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Online gambling effects and health

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Q. Does gambling promote poor health?

A. Yes! Gamblers are willing to substitute time spent exercising with time spent gambling, leading to obesity and overall poor physical and mental fitness. Blocking online gambling may be your best bet to recovering your health.

Are you gambling away your good health?

When I was a child growing up in a neighborhood saturated with other children, at dinner time, my mother would yell out of the kitchen window attempting to beckon me home. It was tough getting me in the house, away from my friends and the arena of kickball, basketball, and baseball. And for the sake of this article, I’m not referring to the types of sporting gamed being played with controllers and 64-bit operating systems.  Are video games bad for you?  Possibly.

As one grows in adulthood, sports participation becomes less prevalent. As you mature, individuals tend to be more concerned with other things including holding a job or finishing their education. Only in ones free time, can individuals proactively seek out activities that promote well being and physical health. Unfortunately, physical fitness turns into a chore like many other of life’s activities. The biggest obstacle standing between individuals completing their chores is time allocation.

Online gambling is a time bandit

ALLOW ME TO INTRODUCE YOU TO ONE OF THE BIGGEST TIME BANDITS IN EXISTENCE: THE WORLD OF ONLINE GAMBLING.

Why use the internet for gambling?  The accessibility to online gambling allows individuals to gamble anytime they wish. In addition, the lure and addictive nature of gambling typical result in gambling sessions lasting for sometimes up to twelve consecutive hours. Typically these “sessions” are accompanied by other activities that are proven to be associated with health warnings such as alcoholic beverages and cigarettes. How much healthier would one be if they left the computer and walked outside for 20 minutes?

Common sense would lead one to deduct that online gambling reduces ones allocation to physical activity. This can result in such things as an elevated body mass index (BMI). Long term, an elevated BMI this can lead to developing certain diseases, including cardiovascular disease. Studies have shown that a reduction in body weight helps to keep the BMI in a normal range and can stall the symptoms associated with many ailments.

What about mental health?

The roller coaster associated with online gambling will reap havoc on ones mental health. The good… A single “session” may include instances of elevated adrenaline associated with a winning pot.

The bad… A single “session” may also be littered with extreme negative financial swings causing feelings of sorrow and regret. Gambling can make an individual seemingly successful in many aspects of life feel inadequate, second guessing their ability to win.

Who am I?

Most online poker players tend to create multiple identities. The one associated with their virtual game playing, and the one you see on the street. It is hard to separate the two, and overlap does occur. The devastation associate with a bad “session” can lead to individuals taking mental health days with their employees. The roller coaster ride also seems to affect personal relationships. Relationship problems in juxtaposition with a financial hardship (also typical of online gamblers) is a recipe for disaster.

So now what?

Take a step back and look at yourself in the mirror. Transport yourself to a time before you gambled online. Are you happier now? Do you now have more energy? Do you like yourself now more? If any of those questions are answered with a “NO”, it may be time for a change. Here is my last suggestion on this topic, ask yourself these questions as you take a nice walk outside. You’ll feel better.


Comments

  • April 30, 2012, Marilyn Lancelot writes: Sure, everyone loves to gamble . . . if they win. But, the person sitting next to you in church, the man in line at the grocery store, or one of your co-workers; any one of these could be involved with a gambling problem. Imagine your grandmother committing a crime to support her gambling addiction. I am a recovering alcoholic, gambler, and have recovered from other addictive behaviors. I published a book, Gripped by Gambling, where the readers can follow the destructive path of the compulsive gambler, a prison sentence, and then on to the recovery road.I recently published a second book, Switching Addictions, describing additional issues that confront the recovering addict. If a person who has an addictive personality, doesn’t admit to at least two addictions, he’s not being honest. Until the underlying issues have been resolved, the person will continue to switch addictions. These are two books you might consider adding to your library. I also publish a free online newsletter, Women Helping Women, which has been on-line for more than twelve years and is read by hundreds of women (and men) from around the world. (femalegamblers[dot]info). I have been interviewed many times, and appeared on the 60 Minutes show in January 2011, which was moderated by Leslie Stahl.Sincerely,Marilyn Lancelot
  • May 4, 2012, StopGam writes: Really interesting and informative read.Compulsive gamblers can also receive help and support, from like-minded people. The progressive compulsive illness can be held at bay, one day at a time, but it is tough.
  • May 21, 2015, casinmagic08 writes: Very informative blog for effects of Gambling. Continuously playing online Gambling effects on mainly our Mental.

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