How Denial Takes Control in Gambling Addiction

At its root, denial is a psychological defense and coping mechanism. While it can temporarily shield you from anxiety and emotional pain, it can get in the way of leading a healthy and honest lifestyle. When it comes to gambling addiction, denial can prevent individuals from seeking help or recognizing the impact of their actions. If left unchecked, denial can escalate (much like a gambling problem), making it harder for someone to acknowledge reality and take necessary action.

With gambling addiction, denial can build an elaborate system of lies and defense mechanisms to the point where the suffering individual truly believes in what he or she is saying or doing, regardless of how far removed from logic and reason. As the addiction progresses, the individual doesn’t even know that he or she is in denial, and loved ones often struggle to make sense of the gambler’s actions and words.

If you are currently in recovery from disordered gambling or any other addiction, denial can be one of the first red flags leading to a relapse. Denial is a way to set up a protective barrier to keep from admitting and accepting the presence of a problem.

Types of Denial:

Denial comes out in many forms. Keep in mind that denial is not specific to problem gambling and can be used for a range of reasons. It may be helpful to think outside of that box momentarily, as likely you’ve witnessed some of the below in someone else. If one or more seems familiar, think about how you might have used them to defend your gambling in the past.

• Simple Denial: Maintaining that something is not so, insisting that gambling is not a problem. This is where lying and dishonesty are forms of denial, and often the gambler is unaware of this truth.
• Blaming: Denying responsibility or irresponsible behaviors and maintaining that the responsibility lies with someone or something other than oneself.
• Minimizing: Admitting to a small part of one’s problem in order to satisfy oneself or others, so as to make the problem seem much smaller than it really is.
• Rationalizing: Giving excuses, alibis, and justifications for one’s gambling behavior. The motive here is to give some other reason for the behavior that is being caused by the gambling problem.
• Anger/Hostility: This is when a compulsive gambler will become angry or irritable at others who dare to bring up the gambling problem. This may be successful in getting loved ones to avoid the subject or give up on intervening.
• Diversion: Changing the subject to avoid a topic that feels threatening to the gambler.
• Intellectualizing: Avoiding discussions about the gambling problem by theorizing or generalizing.
• Humor: This is a way to avoid any painful feelings associated with the seriousness of the gambling problem.

Denial can feel overwhelming, bringing emotions like fear, guilt, anxiety, and a sense of losing control. It often leads to shutting down feelings entirely, making someone feel emotionally numb or disconnected. People in denial may react to situations in ways that don’t match what’s happening, showing defensiveness or detachment from themselves and others. Over time, relying on denial too much can take a serious toll, potentially leading to physical and mental health issues, including heart problems or depression. Yes, problem gambling can also have physical health impacts!

Tired? Keeping the reality of our actions from showing themselves is like trying to hold a ball underwater. It takes a lot of concentration and energy.

If any of these behaviors are showing up within you or someone you know, take a break and call or text the 888-ADMIT-IT Problem Gambling HelpLine. It’s never too late or too early to reach out, and many are surprised by the amount of free resources available for both gamblers and loved ones.