Is gambling a mental illness?
Gambling refers to the act of risking money or something valuable to win something more practical. It is a common form of entertainment found in many cultures worldwide. However, gambling can also become addictive and have negative financial, social, and psychological consequences. While mental illness encompasses a wide range of disorders that impact an individual’s cognition, emotions, and actions, the question remains: does gambling qualify as a mental illness?
Gambling and Addiction
Gambling addiction is a type of addiction that involves compulsive behavior, where a person continues to gamble despite negative consequences. Symptoms of gambling addiction include preoccupation with gambling, increasing amounts of time and money spent on gambling, and difficulty stopping gambling despite attempts to do so. Different types of gambling addiction include problem gambling, pathological gambling, and compulsive gambling.