But the conditions are real. What’s the similarity between pathological gambling and chemical dependency? The first distinct similarity is the inability to take control or stop the addiction. The denials to the addiction accompanied by severe depression are also similarities. The pathological gambler and a drug or alcohol dependent person are preoccupied with nothing else except their addiction.
They look for immediate gratification and have very low self-esteem. But a gambler can exist normally for long periods of time. The large debt that a gambler can incur requires attention. Pathological gamblers require crisis counseling at the start of their treatment, mainly because pathological gamblers have a higher suicide rate than persons addicted to drugs or alcohol. Is the level of addiction for all types of gambling the same?
Forms of gambling that give immediate gratification are the worst kind. The slot machine and video are prime examples of these. Before it would take many years before a person would be considered “sick” gambling in races, etc. Nowadays, it is fairly common for a person to be addicted to a slot machine or video poker with two to three years. Is pathological gambling biological in nature?