My names jj and I have a severe gambling problem im 18 and started when I was 16 in the span of 2 years I’ve gambled roughly 145k, 60k of that being in the last 2 months I don’t know what to do there’s no one I can reach out to and I’ve seen been extremely depressed and can’t shake it someone please give me a suggestion on what to do and unsure how to tell my family I need help
View Reddit by Little-Employee-6582 – View Source
Hey there, our Automoderator detected keywords that suggest you might be looking for help.
Please take a moment to look at our [F.A.Q.](https://www.reddit.com/r/problemgambling/wiki/index/), which contains some definitions and basic recovery strategies.
Don’t forget to check out our [resources section](https://www.reddit.com/r/problemgambling/wiki/index/#wiki_resources), which continues to grow.
If you believe this message was inappropriate, please [message the mods](https://reddit.com/message/compose?to=/r/problemgambling) and let them know.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/problemgambling) if you have any questions or concerns.*
This might help 👇
Why Bipolar Disorder Strongly Increases Gambling Addiction Risk
Being bipolar significantly increases the risk of developing a gambling addiction because of how the illness affects impulse control, reward processing, and judgment—especially during manic or hypomanic episodes. In these states, the brain is flooded with dopamine, which increases risk-taking, creates exaggerated confidence, and weakens the ability to foresee negative consequences. Gambling fits perfectly into this neurochemical environment: it is fast, unpredictable, and provides immediate rewards, all of which intensely stimulate the same brain circuits already overstimulated in mania.
Mania also distorts thinking in ways that make gambling feel rational. People in a manic state often believe they have special insight, winning “systems,” or exceptional luck. They overestimate their ability to control outcomes, which leads to chasing losses, increasing bet sizes, and ignoring financial limits. The brain’s normal braking system—fear, caution, and long-term planning—is impaired, so decisions are driven by emotion and sensation rather than logic.
Even outside of full mania, bipolar disorder involves chronic mood instability, which makes gambling especially appealing as a form of emotional regulation. During depressive phases, gambling can temporarily relieve numbness or despair by providing stimulation, hope, and a sense of possibility. Over time, the brain learns that gambling is a fast way to escape emotional pain or amplify excitement, reinforcing the behavior through powerful conditioning.
This creates a destructive loop: mania fuels risk-taking, depression fuels escape, and gambling becomes the bridge between the two. That cycle is why people with bipolar disorder develop gambling addiction at far higher rates than the general population.
Just tell them. Idk your relationship with your parents but if its good they will support you with your issues.
Hi –
My son, who was about the same age as you but a bit younger, went through similar stuff.
He had to decide to change but he also chose to take the help that was being offered to him.
He is doing well now. Drop me a chat if you want to hear more about his journey
Being bipolar significantly increases the risk of developing a gambling addiction because of how the illness affects impulse control, reward processing, and judgment—especially during manic or hypomanic episodes. In those states, the brain is flooded with dopamine, which heightens risk-taking, creates an exaggerated sense of confidence, and reduces the ability to foresee negative consequences. Gambling fits perfectly into this neurochemical environment: it’s fast, unpredictable, and offers immediate rewards, all of which strongly stimulate the same brain circuits that are already overstimulated in mania.
Mania also distorts thinking in a way that makes gambling feel rational. People in a manic state often believe they have special insight, “systems,” or luck, and they overestimate their ability to control outcomes. This leads to chasing losses, increasing bet sizes, and ignoring financial limits. The normal internal brakes—fear, caution, and long-term planning—are weakened, so decisions are driven by emotion and sensation rather than logic.
Even outside of full mania, bipolar disorder involves chronic mood instability, which makes gambling appealing as emotional regulation. During depressive phases, gambling can temporarily relieve numbness or despair by providing stimulation and hope. Over time, the brain learns that gambling is a quick way to escape emotional pain or amplify excitement, reinforcing the behavior through powerful conditioning. This cycle—mania driving risk, depression driving escape—creates a much higher propensity for gambling addiction than in the general population