Gambling Addiction and Problem Gambling: Learn How to Stop …

Learn How to Stop Gambling and Regain Control of Your Finances and Relationships

Whether you bet on sports, scratch cards, roulette, poker, or slotsin a casino, at the track, or onlineproblem gambling can strain relationships, interfere with work, and lead to financial catastrophe. You may even do things you never thought you would, like stealing money to gamble or pay debts. You may think you cant stop, but with the right help, you can overcome a gambling problem or addiction and regain control of your life.

Gambling addiction, also known ascompulsive gambling or gambling disorder, is an impulse-control disorder. Compulsive gamblers cant control the impulse to gamble, even when its hurting themselves or their loved ones.

Compulsive gamblers keep gambling no matter the consequences, even when they know the odds are against them or they cant afford to lose.

People with gambling addiction often have other behavior or mood disorders. Many abuse substances, have ADD/ADHD, or mood disorders such as depression.

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.

Gamblers can have a problem without being totally out of control.Problem gamblingis any gambling behavior that disrupts your life. If youre preoccupied with gambling, spending more and more time and money on it, or gambling despite serious consequences, you have a gambling problem.

Myth: You have to gamble every day to be a problem gambler.

Fact: A problem gambler may gamble frequently or infrequently. Gambling is a problem if it causes problems.

Myth: Problem gambling is not really a problem if the gambler can afford it.

Fact: Problems caused by excessive gambling are not just financial. Too much time spent on gambling can also lead to relationship and legal problems, job loss, mental health problems including depression and anxiety, and even suicide.

Myth: Everybody has the symptoms of ADHD, and anyone with adequate intelligence can overcome these difficulties.

Fact: ADHD affects people of all levels of intelligence. And although everyone sometimes has symptoms of ADHD, only those with chronic impairments from these symptoms warrant an ADHD diagnosis.

Myth: Partners of problem gamblers often drive problem gamblers to gamble.

Fact: Problem gamblers often rationalize their behavior. Blaming others is one way to avoid taking responsibility for their actions, including what is needed to overcome the problem.

Myth: If a problem gambler builds up a debt, you should help them take care of it.

Fact: Quick fix solutions may appear to be the right thing to do. However, bailing the gambler out of debt may actually make matters worse by enabling gambling problems to continue.

Gambling addiction is sometimes referred to as a "hidden illness" because there are no obvious physical signs or symptoms like there are in drug or alcohol addiction. You may have a gambling problem if you:

Feel the need to be secretive about your gambling.You might gamble in secret or lie about how much you gamble, feeling others wont understand or that you will surprise them with a big win.

Have trouble controlling your gambling.Once you start gambling, can you walk away? Or are you compelled to gamble until youve spent your last dollar, upping your bets in a bid to win lost money back?

Gamble even when you dont have the money. You may gamble until youve spent your last dollar, and then move on to money you dont havemoney to pay bills, credit cards, or things for your children. You may feel pushed to borrow, sell, or even steal things for gambling money.

Have family and friends worried about you.Denial keeps problem gambling going. If friends and family are worried, listen to them carefully. Its not a sign of weakness to ask for help. Many older gamblers are reluctant to reach out to their adult children if they've gambled away their inheritance, but it's never too late to make changes for the better.

Take this test to find out.

In the last 12-months, have you:

1. Needed to gamble with increasing amounts of money in order to achieve the desired excitement??

2. Felt restless or irritable when attempting to cut down or stop gambling?

3. Made repeated unsuccessful efforts to control, cut back, or stop gambling?

4. Often been preoccupied with gambling, such as reliving past gambling experiences, handicapping or planning the next venture, or thinking of ways to get money with which to gamble?

5. Gambled when feeling distressed in some way, such as anxious, stressed, lonely, guilty, or depressed?

6. After losing money gambling, returned another day to get even or chase your losses?

7. Lied to conceal your gambling?

8. Jeopardized or lost a significant relationship, job, or school or career opportunity because of gambling?

9. Relied on others to provide money to relieve a desperate financial situation caused by gambling?

Please answer all the questions

Interpreting the score:

4 to 5: Indicates a MILD gambling problem

6 to 7: Indicates a MODERATE gambling problem

8 to 9: Indicates a SEVERE gambling problem

This questionnaire is not intended to replace professional diagnosis.

Adapted from: DSM-5 Diagnostic Criteria: Gambling Disorder

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. But many others have been in your shoes and have been able to break the habit. You can to.

Seek help for underlying mood disorders. Depression,stress, substance abuse, oranxiety can both 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 its important to address them.

Learn to relieve unpleasant feelings in healthier ways. Do you gamble when youre 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.Its 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, for example, is a twelve-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.

Staying in recoverymaking a permanent commitment to stop gamblingis possible if you:

One way to stop gambling is to remove the elements necessary for gambling to occur in your life and replace them with healthier choices. The four elements needed for gambling to continue are:

A decision:For gambling to happen, you need to make the decision to gamble. If you have an urge:stopwhat you are doing and call someone,thinkabout the consequences to your actions,tellyourself to stop thinking about gambling, andfindsomething 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 dont have the time. Schedule enjoyable recreational time for yourself that has nothing to do with gambling. If youre 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. Dont 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:

To provide excitement, get a rush of adrenaline

Sport or a challenging hobby, such as mountain biking, rock climbing, or Go Kart racing

To be more social, overcome shyness or isolation

Counseling, enroll in a public speaking class, join a social group, connect with family and friends, volunteer, find new friends

To numb unpleasant feelings, not think about problems

Therapy, consult Helpguides Emotional Intelligence toolkit

Boredom or loneliness

Find something youre 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. Or deep breathing, meditation, or massage

To solve money problems

The odds are always stacked against you so its far better to seek help with debts from a credit counselor

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 or watching a movie.

Postpone gambling.Tell yourself that youll wait 5 minutes, fifteen 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 youll feel after all your money is gone and youve disappointed yourself and your family again.

If you arent able to resist the gambling craving, dont 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.

Seeking professional help or seeing a therapist does not mean you are weak or cant 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.

The Four Steps Program is a variation of CBT aimed at changing your thoughts and beliefs about gambling in four steps: re-label, reattribute, refocus, and revalue. See Resources and References below.

Marriage and credit counseling can help you work through specific issues created by problem gambling.

While compulsive gamblers need the support of their family and friends to stop gambling, its common for loved ones to have conflicting emotions. You may have tried to cover up for the gambler or spent a lot of time trying to keep him or her from gambling. At the same time, you might be furious at your loved one for gambling again and tired of trying to keep up the charade.

When gamblers feel hopeless, the risk of suicide is high. Its very important to take any thoughts or talk of suicide seriously. Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or for a suicide helpline outside the U.S., visit Befrienders Worldwide.

Seek the support of others with similar problems; attend a self-help group for families such as Gam-Anon

Explain problem gambling to the children

Recognize your partners good qualities

Remain calm when speaking to your partner about his or her gambling and its consequences

Let your partner know that you are seeking help for your own sake because of the way gambling affects you and the children

Understand the need for treatment of problem gambling despite the time it may involve

Take control of family finances; review bank and credit card statements

Preach, lecture, or allow yourself to lose control of your anger

Make threats or issue ultimatums unless you intend to carry them out

Exclude the gambler from family life and activities

Expect immediate recovery, or that all problems will be resolved when the gambling stops

Bail out the gambler

Cover-up or deny the existence of the problem to yourself, the family, or others

Source: Dept. of Mental Health & Addiction Services