Withdrawal from Gambling

What are the Signs And Symptoms of Gambling Withdrawal?

Many try to stop gambling only to discover that withdrawal from gambling isn’t as easy as they had imagined. They assume they can walk away from the gambling activities unscathed, only to find the withdrawal symptoms hitting soon afterwards.

At Icarus Nevada, a JCAHO-accredited mental health treatment center in Las Vegas, we understand gambling withdrawal symptoms. Our team has provided effective support to help past clients as their brain’s reward system “resets” after a compulsive gambling disorder.

The coping mechanisms we offer can address the emotional symptoms of this behavioral addiction, allowing space for evidence-based therapy and lasting healing.

Are you or a loved one battling gambling withdrawal symptoms? Please keep reading – we’ll provide you with information on managing the emotional withdrawal symptoms of gambling and finding treatment options to change the behaviors.

Are Gambling Withdrawals Real?

The answer to this question is a firm yes. Gambling withdrawal symptoms are very real, even though they primarily cause psychological symptoms, with few physical withdrawal symptoms like substance addiction. The withdrawal symptoms of gambling, like drug addiction, mean the brain’s neurotransmitter system releases dopamine and engages its reward system.

What Causes Gambling Withdrawal Symptoms?

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) recognizes behavioral addictions, including pathological gambling disorder, as a legitimate mental and behavioral health condition. Gambling disrupts the brain’s dopamine system in the mesolimbic pathway, which is the area that controls reward and motivation.

Gambling behavior leads to dopamine-caused spikes in feel-good chemicals during gambling wins. After the brain releases dopamine, the gambler becomes motivated to repeat the enjoyable experience over and over again.

Gambling studies show how the brain becomes out of balance and leads to withdrawal symptoms if they try to cut back or quit gambling, similar to the impact of long-term substance use.

Gambling Addiction Withdrawal Symptoms to Watch For

The American Psychiatric Association (APA) agrees that gambling addiction shares similar mechanisms with substance addictions. These include tolerance, cravings, and withdrawal symptoms. While most people have emotional symptoms, physical withdrawal symptoms are less common and usually milder than quitting drugs or alcohol use.

Symptoms of gambling withdrawal are wide-ranging and can vary greatly, depending on high-frequency gambling, general health, genetic predisposition, and personality traits.

Psychological and Emotional Withdrawal Symptoms from Gambling

The most common symptoms of gambling withdrawal are emotional or psychological symptoms. These can be very distressing, with a high likelihood of relapse without professional support:

• Mood Disturbances: Unpredictable mood swings are common, even over minor inconveniences.
• Depressive Symptoms: Gamblers may feel sad, depressed, or hopeless.
• Restlessness: Withdrawal symptoms can include fidgeting, agitation, pacing, or other efforts to distract from thinking about gambling.
• Obsessive Thoughts about Gambling: Problem gamblers may crave gambling, thinking about it non-stop when they quit. They know logically that gambling threatens their well-being and financial stability, but they still crave the thrill.
• Anxiety: The person may have a panic or anxiety attack, especially around the time of day when they’d usually gamble.
• Lack of Focus: Compulsive gambling problems may lead to difficulty concentrating when someone stops the behavior.

These signs can be moderate to severe. If you feel like harming yourself at any point during the withdrawal process, call 988 and seek professional help immediately.

Physical Signs of Gambling Withdrawal

Compulsive gamblers don’t usually have the same severe physical effects as those struggling with substance use disorder. Nevertheless, the physical symptoms are real and can be very disruptive, including:

• Sleep Disorders or Disturbances: Pathological gamblers may have trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, have vivid dreams or nightmares, or develop insomnia. These changes occur when dopamine levels start to return to normal, resulting in alterations in sleep patterns.
• Muscle Tension and Stress: Quitting a gambling addiction can cause stress or anxiety, which may manifest as sweating, headaches, or even mild heart palpitations. These are usually mild and resolve quickly. If these withdrawal symptoms become severe, especially if accompanied by soreness/tightness in the chest, difficulty breathing, or loss of consciousness, call 911 for assistance.
• Changes in Appetite: Struggling to quit problem gambling can mean changes in appetite. Some people no longer feel hungry due to changes in brain chemistry. Others may overeat to feel in control of their emotional symptoms. They may also have experienced nausea or stomachaches, which can contribute to appetite changes.
• Fatigue and Tiredness: The return to normal brain chemistry also negatively affects the person’s energy levels. For the first several weeks, the physical symptoms of a gambling addiction can mean lethargy and exhaustion. These withdrawal symptoms can be disruptive to daily life but usually get better after the first 2 to 3 weeks.

If these symptoms persist after a few weeks, consult your physician for guidance. You may have an undiagnosed medical illness that’s prolonging the different withdrawal symptoms.

