Dopamine Addicts or Gambling Addicts?

[Garf79]

I was reading an article and something occurred to me, am I addicted to gambling or am I addicted dopamine? Our brain releases dopamine when we get pleasure from something and we often call this a "high" or a "rush". Now I have gambled for a long long time, over 35 years now. So I think it fair to say I have experience of gambling's high's and low's and I have often thought to myself in the past why do I do it?

Money is kind of the vessel, in all honestly I don't care about money, not that I have much! But when I gamble the money is not that important, all I want to win for is to gamble some more. So when I go bust which happens frequently I can't gamble any more and so the low sets in. Obviously it would be nice to win really big so I could buy a house or something but I think the thing that I am looking for is the rush and this is created by winning and even losing. So am I actually a dopamine addict?

What is dopamine?

Dopamine is a type of neurotransmitter and it is made in the brain. Dopamine is produced when we feel pleasure and helps us focus and find things interesting. Scientists believe dopamine is made by a two step process, firstly it changes the amino acid tyrosine to a substance called dopa and then to dopamine. Dopamine has a big impact on out bodies and effects learning, motivation, heart rate, kidney function, sleep, mood, attention, movement and more.

           

 

So am I addicted to gambling or Dopamine?

Tricky question but if I try to look at it scientifically, I would probably say I am a dopamine addict and probably if you are reading this you are too. I know often when I watch @AlphaGamblergambler stream, sometimes it is almost as if the money has no importance, it is like we are looking for something more than just a big win. So maybe but I am not 100% sure I am a dopamine addict and just addicted to the highs and lows.

What can we take from this information?

Reflecting on what I have just written and my 35 years plus of gambling I think it is important for all of us on the forum to realise that there is more than just money motivation at work. It is important for us all to realize this because I bet you all the money I have that the gambling providers and casinos already know this! SO what we can take from this information is that we should all set gambling limits! If we set limits that allow us to play from pay check to pay check then we can all get our dopamine hits at a steady rate. If we go for one massive hit when we get paid it can cause a long low period where we get next to no dopamine, which listed above can effect other parts of out body. So my advice from this is to set strict limits and manage your money or funds very carefully and we can all be dopamine junkies for long the long haul and avoid the lows that gambling often takes us to.

Best of luck all hope you hit something big!!!

[Sumit]

I was addicted, but slowly I am controlling my gambling insect in my head. 🥲

[Garf79]

Ha gambling insect 😄