5 Ways to Overcome Gambling Addiction

While it won’t damage your body in the way an addiction to drink or drugs can, compulsive gambling can nonetheless be very dangerous, taking a mental, emotional and financial toll yourself and the people around you. The patterns of addiction can vary from person to person, but if you have a problem it’s quickly going to become apparent to you and your loved ones. We’re going to look at five of the ways you can begin to address the problems and get your life gambling-free and back on track.

Admit You Have A Problem

As with any addiction, you can’t go on to effectively treat it without first admitting to yourself that you have a problem that needs to be addressed. Unfortunately, a lot of people will wait till their addiction has already done damage to their personal lives before conceding that they have a condition. If you’re ready to seek help, find a gambling advice hotline in your region, preferably one staffed by people with professional mental health training like the royal panda casino review. They can start to clarify your problem and put you on the road to recovery.

 

Join A Group

Try to find a support group near you that helps gambling addicts such as yourself. One such popular group is Gambler’s Anonymous, based on the Alcoholics Anonymous format that includes a 12-step rehabilitation program and encourages the use of personal sponsors. There are usually groups like these available everywhere, and they can be tremendously beneficial in helping show you that you’re not the only one going through problems. Most will also let you bring family members or friends for support or so they can better understand what you’re going through and that you’re trying to get better.

Consider Therapy

Gambling addiction falls in the spectrum of mental health issues. CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) is the go-to treatment for those suffering gambling addiction. It helps develop coping mechanisms and equip the patient with the tools to fight urges that may lead them to regression. This can be a good way to help ensure that you avoid temptation in the long run after you’ve managed an initial period of not gambling.

Contemplate Medication

This may initially sound a little far-fetched, but addiction is, after all, a process that occurs in our brains. In gambling, the addict is chasing the chemical high of a win, time after time. In this respect, certain antidepressants can be described that reduce the see-saw effect of the brain’s chemistry when presented with gambling. Lithium, nalmefene and certain SSRIs can be considered when treating gambling addiction, just ensure you discuss the matter at length with a medical professional to find out what, if any, of these drugs, would be suitable for you.

 

Fill Your Free Time

With anyone trying to overcome an addiction, one of the biggest, but maybe less reported on, obstacles is what to do with the free time that was previously taken up by servicing your habit. If you don’t find a constructive pursuit to fill the time you can easily lapse into boredom and return to gambling. Consider taking up a brutal, draining sport like boxing or mixed martial arts that will build discipline, shake you out of your old habits and ensure an endorphin release through exertion. Most importantly of all, stay away from places where you might be tempted to gamble. That could be a casino, local betting shop or even a fruit machine in a bar.