Teen Gambling Addiction
Teen Gambling Addiction
Gambling is the fastest growing addiction for teenagers today. According to a data survey, approximately one in eight of the eight million of habitual gamblers is a teenager. Researchers on teen gambling suggest that at least four to seven percent of teenagers suffer from gambling addiction, which leads to huge debts, participation in organized crime, clinical depression and hazards in relationships. Teen gambling addiction is mostly seen in online casinos, betting on sports, scratch cards, card games and throwing dice. The majority of teens are male and they often gamble on the results of sports and video games. There are at least 1400 various internet gambling websites where teens can easily gamble without showing any proof of age.
Causes of Teen Gambling Addiction
Teen gambling addiction is a severe issue. This addiction can lead to other mental health disorders, including drug addiction. Gambling is much more than the incentive to make money. Gambling is thrilling because it is a matter of winning, self-satisfaction and the thrill provides a high similar to that of drug use. Gambling also breaks the boredom for teens. Most teens are bored and limited because they cannot obtain a license to drive, and can’t legally drink so gambling provides them with a challenging and thrilling situation, together with the opportunity of earning money.
Another cause of teen gambling addiction for some adolescents is the exposure to gambling from childhood. Teenagers sometimes grow up seeing their parents joining parties for poker night or playing the lottery. Teenagers may also have happy memories of attending the racetrack or betting on sports matches, horses or bulldogs with their grandparents or parents.
Additionally, Hollywood, like with many other things, has romanticized gambling, exhibiting in many movies the lights and color of casinos and the thrill of huge monetary earnings through gambling. As teenagers are quite impressionable in their formative adolescent years, these movies and depictions may have a very strong and lasting effect as they mature.
Symptoms of Teen Gambling Addiction
Teen gambling addiction can be quite difficult to identify. Some symptoms may include: Irritability, constantly asking for money, poor grades at school, fatigue, expensive items missing from home, strange phone calls, police arrests, criminal behavior, impulsive behavior, impatience, highly competitive, highly restless, and easily bored.
Treatment at Hillcrest
Hillcrest Adolescent Treatment Center (Hillcrest) is a licensed, residential mental health facility in the tropical foothills of Agoura Hills, specializing in the treatment of teen gambling addiction, and guided by expert mental healthcare professionals and therapists who are committed to the long-lasting and sustained healing of each client, both during and post treatment. At Hillcrest, teen residential treatment is dynamic, multi-layered, varied and eclectic. In addition to individualized therapeutic programs designed specifically to suit each client’s condition and temperament, a range of extracurricular activities and hobbies are also offered to ensure healthy and fun outlets for each client depending on their skills and talents.
Hillcrest’s individualized approach allows for personal attention and care of the highest of standards for each client. By recognizing the unique nature and experience of each client, and valuing the distinct abilities and character traits that your loved ones bring to the Hillcrest program, positive healing attributes are maximized and strengthened, allowing each client to flourish while at Hillcrest, and moreover, to learn to nurture those positive characteristics to achieve independence and constructive impactful change upon re-entry and re-integration into the outside world.
