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According to the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual oriental Disorders, Fourth Edition, pathological gambling is a persistent and recurrent maladaptive gambling behavior as indicated by five or more of the following criteria:
1. The individual is preoccupied with gambling (i.e. preoccupied with reliving past gambling experiences, handicapping or planning the next venture, or thinking of ways to get money with which to gamble.
2. The individual needs to gamble with increasing amounts of money in order to achieve the desired excitement.
3. The individual has repeated unsuccessful efforts at stopping.
4. The individual is restless or irritable with attempting to cut down.
5. The individual gambles as a way of escaping from problems or of relieving a dysphoric mood (i.e., feeling of helplessness, guilty, anxiety, and depression).
6. The individual after losing money gambling, often returns another day to get even ("chasing" one's losses).
7. The individual lies to family members, therapist, or others to conceal the extent of involvement with gambling.
8. The individual has committed illegal acts such as forgery, fraud, theft, or embezzlement to finance gambling.
9. The individual has jeopardized or lost a significant relationship, job, education or career opportunity because of gambling.
10.The individual relies on others to provide money or relieve a desperate financial situation caused by gambling.
National Council on Problem Gambling 10 Questions About Gambling Behavior
1. Have you often gambled longer than you had planned?
2. Have you often gambled until your last dollar was gone?
3. Have thoughts of gambling have caused you to lose sleep?
4. Have you used your income or savings to gamble while letting bills go unpaid?
5. Have you made repeated, unsuccessful attempts to stop gambling?
6. Have you broken the law or considered breaking the law to finance your gambling?
7. Have you borrowed money to finance your gambling?
8. Have you felt depressed or suicidal because of your gambling losses?
9. Have you been remorseful after gambling?
10. Have you gambled to get money to meet your financial obligations?