I have known people to ruin businesses, suck the equity out of their home and spend all of their retirement accounts. If people do not get help they will resort to nearly anything including crime. His/her gambling addiction becomes the only driving force in their life and the most important thing is to be in action. Gambling produces huge amounts of dopamine in our brains, so we are essentially addicted to a chemical, made in our own bodies.
Their mind? Gambling is the goal and their mind can work overtime to figure out how to get more fuel to gamble. Their plan? Finding money to gamble more, it matters not if it is from the couch cushions, roommate's wallet or employers' bank because the addiction is all that is important.
In the throes of addiction most addicts do not have a rational mind or a rational plan. It is a form of insanity where we continue to repeat a behavior even though it has caused get pain and suffering.

It's so strange that people get addicted to things which does not add anything to their life. Everything goes for a toss..their life, job, health, family, money but they still find solace in it. How can something so negative be comforting for them.

I never intended to become an addict. I enjoyed gambling now and then with friends and even family at first. It wasn't negative. It was fun, and I could stop. I imagine it's similar for alcoholics or drug addicts. Nobody starts out with the goal of becoming addicted, but without our noticing, our brains get used to the feel-good chemicals (dopamine, serotonin) and eventually we develop a tolerance and need more to feel as good as we felt at first. Which we'll never do. I think most of us addicts know that, but addiction distorts our reality. The things we "know" are important (as you said, life, job, health, etc.) fade into the background, and what "feels" important is more, more. more dopamine. Of course, we feel worse when we come down, so our addicted brains make us think we should keep gambling to feel better. It's horrible. Until you have walked in our shoes - which I do NOT recommend - it's easy to think we're weak or to be baffled as to why we'd make the choices we do.

because in our minds we may still win...right? maybe? just maybe? we may win, and we MIGHT keep it, some drug addicts get nothing at the end of a binge, we believe that our luck will change and get something for all the shit we have been thru, we try in vain....to get the high, get the money, get back on our feet.....we are tenacious....we are resourceful and resilient....we are warriors....its not easy to be us.....gambling has taught me many many things about myself and has brought me to my knees ...to God, to a better life....there is a plan somewhere, we just take a crazy route.....would i change it? maybe...but I look at it now and i made it, im safe...i fought it...and survived...

Some great answers to tough questions. I am 4 and a half years without a bet yet I fight this battle everyday. I am just one bet away from disaster and no better than someone who is 1 day clean. Just more fortunate.

Correction, 3 and a half years,lol Time flies when you are having fun, not misery.