From your finances to the quality of your relationship, gambling can impact a lot of different facets in your life. A couple of decades ago, gambling was solely reserved for fast-paced, neon-lighted casinos. Fast forward to the present-day, gambling can take many forms, including online gambling platforms.
Compulsive gambling is a difficult cycle to break, but please take solace in the fact that recovery is 100% possible! If you are struggling with gambling, continue to read this blog to learn helpful tips and develop a practice game plan.
Anchor Therapy is a counseling center in Hoboken, NJ with mental health therapists specialized in helping children, teens, adults, couples, and families with anxiety, depression, relationship issues, trauma, life transitions, and more. Anchor Therapy is accepting new clients and is now providing in-person sessions and teletherapy sessions to residents of New Jersey, New York, Florida, North Carolina, and Utah.
What is a gambling disorder?
A gambling disorder can be defined when a repeated and problematic gambling behavior presents itself. This behavior can impact you as a functioning adult, and affect your relationships with your family, friends, and romantic partner(s). If your gambling disorder is severe, it can also impact your standing in society. For example, a serious gambling issue could lead to you losing your job. Your gambling will continue even if major life issues like this pop up.
How do I know if I have a gambling addiction?
Sometimes, it can be hard to impact your behavior or the severity of your habits. You may know about your issues but be in denial since you want to continue the illusion that you have proper control over your life. Or, on the other hand, maybe you know you have a problem, but you do not know where to turn.
The first step in solving your gambling addiction is recognizing that you actually have a gambling problem.
To be diagnosed with a gambling disorder, you must meet at least four of the criteria within the past four years:
Often gambling when you are under stress (If you are struggling with managing your stress levels, read our blog “Everything You Need To Know About Stress Management Therapy”)
Relying on close people in your life for monetary issues due to your gambling
Risking or losing your job, relationship(s), and so on due to gambling
Needing to gamble with increased amounts of money to receive any sense of excitement
Being restless or irritable when you need to cut down on or stop gambling completely
Recurring thoughts about gambling
“Chasing” your losses (e.g., when you lose money, you keep returning to get even)
Lying to your loved ones to hide your gambling behaviors
Repeatedly trying and failing to control or quit gambling
It is important to note that, for those struggling with a gambling disorder, there may be periods where you stop gambling completely. In these periods, the gambling may not seem like an issue; however, when you start to engage in the behavior again, you may recognize that you are caught in an unhealthy cycle.
For more information on self-assessing your potential gambling addiction, check out our blog “How To Know If Your Substance Use Has Become A Problem.”
How can a person become addicted to gambling?
Gambling disorders may also run in families. If you grew up in an environment where you watched a caregiver or parent gamble, you may have learned to model this behavior. Additional factors, such as trauma and social inequalities, can contribute to gambling.
A gambling addiction is an impulse-control disorder. What this means is that you have little to no control over your gambling urges, even when you know about the damage that can come along with your actions.
Your need to gamble may increase, like getting into riskier bets, gambling more frequently, or betting with more and more money.
There is a thrill in gambling. This thrill is connected to the inherent risk-taking nature of gambling which naturally produces a high. When you are gambling, your psychological frame of mind can be compared to the effects of someone’s mind who is under the influence of a substance. Gambling is an addiction. Just like someone who is addicted to alcohol or drugs and becomes obsessed with their habit, so does the gambler.
If you know someone who is struggling with addiction and substance abuse problems, read our blog “5 Ways To Help Someone Battling Addiction & Substance Abuse Issues” for more guidance.
How can I stop gambling?
Gambling impacts people of all ages, from teens to adults and senior citizens. The primary sign of a gambling addiction is an overpowering urge to gamble regardless of the hazardous consequences.
It is not uncommon for people with gambling issues to experience:
Financial strains
Relationship issues with family, friends, and romantic partners
Negative health outcomes
The truth is that addiction is complex, but there are many treatment options available to help you through this difficult time.
Here are the steps you can take to manage your gambling habit on your own:
Label your problem
It can be hard to be honest with ourselves at times, especially when things are going wrong. When you accept that you have a gambling issue, you can learn how to manage it.
In addition to learning the signs and symptoms of gambling as mentioned above, you can aim to understand the social issues that come along with gambling problems. For instance, you may be lying about your activities to your loved ones or steal money to support your gambling habit.
Recognizing these signs can equate to stopping gambling and taking back control over your life. You are in charge.
2. Comprehend your triggers
Everyone has different triggers. In the early stages of healing from a gambling addiction, you will want to learn your triggers. This means trying to understand the reasons behind your compulsive need to gamble and what outside life stressors are contributing to this unhealthy habit.
A specific thought, situation, behavior, feeling, or person can trigger an urge to gamble.
The following are common triggers for gambling addiction:
A major life transition (e.g., retirement)
Traumatic life circumstances
Environmental factors (e.g., an available opportunity to gamble)
Loneliness
Mental health issues, like anxiety and/or depression
Job-related stress (Read “3 Ways To Achieve Work-Life Balance” for more information)
The presence of other addictions
Identifying your triggers can be done by journaling. One way to journal about your addictive behaviors is to write down the type of gambling you are doing, how much time you spent on it, and how much money you lost or earned.
