Is Poker Addictive Like Other Forms of Gambling

The answer is it can be for some people who are compulsive and have little will power or just crave the action.  Gamblers Anonymous has a twenty-question form that will help a person realize that they are addicted or becoming addicted.  Some of the key questions are items like have you missed work or school due to gambling?  Have you borrowed money to play? The second part of this question is and the only way you could pay it back was by winning.  Has your gambling or playing caused family problems or caused you to lie?  Many of the questions are so general that many people will answer yes to some of them, but they are not really addicted.  Gambling and drinking have one thing in common to the non-addicted person.  They can really take it or leave it alone at their will and do not have or feel the need to gamble.

One of the addictive traits of a person with this compulsion is that they do not feel alive unless they are in action.  If this becomes an overpowering feeling then the person needs help from people who understand the problem and have found ways to beat the desire to play. Once a person understands that they have a mental problem with gaming, they are on their way to possible salvation or at least controlling the compulsion.  Loving to play the game and being addicted to it are two different things.  Loving the game is one thing, but moving heaven and earth to play and lying or being unfair to family and friends is another thing.

Many of the Professional Poker players that are seen in TV tournaments are somewhat addicted to gambling, but they have found a way to beat this strong desire for action.  They have become excellent poker players and make money playing.  As long as they stay away from other forms of gaming they are all right, but they are tempted every day of their life, just as a person that craves drinking never loses that desire.

If you take the questionnaire from AA and find that you answer many of the questions in a positive manner, then maybe you need to take stock of your gaming situation.  The easy way to get to the questionnaire is to use a search engine and put in Poker Addiction.  The player must control this problem or it will control their lives.

Tagsgamble, gambling, poker game, poker players, professional players, professional poker, tactic

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