivity, and having areas of insufficient functioning, including medical, psychiatric, and family/social problems. Peer group gambling, similar to other prospects of peer activities during adolescence, is also a powerful factor. Associates may suggest others to gambling as a collective social activity. An advanced and developing matter, which is adolescent gambling on the Internet, is surfacing as a special concern due to its solitary nature, slacken supervision (for example., no person-to-person contact needed to verify age), effortless availability, and discernible possibility for incurring momentous losses over a comparatively brief time span. Furthermore, countless youths are proficient with computer technology, promoting additional concern that they might become more occupied in computerized gambling than adults.
However, there are countless explanations attributed to adolescents' inducement to gamble. Contrary to the common association of gambling for financial gain in adults, for an adolescent, gambling is frequently proclaimed as a convenience to socialize with others. It is considered as an activity with others rather than a possibility to win money. Statistics propose that early age at gambling inception may possibly affect mental health functioning later in life. For instance, young adult gamblers who initiated gambling behavior as adolescents were found to be more prone to report substance use issues than were young adult gamblers who started gambling as adults. For adolescents with serious gambling complications, gambling dominates their lives much like adults with pathological gambling (Wilber). But, prevention and acquiring knowledge on these certain areas are always key to these issues that concern predominantly the youth.
To sum up, the reality of gambling is something that impacts the lives of people who are in dire need of cash or just searching for a pastime that will occupy them. But, most people, in the end, leave with ruined relationships, regrets, and lost money- that not only affects them but their loved ones. The saying” all that glitters is not gold” comes into effect with this topic, since many people are enticed by the money and rush gambling offers, but once an individual is involved in this addicting activity, things start falling apart. One can lose their job, home, money, and family from interfering in the lifestyle that is involved with gambling. That’s why awareness is key and being educated on its dangers is vital. The only way one can find their way out of the entanglement of gambling is not to get involved in the first place. This means, not being pressured by friends and associates to gamble and keeping away from individuals who invest a lot of their time into gambling activity. From there, people can then inform others of how to remain safe financially and to be watchful of the harmful effects of gambling.