How Long Do Gambling Withdrawal Symptoms Last

Gambling withdrawal symptoms usually last from a few days to several weeks. The most intense symptoms when someone stops gambling will happen in the first 3 weeks. Still, others may have continuing issues with cravings, difficulty concentrating, or moodiness.

Factors like stress, co-occurring mental or behavioral health conditions, other addictions, or a lack of a good daily routine and recovery plan can make the symptoms persist. Joining support groups or seeking professional help can provide you with very practical support.

Gambling Addiction Symptoms vs Withdrawal Symptoms

Gambling addiction symptoms involve habit – they signal a loss of control. Behaviors include chasing losses, lying to family members about the problem, or financial woes. An example is ‘Carla,’ who constantly goes back to a casino on the Strip to try to win back lost money at the roulette table, ignoring that his efforts are futile.

On the other hand, withdrawal symptoms appear when the person tries to quit gambling and include the symptoms of gambling withdrawal discussed earlier. Let’s imagine that Carla no longer plays roulette. She quit, but now she’s feeling anxiety and muscle tension. Roulette let her loosen up after work; now she’s lost her stress relief mechanism.

Both situations indicate an issue. But withdrawal symptoms happen after compulsive gamblers quit; gambling addiction symptoms happen during active addictive behavior.

Common Triggers That Make Gambling Withdrawal Worse

Some things can worsen the psychological and physical symptoms of gambling withdrawal, including:

• Financial pressure
• Loneliness
• Boredom
• Advertising cues
• Being around people still addicted to gambling
• Unresolved trauma
• Emotional pain from other mental or emotional challenges

Recognizing the triggers that affect your behaviors is the first step to a successful recovery. Keeping a log to share with a therapist or peer support groups can be very helpful in ending gambling addiction.

Compulsive Gambling and the Risk of Relapse During Withdrawal

The emotional and physical symptoms can feel overwhelming to someone with a gambling addiction. When the brain no longer receives its gambling-related dopamine boost, the person can feel anxiety and sadness or have strong cravings to play again.

Relapse happens at this stage, as cravings intensify and triggers continue to drive the desire to gamble. It’s similar to a relapse of substance abuse, and seeking support at this point is necessary for continued abstinence.

Gambling Withdrawal and Mental Health or Drug Abuse Challenges

Gambling addiction often co-occurs with other addictions or mental illnesses, including anxiety, bipolar disorder, depression, and PTSD. It’s sometimes unclear which developed first – the gambling problem or the other diagnosis.

Either way, getting professional help at Icarus Nevada means you’ll receive evidence-based support for both conditions. Our holistic approach is the key to lasting recovery.

Coping Strategies for Gambling Disorder Withdrawal

Icarus Nevada helps people stop gambling by equipping people with coping tools for long-term healing. Some tools we frequently suggest include:

• Daily structure and planning, creating a daily routine that leaves little room for impulsive behaviors
• Avoiding gambling triggers by developing healthier new hobbies
• Rebuilding a support network of friends and family members
• Mindfulness methods, such as yoga, meditation, prayer
• Deep breathing exercises can help individuals stay grounded and resist cravings
• Attending support groups, including SMART Recovery and Gamblers’ Anonymous (GA)

Each Icarus Las Vegas client receives customized strategies tailored to their specific needs. Our admissions team will be happy to listen to your needs to help determine a sound treatment plan.

Treating Gambling Withdrawal with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is an effective and evidence-based treatment method for managing gambling addiction.

Our licensed counselors will help you identify distorted thinking patterns, such as the belief that you can win back losses, and replace them with healthy and realistic thoughts. The strategy is also beneficial for managing cravings and alleviating stress.

When to Seek Help for Gambling Addiction Withdrawal Symptoms

Time for a reality check.

• Is gambling destroying your finances and relationships?
• Have you lost your job, car, or home because of missed loan payments?
• Do you think about gambling all the time or experience anxiety when you’re not betting?
• Do you hide your behaviors, losses, or anxiety about gambling from close family and friends?
• Have you tried to stop gambling, maybe even attended a support group, but relapsed?

These are all clear indications that your daily functioning is limited or lost. You don’t need to have all of these symptoms to be addicted – it’s time for a professional assessment of your addiction.

Call Icarus Nevada for Support Through Gambling Withdrawal

If you are ready to get help, Icarus Nevada will gladly serve as your guide. Don’t be afraid that you’re the only one – the Nevada Council on Problem Gambling estimates that about 73,000 in the general population of over 27 million Nevadans are also addicted to the thrill of the slot machines, sports betting, or gaming tables.

We have helped countless others overcome their addictive behavior, and we are certain that we can also help you achieve a full and lasting recovery.

Reach out to our admissions team right now – it’s the perfect day to make that fresh start.