Read in the press: “A 15-year-old girl arrested for running a drug den specializing in minors.” This information confirms that there are more drugs than meet the eye, and they’re easily available: Attention, parents!

Normally, we talk about chemical drugs; unfortunately, there’s no need to list them all because we’ve managed to make them all known.

These are the most talked-about and widespread addictions among parents, but if that weren’t enough, drugs without chemicals are now mushrooming, such as sex, gambling, shopping, cell phones, the internet, or social addictions (such as emotional dependence on one’s partner, etc.). Treatment for these addictions doesn’t involve complete drug cessation, but rather re-education and self-control.

One of the most common addictions is compulsive gambling. It is characterized by difficulty controlling impulses and tends to manifest itself in compulsive gambling.

People with gambling addiction experience heightened anxiety and nervousness.  Their daily lives become a constant lie, seeking to conceal the financial losses caused by compulsive gambling and desperate financial gain (stealing, loans, pawning, etc.).  A destructive vortex that ultimately leads to isolation, depression, and anxiety.

In Spain, the popularity of slot machines is well known, as they allow bets to be placed extremely quickly: just watch the machine swallow coins; the speed between bets and results is unbelievable.  Players don’t realize how their heart races and how their money dwindles. They think they can predict the combinations the machine will pay out, but they don’t realize a very important fact:  the machine has no feelings, is cold, and doesn’t get excited by music and lights. Furthermore, it’s a computer built to win.

People addicted to this type of addiction often present certain characteristics, which in many cases correspond to young people, such as  immaturity, low self-esteem, impulsiveness, low tolerance to frustration and unpleasant stimuli, emotional instability, a tendency toward isolation, introversion, or communication difficulties.