By Rick Benson
Just like chemical substance addictions, those suffering from compulsive gambling disorder can go through serious withdrawal. As a counselor and someone who has been through this myself, I’ve seen how this can impact both your body and your mind.
Identifying the signs and symptoms of gambling withdrawal is the first step toward understanding and managing them effectively. Studies on behavioral addictions have found that there are a range of different withdrawal symptoms, and they can be grouped as either physical symptoms or emotional symptoms.
Free Ebook: Understanding the Basics of Gambling Withdrawal
Emotional Gambling Withdrawal Symptoms
Gambling withdrawal often comes with overwhelming emotional lows. Symptoms can include depression, anxiety, insomnia, and strong cravings to gamble. These are challenges that many of our clients have grappled with as they try to recover.
Depression
Gambling can cause many mental health issues, and depression is one of the most common symptoms of gambling withdrawal. Depression is a common and serious medical illness that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act. It causes feelings of sadness and/or a loss of interest in activities once enjoyed.
Depression can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems and can decrease a person’s ability to function at work and at home. Signs of depression include:
- Feeling helpless and hopeless. Paradoxically, some people gamble to feel like they're in control, only to lose that feeling shortly after.
- Loss of interest in daily activities.
- Changes to sleep patterns. Sleep is essential for mental well-being and sleep disruptions can be indicators of other problems.
Anxiety
Anxiety is an emotion characterized by feelings of tension, worried thoughts and physical changes like increased blood pressure. Anxiety can prevent you from confronting your issues. It alters your perceptions and makes you think that things are much worse than they are.
It is not abnormal to experience anxiety when faced with nerve-wracking situations, but it becomes a disorder when it’s extreme, long lasting and difficult to control.
Insomnia
Insomnia is a sleep disorder that is characterized by difficulty falling and/or staying asleep. Insomnia can cause depression, poor health, decreased concentration and lack of motivation.
Cravings to Gamble
Cravings occur because the brain knows that the easiest and quickest way to get the “thrill” sensation your body is yearning for is by gambling. Cravings for an addictive behavior are much more intense than something like everyday food cravings.
You have powerful memories linked to gambling which makes it seem even more appealing. Cravings come and go and are at times weak or extremely powerful. The types and intensity differ from one person to another. Cravings typically involve a trigger, which immediately causes obsessive thinking.
Cravings are among the most common gambling addiction withdrawal symptoms I’ve encountered in my 30 years at Algamus and in my own recovery journey. I remember thinking back to past wins and that feeling would make me want to gamble again. Breaking free from that cycle takes time, but it is possible.
To better understand gambling withdrawal, there is need to comprehend the role of brain chemistry and dopamine in gambling addiction. During this period, you may experience a flood of symptoms, making it essential to identify and address emotional gambling withdrawal symptoms. As challenging as these emotions may be, they often go hand in hand with physical reactions, which we’ll explore next.
Physical Symptoms of Gambling Withdrawal
Withdrawal symptoms don’t stop at emotional distress—they often show up physically. These can include sweating, headaches, racing heart, nausea, and muscle tension. Some of our clients confuse these symptoms with illness, but they are a normal part of the process and will pass with time. Here’s the full list of possible physical gambling withdrawal symptoms:
- Sweating
- Headaches
- Racing heart
- Palpitations
- Muscle tension and/or soreness
- Tightness in the chest
- Difficulty breathing
- Tremors
- Nausea
However, the studies found that further research is needed to determine whether the symptoms in the gamblers were from no longer gambling, but instead were from the loss of a way to cope and alleviate stress.
Professor Mark Griffiths of Nottingham Trent University found that gamblers unable to feed their habit suffer from moodiness, irritability, nausea, stomach cramps, and sweats. "These are real effects," Griffiths said. "Gamblers have withdrawal symptoms like drug addicts."
These findings highlight how gambling addiction withdrawal symptoms affect not just the mind but the entire body, reinforcing the importance of seeking support during recovery.
If you tried you tried quitting on your own, but feel stuck or overwhelmed, it may be time to seek help. That’s how I finally found my way to recovery. Connecting with a professional and talking to others facing the same struggles made all the difference for me. If you’re ready to take the next step, contact us to speak to one of our gambling addiction treatment professionals who can help you or a loved one overcome gambling. Taking this first step could change your entire life for the better.