The question for this week is:
Q : We are a very well to do family and our children are settled. I run a successful business and my wife has been a homemaker and very supportive. She was into kitty parties etc and loved gambling but during covid she started gambling online and now her gambling has increased, she is online all the time, does not like interacting or going out, is irritable and lost all the time and even lies.
A : Your wife seems to be having a problem of online gambling addiction.
What is gambling addiction?
It is an uncontrollable urge to keep gambling despite the toll it takes on your life. It means you are willing to risk something you value in the hope of getting something of greater value. It is an emotional, psychological problem. It has negative psychological, physical, social, and financial repercussions. It can lead to depression, migraine, distress, anxiety, intestinal disorders etc. The reasons can be boredom, loneliness, to relax after a stressful day, to seek more excitement, to be more social, to earn quick money. Earlier to go gambling you needed to move out of the house, make arrangements etc but with online gambling the ease of accessibility and reach has made it complex and more difficult to deal with.
Dr Chavi Bhargava Sharma is the founder and CEO of Indic Center for Psychological Wellness and Holistic Health and Conversationalists-Talking Cures.