After recording the facts, write down your thoughts, emotions, and situations that occurred before and after engaging in the gambling activity. This will help you pinpoint what triggered the behavior.
3. Examine your thoughts and feelings
When you are addicted to gambling, your urges can be so intense that any logical thoughts and coinciding emotions go out the window. When you are stuck in this cycle, it may feel defeated and like you will never be able to break your gambling addiction, but do not lose hope.
When you pay attention to your emotional welfare, you can regain control over your life, and be protected against the pathological loop of gambling.
If you feel like gambling all the time, record your thoughts and feelings. Then, come up with a coping technique that works for you.
Here is a breakdown of what this may look like:
Thoughts: “I keep daydreaming about my past gambling experiences. I won really big at Casino X last time and I need to go back.”
Feelings: “I am feeling stressed and anxious which makes me crave gambling.”
Coping technique: “I will discuss my feelings this week with my licensed addiction counselor in therapy.”
4. Stay away from high-risk environments
When you are trying to break your gambling addiction, it is important to stay away from high-risk environments. Just as someone who is addicted to alcohol would not go to a party where it is served in the beginning of their healing journey, you should avoid similarly-triggering situations.
When you feel like going down a big black hole of playing online poker for hours on end, you may want to replace this with a healthier activity, like calling a friend.
If you find yourself in a casino or another triggering space, it is hard to try to ignore your cravings.
The following actions can prevent you from engaging in high-risk behaviors:
Delete gambling apps from your phone or other electronic devices
Stay away from casinos or online gambling platforms
Cancel credit cards
Avoid taking out loans
Avoid carrying large amounts of cash on you
Avoid people, places, or things that you associate with gambling
When you avoid your triggers, it can prevent accompanying thoughts and emotions. For example, let us say that your regular route to work includes passing by a casino. Next time you go into the office, you may want to take a different route so you are not tempted to go inside and gamble.
When leaving the house, try to leave with the essential amount of money you need and not much more.
5. Delay your decision to gamble
When you delay your decision to gamble, your cravings will eventually pass which allows you to be in more control.
When you have an urge to gamble, try to:
Relax and focus on staying in the present moment
Take deep breaths so you can refocus and quiet your brain (To learn how to meditate, read our blog “How Meditation Can Lead to Stress Reduction”)
Distract yourself with a healthy activity (e.g., engaging in a quick workout, drinking water, etc.)
Wait at least an hour when a gambling urge pops up which permits the desire to lessen. Try to imagine what would happen if you engage in the gambling behavior, like how anxious and sad you will feel after giving into your impulse.
6. Understand the benefits of ending your gambling addiction
This may seem like an obvious one, but understanding the benefits of not being addicted to gambling is important. When you are stuck in the loop of gambling, there are many negative, serious effects, from declaring bankruptcy to filing for divorce.
When you reflect on your gambling, the point is to not live in shame and guilt but, instead, to take ownership of your actions and create a path forward. By thinking about how gambling has impacted your past, you can know for sure what you want in your future. For instance, you can think about all of the money you have spent on gambling and imagine what that money could have gone to instead.
When you overcome your gambling disorder, there will be many positives. You may have extra money or notice the quality of your relationships improving. Maybe you can now handle stress better at work. Maybe you can finally pay off that bill without asking your loved ones for help.
Let your past motivate you. Be kind with yourself, and try to understand that overcoming your gambling addiction is a process. Recovery does not happen overnight.
7. Work with an addiction therapist
As I mentioned previously, self-reflection can be difficult. Even when you are at your lowest point, it can be hard to be completely honest with yourself. This is where working with an addiction counselor comes into play.
An addiction counselor near you can help you become aware of your triggers and explore healthy coping mechanisms with you so you can find what works for you and your unique needs.
You can replace your gambling problem with another stimulating activity, also known as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for addiction. Support is an important part of the recovery process.
Your addiction counselor will teach you how to avoid your gambling triggers or, when you cannot avoid them, how to cope with them. You are also given a safe space to discuss your stress or anxiety which is triggering your addictive behavior in addiction counseling.
Addiction therapy is a non-judgemental space where you can receive the professional support you need.
A gambling disorder presents many challenges. Willpower and all of the self-help books in the world may not work for you in your gambling recovery. Sometimes, you need the help of an addiction counselor and that is okay. Asking for help is brave. Professional treatment can help you get back on the right track.
At Anchor Therapy, we have certified addiction therapists who can help you feel like your best self again.
Victoria Scala
is the Social Media Manager and Intake Coordinator at Anchor Therapy in Hoboken, New Jersey. She is a graduate of the Honors College of Rutgers University-Newark. In her roles, Victoria is committed to managing the office’s social media presence and prioritizing clients' needs.
IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR HELP FROM A PROFESSIONAL COUNSELOR TO ASSIST YOU IN MAKING POSITIVE CHANGES IN YOUR LIFE, CONTACT US
WORKING WITH US IS EASY
Fill out the contact form below.
Our intake coordinator will get back to you with more information on how we can help and to schedule an appointment. We will set you up with an experienced licensed therapist who specializes in what you're seeking help with and who understands your needs.
You’ll rest easy tonight knowing you made the first step to improve your life.
