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But it's the truth that people tend to indulge in their various habits just to let go of a painful life situation, maybe the loss of a loved one. Those who are into drugs run to it for help since nothing else could revive in them a beautiful moment or feeling. However, it doesn't help the person, yet when there is no option humans do what's available to keep the time going. Same applies to gamblers who find fun in wagering money, they'll use gaming to battle sad emotional states.
Gambling is an activity which indeed something which is done as a form of distraction, you know. But distraction is not supposed to be the same as coping, there are two completely different things.
One engages in distracting activities whrlen there is leisure time and there is boredom involved, while coping is something which is done when our mind is in a state of pain and we need to find a way to relieve such a pain by doing some specific things, instead of using gambling as a coping mechanism when in grief, it would be healthier to go and try to socialize with other people, with our family members and loved ones. Gambling as a coping mechanism just brings losses in the long term and also more grief, in the form of accumulated losses.
Because of that, one of my number one rules when comes to gambling is never to gamble when feeling depressed or sad.