SELF-ASSESSMENT
Self-test: Is my gaming behaviour healthy?
Are you worried that your gaming behaviour might be unhealthy and causing problems?
The questions below can help you to assess your gaming behaviour.
- Have you kept playing despite feeling that you wanted to stop?
- Do you engage in rituals associated with gaming (lucky number, talisman, favourite machine, gaming and betting at particular times, defined time gaps between sets...)?
- Have you spent more money than you intended to?
- Have you tried to win back your losses?
- Have you already borrowed money?
- Do you play to escape day-to-day life and forget situations that might be bothering you?
- Do your thoughts revolve around gaming or sports betting, even if you're not currently gaming?
- Do you lie to relatives or yourself out of shame or guilt?
- Are you playing more frequently and with higher stakes?
Evaluation
If at least one of the above questions apply to you, this may be an indication of problem gaming behaviour.
If several of the above questions apply to you, this could suggest you are addicted to gambling. However, a valid diagnosis can only be made by an expert (psychiatrist or psychotherapist, for example).
Recommendation for action
If you believe you're exhibiting signs of problem gambling behaviour, there are many professional counselling centres that can help you. To protect your health and well-being, don't hesitate to seek assistance. Early intervention can help to prevent serious consequences and enable you to re-discover how to game responsibly.