Gambling can be a fun and harmless diversion for some, but can become an addiction or a problem. It can affect a person’s mental health and relationships, interfere with studies or work, lead to a financial crisis, and even cause suicide.

It can be difficult to stop gambling without help, but there are support services and self-help groups that can help you get started. If you think you might have a gambling disorder, talk to your doctor. They can refer you to a gambling counselor or therapist to see if treatment is right for you.

Often there is a strong connection between gambling and thoughts of suicide. If you think you might want to kill yourself, call 999 immediately.

There is also a link between gambling and depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions. These are treatable disorders that can be treated with medication.

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) can help people change the way they think about gambling. This can help them stop wasting money and avoid future losses. It can also help you understand your motivation for betting and how gambling changes your life.

Counseling can help you deal with feelings of hopelessness and depression caused by your gambling. It can also help you build a strong support network of friends and family members who care about you.

Beliefs about the odds of winning are important to the way gambling affects your thinking. You may think you’re more likely to win than you actually are, that certain rituals or practices can bring you luck, and that you can recoup your losses by betting more.

In addition, there are a number of factors that make it more likely that someone will develop a gambling problem. These include trauma, social inequality and family history of problem gambling. Symptoms can start in adolescence or later in life.

Behavioral symptoms such as lying to friends or family about gambling can also be a sign of a gambling problem. However, these types of symptoms are often over-simplistic and can be difficult to interpret.

It is also possible to have a gambling problem that you don’t recognise. This is known as a comorbid disorder, and can be treated with medication or counseling.

The problem gambling criteria in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) identify problem gamblers as those who need to gamble with increasing amounts of money to achieve excitement. They have also made repeated unsuccessful efforts to control, cut back or stop their gambling.

Harmful effects of gambling can occur for anyone, at any time. These can include losing money, ruining relationships, and becoming in debt or homeless.

These harms can be caused by all kinds of gambling, including sports betting, lottery tickets and online gaming. Some types of gambling are more harmful than others, and can be addictive.

There are many different ways to treat a gambling problem, including cognitive behavioral therapy and family counseling. You can also seek help from a support group such as Alcoholics Anonymous or Gamblers Anonymous.