Indeed, addiction isnt merely limited to substances, it latches onto feelings. Strong feelings, whether from gambling, love, or anything, can spiral into addiction. The pleasure derived from gambling can be all-consuming, overshadowing rational thought. People, as you've mentioned, can be in this pleasure-filled trance, often oblivious to their spiraling habits. Its akin to chasing a mirage; they seek the euphoria but are never truly satisfied.
Your point about self-awareness is paramount. Introspection is the first step towards breaking the shackles of any addiction. Relying on advice alone is futile if the individual doesnt perceive a problem. Self-regulation, like limiting gambling to weekends, demands immense determination. Yes, its a herculean task to alter ingrained behaviors, but the realization and acknowledgment of a problem can be a transformative force. When they find themselves in the thrall of the casino, its this self-awareness that will act as their anchor.
Gambling addiction initially makes us feel that we like what we start doing often and gradually, it changes to us increasingly liking to do it more often but we don't realize that we have started to become addicted. It's like us replying to WhatsApp messages on our smartphones, which makes us open the WhatsApp application more often to reply to messages or want to see the status of our friends so we can comment. If you can refrain from this, it seems you can reduce your gambling addiction and to begin with, you can divert your attention to other things that are not related to your smartphone.
That's why I always emphasize the importance of self-control when playing gambling because I don't think anyone wants to experience a gambling addiction, especially if they have often seen what happens to people who are addicted to gambling and what impact it has on the people around them. If people who are addicted to gambling cannot realize or introspect that they have a gambling addiction, they will find it difficult to accept the fact that they are addicted to gambling and need help. Gambling addiction will change his behavior to become a different person than before. And even the people around him wouldn't be able to recognize him anymore.