It can have positive and negative influence on our brain, mental health, all depending on how we approach it. The positive effects include the ability to fast decision-making under pressure, way to stress relief, learn on money and time control, and improved logical thinking.
Gambling is one of the most popular leisure activities in the world, with billions of people participating each year. Gambling can be seen as a way to harmlessly escape reality and live in fantasies, but it’s common to think that gambling doesn’t have any serious implications on your mental state. However, there are many factors that can affect your health when you gamble, both in a positive and negative way. Let us discuss what are the way gambling influence on our mental health and how our brain works.
Positive influence of gambling
Improved logic and strategic thinking
When we are playing games such as poker or blackjack, we need to make quick decisions based on the information we have at the moment. This can help us improve our decision-making skills in other areas of our life. Logic might be improved when you play Energy casino online games since almost all of them are based on patterns and probability. It is proven that people with the highest IQ level are the best in casino games, since they can spot patterns and probability easier. Provided that, playing casino games and getting gradually better at them help you improve your logical thinking.
Decision-making under pressure
This skill is highly needed in our fast-moving society and gambling is a great training before a real life situation, when you will need to decide under pressure, whether to give up or take a risk with something, for example, investing. Gambling can help you train your mind to be able to endure such tension and make the right decision.
Stress release
As long as you are gambling for fun, this activity can provide you with a nice dosage of thrill, entertainment and positive stress during decisive moments of the game. This mixture of emotions help you to release stress, and it is even more enhanced when you win, which is, of course, not always a case here. Playing games, even casino ones, are great to relax, as long as it is not making you overly angry when you lose. Instead, try to see your losses as a learning experience and a motivation to win next time.
Money and time control
Responsible gamblers have two skills to master in the first place, before they even start gambling at all: time management and money control. Without them, it is impossible to gamble safely and responsibly, because you either lose too much money, or spend too much time gambling, and both of those things can influence negatively on your life. By practising money and time control when gambling, you are ensuring that these bad things will not happen to you. You learn how to set limits for yourself and stick to them, as well as to know when to stop. This is a great life skill in general.
Negative influence of gambling
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Addiction is one of the most common problems with gambling. When we become addicted to gambling, our brain starts releasing dopamine in high doses, which is the same hormone that gets released when we use drugs. This makes us feel good, and we want more and more of it, even when the calculation of time and money spent looks negative, which can lead to serious issues in our life. Gambling addiction can ruin relationships, jobs, finances and health. This can be avoided by following ground rules of responsible gambling such as time controlling, sticking to the strict budget, not catching loses, not gambling when emotional, or feeling the urge to escape reality and stopping when it gets too frustrating.
Depression
Gambling can lead to depression, especially when we are losing money, and we are not able to stop. This happens, because gambling can be seen by some as a way to escape our problems, and when we are losing, those problems seem even bigger. Depression can also be caused by the adrenaline rushes we get from gambling, and the feeling of emptiness after it is gone, and this state can last long after we stop gambling. This is why it is important to be aware of the signs of addiction and depression and seek professional help, if needed. Depression comes out of addiction, and it can be avoided by following the same rules.
Anxiety
Similar to depression, anxiety can be caused by the adrenaline rushes we get from gambling and lack of them when we stop gambling. It is a feeling of unease or fear that can interfere with our daily life. Anxiety is caused by addiction to gambling, similarly to depression.
Summary
Gambling is a popular leisure activity, with billions of people participating in one of its many kinds each year across the globe. It can have positive and negative influence on our brain, mental health, all depending on how we approach it. The positive effects include the ability to fast decision-making under pressure, way to stress relief, learn on money and time control, and improved logical thinking. Of course, there is also a dark side of this activity, such as addiction and as a result, depression or anxiety, but it can be avoided by following the strict rules of responsible gambling.
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