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Effects of betting on your health( Pulse Contributor’s Opinion)

Betting is an act of gambling, in which a person backs an uncertain outcome with his or her money, hoping for a larger return. The rate of betting has risen globally over the years. Betting for money is a popular activity among the youth in Ghana. What has become rampant nowadays is sports betting. It has economic effects on society and gamblers. The health effects too cannot be neglected. Bets can be placed on anything sports like basketball games, soccer matches, poker, jackpot, hockey, golf, tennis, etc.

Sports betting

All types of betting, even those which people say require careful planning require luck. There is a 0 % probability of you winning and a 100 % probability of you losing at the same time. Betting can be very addictive. On your fit ever attempt at betting, you are scared but you go ahead anyway. When you are fortunate, you may come out successful. On winning, your brain rewards you with dopamine (brain pleasure chemical) which sets your body to appreciate the game and convinces you it likes the game. If you listen to your brain, you will place another bet and the addiction will start from there. How would you know you are addicted? You may show the following:

  • Restlessness in your attempt to stop gambling
  • Lying to hide your betting activities (even to your wife)
  • Thinking about betting all the time
  • Stealing money to bet
  • Inability to focus at work.

These signs should warn you of impending doom and act fast to avoid consequences that can be catastrophic.

Betting tends to cause depression. People who bet get excited when they win and sad when they lose. When they lose big sums of money, they may experience depression. Signs to look out for in a depressed gambler include increased anger and frustration, loss of interest in family and friends, loss of appetite, hopelessness, insomnia, and suicidal thoughts.

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Any report says betting can result in substance abuse. People resort to drug use and alcohol to forget the sorrow associated with losing a bet. Taking drugs too has health effects on the heart, lips, mouth, throat, liver, and lungs. So that is an indirect effect of betting.

What if you are hooked to betting, how do you get out of it?

  • Engage in leisure activities like singing, cooking, fitness, painting, etc.
  • Go for a walk 
  • Do away with betting apps and don’t go near betting centers
  • Prepare a budget each month that prevent you from overspending.

If betting has left you depressed, confide in someone you trust or seek help from a psychologist.

Prince Afram

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Pulse Contributors is an initiative to highlight diverse journalistic voices. Pulse Contributors do not represent the company Pulse and contribute on their own behalf

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