How Can I Overcome My Gambling?

Do you gamble to avoid feeling lonely, bored or stressed?

Did you join a peer support group?

Do you have any underlying mood issues?

Do you have urges to gamble?

Are you incharge of your money?

Do you have alot of free time on your hands?

Are you aware of the postponing technique?

Is your gambling addiction very severe?

Do you have any underlying mood conditions?

Gambling may be a way to self-soothe unpleasant emotions, unwind, or socialize. But there are healthier and more effective ways of managing your moods and relieving boredom, such as exercising, spending time with friends who don’t gamble, taking up new hobbies, or practicing relaxation techniques.

Gamblers Anonymous, for example, is a 12-step recovery program. A key part of the program is finding a sponsor, who has experience remaining free from addiction and can provide you invaluable guidance and support.

Depression, stress, substance abuse, or anxiety can both trigger gambling problems and be made worse by compulsive gambling. So its important to address those issues.

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.

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.

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.

Tell yourself that you’ll wait 5 minutes, fifteen minutes, or an hour. As you wait, the urge to gamble may pass or become weak enough to resist.

Inpatient or residential treatment and rehad programs provide round-the-clock support to deal with these issues.

Depression, anxiety, OCD, or ADHD can contribute to gambling. Therapy, medication, and lifestyle changes can help control these issues.

Relapse is sometimes part of recovery. Instead of focusing on the negative aspects of a relapse, try using it as a learning experience instead, helping you to identify triggers and fix any problems in your recovery plan.