Gambling Addiction and Suicide

What is addiction to gambling? 

Addiction to gambling is characterized by a persistent difficulty in controlling gambling habits, despite negative consequences it may cause (i.e.: financial, social, professional or academic, psychological).  

gambling-and-suicide

What activities may cause a gambling addiction? 

  • Playing slot machines or video lottery terminals
  • Going to casinos or playing bingo in person or online
  • Betting on sports
  • Buying lottery and scratch tickets
  • Playing poker in person or online

How to recognize a gambling addiction? 

Behaviours associated with gambling addiction include:

Psychological signs 
  • Thinking about gambling frequently 
  • Feeling a strong urge to gamble that is difficult to ignore 
  • Gambling to feel better about unpleasant emotions (i.e.: stress, sadness, boredom) 
  • Wanting to reduce or stop gambling, but finding it difficult to do so 
  • Feeling guilty or shame after gambling 
Behavioural signs 
  • Spending more and more time gambling 
  • Betting higher and higher amounts to feel the same amount of excitement 
  • Trying to make up for losses by gambling again 
  • Lying about or hiding the amount of money spent on gambling 
  • Borrowing money or accumulating gambling debt 
  • Neglecting responsibilities (i.e.: family, professional, etc.), or essential needs (eating, sleeping, hygiene) because of gambling 

What are the potential consequences of gambling? 

Addiction to gambling can have an impact on many spheres of life. Here are some examples: 

  • Financial: 
    • Debt 
    • Difficulty paying for essential purchases 
    • Job loss 
    • Seizure of assets 
  • Relational: 
    • Loss of trust in loved ones 
    • Relational conflicts 
    • Isolation 
  • Psychological:
    • Anxiety 
    • Shame 
    • Lack of self-esteem 
    • Depression 
    • Suicidal thoughts

You are experiencing issues with gambling and have suicidal thoughts? 

Addiction to gambling can cause significant distress. Some people can have suicidal thoughts. If that’s what you’re going through, it’s important to reach out. 

We encourage you to look into the following sections:

01 Taking stock of your mental health

The first step toward taking back control is identifying what’s causing your suicidal thoughts.

02 Taking care of yourself

There are a number of things you can do to protect yourself and regain your balance when you’re having suicidal thoughts.

03 Talking about it with your loved ones

Asking for help from your family and friends isn’t always easy. There are different ways of going about it.

04 Finding support services

Every day, all sorts of people contact support services to get the help they need.

What to do if you have a gambling addiction? 

If you are experiencing one or several signs of a gambling addiction, first, call 811 option 2 (Info-Social), to speak to a responder about your situation or be referred to local resources that can help as needed. 

To obtain an evaluation or a follow-up with a healthcare professional, speak to a general practitioner (i.e.: family doctor), a psychologist, or contact your local CLSC.  

Other resources can also help people who are experiencing addiction to gambling. 

 

Find resources

Some tips to help you if you are experiencing issues with gambling 

What I'm going through...