How does the pleasurable activity of gaming or gambling become an addiction that destroys lives? Why can one person play for fun and another one is unable to stop?

In this 8th episode Nicoleta chats with counselling psychologist Annika Lindberg from London to find that gambling addiction is not about the amount of money lost, but rather about losing the control and not being able to stop despite the negative consequences it brings into our lives.

From losing jobs, missing time with family, to accumulating massive debts and losing their homes, addicted gamblers are either looking for the buzz of a big win or gamble as a way of coping with difficult emotions.

Their inner worlds are marked by anxiety, depression, shame and a strong sense of isolation and when they cannot see a way out from that desperation they can go as far as thinking of or attempting to commit suicide.

Causing real devastation in the lives of millions of people, gambling addiction is nowadays a problem of the society not of the individual only and is becoming a public health problem due to the slow emerging reform in regulation.

The good news is that there si support and change is possible when gamblers awaken and move out of the secrecy of their behaviour. Listen this episode to find out more.