There are many different hobbies that you can take up in life, and having a hobby is a great thing to do – it keeps you fit and healthy, keeps you engaged in what is going on, gives you something to look forward to, and can even be good for your brain. Online slots can be a wonderful hobby, perfectly designed to keep you occupied and entertain you. Yet it can become problematic, causing some people to have an addiction rather than a hobby.
If you are concerned that you or a loved one have become addicted to online slots rather than simply enjoying them, here are some of the signs to look out for. Remember, not everyone who is displaying these signs will have an addiction, but it is possible – even probable – that they will, and they may need help to enable them to stop. Read on for more information.
Hiding your playing
If you find that you are hiding the fact you’re playing online slots, and feeling guilty if someone questions you about it, you might have an addiction, especially if you’re lying to people to stop them from finding out about your ‘hobby’. It’s even more of an issue if you’ve told people you’re not playing anymore and you continue to do so in secret.
Borrowing extra money
Someone who plays online slots for a hobby won’t have to keep finding more and more money to keep playing. They’ll have a set budget per week or month, and they won’t go beyond it. Someone with an addiction will use up their budget, and then pay more. When there’s nothing left to play with, they’ll look at borrowing money, either from friends and family or from banks or other lenders.
Minimising the problem
Are you consciously lying about how much you’re playing or how much you’re spending? When you have to make up a story to minimise the impact online slots are having in your life, you have an addiction and a problem.
How To Know You Have An Addiction
There are certain signs that, as well as the above signs that other people might notice, you may have spotted in your own behaviour. These include:
Tolerance
Just like with a drug, when you first start you don’t need a lot to get you ‘high’. However, the more you play, the less you’ll feel that gamblers’ rush and the more you’ll need to wager to make it fun again.
Withdrawal
If you feel uncomfortable, even irritable and angry, when you’re not able to play online slots, you could be suffering from withdrawal, and you’ll only suffer from withdrawal if you were/are addicted in the first place.
Loss of control
Addicts may want to stop playing online slots because they can see how badly it is affecting them and the people around them, but they are unable to. Essentially, they have lost any control they might have had.
Chasing losses
Gambling should never be about trying to win back money you’ve lost. You need to go into the game – whatever it might be, including online slots – assuming you’re going to lose the money you paid in; call it an entry fee if that helps. If you do win, that’s a great bonus, but don’t expect it. If you lose and then start chasing those losses, aiming to win big to make it all back again it would seem that you’re addicted. And chasing losses only leads to bigger losses most of the time.