Gambling is a type of risk-taking activity where you place something of value on an event with an unknown outcome. Whether it’s placing a bet on a football match or buying a scratchcard, the outcome is ultimately determined by chance and nobody can predict the winner for certain. It is a dangerous addiction and can cause harm to your finances, health, relationships and work.

People become addicted to gambling for various reasons. Usually it starts as a form of entertainment or escape from boredom or stress, but then becomes an obsession. It can also be a way to gain money quickly. For many, it’s about the excitement and rush of winning. But if your gambling isn’t enjoyable and it’s causing you problems, it’s time to seek help.

When you win, your brain produces dopamine. This gives you a natural high that can feel the same as taking a drug. The problem is that if you gamble too much, your brain can become dependent on this dopamine response and start craving it more and more. The good news is that with therapy you can retrain your brain and overcome the addiction.

It can be difficult to admit that you have a problem with gambling, especially if it’s costing you money and affecting your family life. It’s important to recognise that you have a problem and seek help as soon as possible, even if it’s only financial or relationship advice. You can get free, confidential debt advice from StepChange. You can also speak to a therapist, and BetterHelp will match you with a therapist who has experience in gambling disorder.

Gambling is often based on a false understanding of probability. Seeing stories on the news of people who have won the lottery or even sitting next to someone in a casino who has had a string of wins can make you think your chances are higher than they actually are. This is known as the gambler’s fallacy.

Partial reinforcement is another reason why gambling can be addictive. You don’t get rewarded 100% of the time you play, but you do feel rewarded occasionally, which keeps you going. Likewise, when you are losing, you might think that you’re due a big win to get back your money – but this is also called chasing your losses.

In the long term, you will continue to lose if you are always trying to recover your previous losses. This is why it’s so important to learn to manage your gambling and to stick with a plan. You can find out more about how to do this by speaking to a therapist, and joining a support group such as Gamblers Anonymous. The first step towards getting help is to realise that you have a problem, and that takes incredible strength. Well done for making that first step. Then you can start to rebuild your life. It will take a lot of hard work, but it can be done.