Pathological gambling: The less visible addiction

Abstract

The excessive gambling began to be seen more as an "addiction" or sin, with strong moral connotations than as mental illness or disorder. The natural evolution of the concept illustrates the effort that has been made by the various scientific areas in an attempt to explain it. The game gets a pathological said psychiatric status, having been recognized by the DSM-III as a mental disorder. This work is addressing the main characteristics of pathological gamblers, describing a trajectory more or less stereotyped them is usually common. At the same time show up the main differences and similarities that depart and approach the game from alcohol and tobacco. Knowing that most plays sparingly, recreational, discusses below the possibility of knowing what might be called threshold compulsivity. We try to explain the reasons why the individual Ogar and also to what extent it can be considered the player a rational consumer. Given the inexistências data about the game in Portugal, presented some testimony from anonymous players who contacted.