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The two types of Pathological Gamblers are Action Gamblers and Escape Gamblers. Action Gamblers are mostly male. The approximate age one becomes an Action Gambler is when they are a teenager. This is mostly due to the fact that teenage boys seek excitement and gambling is one way to feed this urge. Action gamblers are usually intelligent and quick witted. They tend to play high stakes and quick paced games of chance such as poker, black jack, and sports betting. For these types of people, gambling gives them an emotional high, much like a drug addict gets when ingesting their said drug of choice. Because of the high that one gets, the action gambler slips deeper and deeper into the addiction. Action Gamblers tend to have a low self-esteem, they lie frequently, and their life pattern sticks mainly to the four phases of problem gambling. (we will discuss the four phases later) The Action Gambler usually lives with their addiction for 10 to 30 years before they reach rock bottom and help MUST be sought. By the time help is sought, the gambler has lost family, friends, work, all other interests besides gambling, and generally all valuable belongings.
Some general behaviors of an Action Gambler include: - Constant use of Phone - Borrowing Money - Anger and Isolation - Gambles at any given time - Chronic Fatigue - Needs to gamble with higher amounts of money - Refinances mortgages or loans. Cashes in savings and investments. - Committs illegal acts like forgery, fraud, theft, embezzlement. - Lost interest in other activities that were previously enjoyable. - Lost Job
It is apparent from this list of behavior patterns of Action Gamblers that the action gambler falls into the same lifestyle of that of a drug addict. This is why it is imperitive to seek help for a gambling problem. Like hardcore drugs, though, the gambling recovery rate is at a sad low. Only 2% of Action Gamblers achieve recovery within the first year of treatment.
Escape Gamblers are mostly female. This type of gambler acquiers their problem later on in life, usually when they are middle aged. Escape gamblers usually like to play games that require little or no skill. Games like this include slots, bingo and the state lottery. When escape gamblers participate in gambling, they enter a trance like state and gamble for hours and hours. Contrary to Action Gamblers, Escape Gamblers show no emotion when playing. In earlier life, Escape Gamblers generally have successful lives, with good paying jobs, successful children, and overall satisfaction with the way they lived their life. But, they tend to be conflict avoiders and may have been victims of verbal/physical abuse when they were children. Gambling is a way for them to escape their childhood memories, thus the name "Escape" Gamblers. Escape Gamblers have a higher rate of recovery, with most seeking help within 6 months to three years. Most Escape Gamblers become aware of their problem early, and have little to no problems seeking help.
Some behavoirs and reasons for Escape Gamblers include the following: - Boredom - Stress - Grief - Loneliness - Chronic Pain - Empty Nest Syndrome - Abuse - Grief - Depression - Desperate Financial Condition - Lack of a Hobby - Controlling Spouse - Lack of Identity - Interrupted or Distraught Childhood -
To fully understand the mind of the Pathological Gambler, we must take a look at one final part of the addiction. On the next page we will discuss the Four Stages of Gambling Addiction.
