Deep inside, somehow I don't buy into this theory about gambling being a stress-reliever in general. On the contrary, I'd rather say it gives us an adrenaline rush which makes us feel alive (again) when we feel bored. Put differently, there is no relief of stress as our inner and subconscious longings for gambling are more about receiving some portion of stress instead of getting rid of it.
Well, by that, should we be really categorize
gambling as means of
entertainment? To some extent maybe? But I agree, it could never be a form of
stress-relief, as long as an activity involves
risks (losing money, or losing in general) I don't think that could relieve any stress at all. It could result in some pretty nasty poison in our minds: anxiety, depression, desperation, etc.
Whether you can control the amount of this stress and keep it manageable is another question, though
Agreed. I think the
true stress-relieving activity is when it rewards you
relaxation, instead of clinging to something that
may make you feel worse than you already are.