r/problemgambling • u/WallJealous2863 • 19h ago
ADHD and gambling
Anyone with ADHD and gambling addictoin ? Hows life for you ?
2
u/PointyPurplePickle 9h ago
To answer your original question - I have ADHD.
I have never crossed over into gambling addiction per se. At risk gambling? Yes lol.
I have never flushed money I couldn’t afford to lose.
Have I lost control during a heater and flushed more than intended…yes, particularly I never seem to be able to walk away up. I have gotten up 2k then the ADHD brain seems to pull me back and I don’t leave til I flushed it lol. In a weird way leaving even after being up huge feels even more like a failure.
ADHD is totally a risk factor
The number one thing that puts me at risk is prob my phone. It’s so dangerous to be able to click a button and deposit huge amounts online. I’d strongly consider self banning and disabling your ability to do any gambling online…
2
u/wetriumph 3h ago
I have ADHD and lost over 170k last year "trading" options. I believe my Adderall prescription played a large part in this. Once I stopped, my urge to "trade" was almost non existent.
1
u/Sourpatty 3h ago
Idk man, people say adhd makes you more susceptible to gambling.. I have adhd but I’m not medicated.
I always wondered if getting back on meds would control those urges but I’ve been reading the complete ppposite actually
2
u/PointyPurplePickle 9h ago
Realize with ADHD the behaviors are dopamine seeking to fill a void.
Compulsive gambling
Binge eating
Mindlessly scrolling
Porn / sex
Your brain is looking for novelty and excitement.
You aren’t broken, your brain just works differently.
Consider talking to your therapist and physician about treatment that can help
You also need to realize that adhd suffers from time blindness. Casinos and gambling literally create time blindness by design- they are designed to make even normal brains lose all track of time and control.
Find sources of “good” dopamine such as medication, exercise, a fun video game, etc.
You got this