|
Self-help for Gambling Problems
The biggest step to overcoming a gambling addiction is realizing that you have a problem. It takes tremendous strength and courage to own up to this, especially if you have lost a lot of money and strained or broken relationships along the way. However, many others have been in your shoes and have been able to break the habit. You can, too:
- Seek help for underlying mood disorders. Depression, stress, substance abuse or anxiety can trigger gambling problems and be made worse by compulsive gambling. Even when gambling is no longer a part of your life, these problems will still remain, so it's important to address them.
- Learn to relieve unpleasant feelings in healthier ways. Do you gamble when you're lonely or bored, or after a stressful day at work or school? Gambling may be a way to self-soothe unpleasant emotions, but there are healthier and more effective ways of managing your moods, such as practicing relaxation techniques.
- Strengthen your support network. It's tough to battle any addiction without support, so reach out to friends and family. If your support network is limited, there are ways to make new friends without relying on visiting casinos or gambling online. Try reaching out to colleagues at work, joining a sports team or book club, enrolling in an education class or volunteering for a good cause.
- Join a support group. Gamblers Anonymous (www.gamblersanonymous.org), for example, is a 12-step recovery program patterned after Alcoholics Anonymous. A key part of the program is finding a sponsor, a former gambler who has experience remaining free from addiction and can provide invaluable guidance and support.
How to Stop Gambling for Good
It's true: the internet has made gambling far more accessible and harder for recovering addicts to avoid relapse. Online casinos and bookmakers are open all day, every day for anyone with a smartphone. Staying in recovery, however — making a permanent commitment to stop gambling — is still possible if you:
- Surround yourself with people to whom you're accountable.
- Avoid tempting environments and websites.
- Give up control of your finances (at least at first).
- Find healthier activities to replace gambling.
Making Healthier Choices
One way to stop gambling is to remove the elements necessary for gambling to occur in your life and replace them with healthier choices. These are the four elements needed for gambling to continue:
- A Decision: For gambling to happen, you need to make the decision to gamble. If you have an urge: stop what you are doing, and call someone. Think about the consequences to your actions, tell yourself to stop thinking about gambling, and find something else to do immediately.
- Money: Gambling cannot occur without money. Get rid of your credit cards, let someone else be in charge of your money, have the bank make automatic payments for you, close online betting accounts and keep only a limited amount of cash on you.
- Time: Even online gambling cannot occur if you don't have the time. Schedule enjoyable recreational time for yourself that has nothing to do with gambling. If you're gambling on your smartphone, find other ways to fill the quiet moments during your day.
- A Game: Without a game or activity to bet on, there is no opportunity to gamble. Don't put yourself in tempting environments. Tell gambling establishments you frequent that you have a gambling problem, and ask them to restrict you from entering. Remove gambling apps and block gambling sites on your smartphone and computer.
Maintaining recovery from gambling addiction or problem gambling depends a lot on finding alternative behaviors you can substitute for gambling. Some examples include the following:
| Reason for gambling | Sample substitute behaviors |
|---|---|
| To provide excitement, get a rush of adrenaline | Sport or a challenging hobby, such as mountain biking, rock climbing or Go Kart racing, can also provide this rush. |
| To be more social, overcome shyness or isolation | Try counselling, enroll in a public speaking class, join a social group, connect with family and friends, volunteer or find new friends. |
| To numb unpleasant feelings, not think about problems | Therapy may help to address these issues. |
| Boredom or loneliness | Find something you're passionate about such as art, music, sports or books, and then find others with the same interests. |
| To relax after a stressful day | As little as 15 minutes of daily exercise can relieve stress. Also try deep breathing, meditation or massage. |
| To solve money problems | The odds are always stacked against you, so it's far better to seek help with debts from a credit counsellor. |
Dealing With Gambling Cravings
Feeling the urge to gamble is normal, but as you build healthier choices and a strong support network, resisting cravings will become easier. When a gambling craving strikes:
- Avoid isolation. Call a trusted family member, meet a friend for coffee, or go to a Gamblers Anonymous meeting.
- Distract yourself with another activity, such as going to the gym, watching a movie or practicing a relaxation exercise for gambling cravings.
- Postpone gambling. Tell yourself that you'll wait five minutes, 15 minutes or an hour. As you wait, the urge to gamble may pass or become weak enough to resist.
- Visualize what will happen if you give in to the urge to gamble. Think about how you'll feel after all your money is gone and you've disappointed yourself and your family again.
If you aren't able to resist the gambling craving, don't be too hard on yourself or use it as an excuse to give up. Overcoming a gambling addiction is a tough process. You may slip from time to time; the important thing is to learn from your mistakes and continue working towards recovery.
Getting Professional Treatment
Seeking professional help or seeing a therapist does not mean you are weak or can't handle your problems. Therapy can give you tools and support for coping with your addiction that will last a lifetime. Problem gambling can sometimes be a symptom of bipolar disorder, so your doctor or therapist may need to rule out this disorder before making a diagnosis:
- Inpatient treatment programs are an option for those with severe gambling addiction who are unable to avoid gambling without round-the-clock support.
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for gambling addiction focuses on changing unhealthy gambling behaviors and thoughts, such as rationalizations and false beliefs. It can also teach you how to fight gambling urges and solve financial, work and relationship problems caused by problem gambling.
- Marriage and credit counselling can help you work through specific issues created by problem gambling.
Reference:
Segal, J., Smith, M. & Robinson, L. (Updated 2017, April). Gambling addiction and problem gambling: How to stop gambling and regain control of your life. Retrieved 23 May 2017 from HelpGuide: https://www.helpguide.org