Gambling while intoxicated

People with gambling problems drink and smoke more often than people who do not have gambling problems. Gambling and substance use often go together. For example, gamblers often also use alcohol, drugs (such as cocaine or speed) and medications (such as sleeping pills and sedatives). These substances can cause your mood to improve and make you feel more (self-)confident. You become disinhibited and the narcotic effect helps you worry less. This makes you more daring. You become more active and feel extra alert. This allows you to go on longer. You may need something to keep you awake, or just to help you sleep better and feel calmer. If you experience a lot of tension, or have worries, this can cause you to sleep poorly. Then sleeping pills can seem like a solution. However, alcohol and drugs are risky to your health. Quitting drinking or using also makes it easier to control gambling.

 Alcohol

Alcohol numbs. When you drink, you feel pain less acutely. You also hear, see and taste less well. But alcohol also numbs your feelings and brain. As a result, you can no longer properly assess yourself, others and situations. Alcohol disinhibits. You do things you wouldn't normally do. You feel more confident and fret less. You may even think you gamble better. With alcohol on you take the step to gamble again more easily.

Do you drink alcohol because it numbs or disinhibits you? If so, you'd better stop. Stopping drinking helps you better control your gambling. You are better able to solve your problems.

Medications

The medications that gamblers take are usually sleep aids and sedatives. These include Seresta® (oxazepam), Valium® (diazepam) and Temesta (lorazepam). Doctors prescribe these drugs for anxiety, insomnia and tension. They make you calmer, and less anxious. Your muscles relax. A major disadvantage of these drugs is that you can become addicted to them. You can learn more about gambling and sleep problems here.

 Cocaine

Cocaine makes you feel more active. Your mood becomes much better and you feel more confident. It seems like it makes you gamble better. Are you using cocaine? Then you can go on gambling nights. That's why you prefer to take the drug often. That's not a good idea! Cocaine can give you physical and psychological problems. Stopping using cocaine can also make it easier to control your gambling.

Speed

When using speed you feel extremely alert. So alert that you think you can win. You will also be able to continue gambling for much longer. Without speed you would probably have stopped earlier. The result? You want to use this drug more and more often. Don't! Speed ​​is bad for your health just like cocaine. Stopping using speed can also make it easier to control gambling.