Gambling addiction, which is a severe impulse-control disorder is faced by millions of people across the world. Compulsive gambling and pathological gambling are the other common terms that are used for gambling addiction. No matter how harmful gambling is for you and your family members (the people who love you the most), if you are addicted to it, you can’t control the urge to gamble. In other words, even after having a clear idea that it can have extremely damaging consequences, you are unable to stop the impulse to gamble.
Even after knowing that gambling addiction creates huge problems at the workplace, in your marriage, and can ruin your social relationships, but being a compulsive gambler you still can’t control your urge to gamble. Whether you are financially strong or not you always try to manage the money for satisfying your gambling requirements. The worst part is that you keep on gambling irrespective of its devastating consequences. Moreover, your urge to gamble continues regardless of you being happy or unhappy.
Compulsive gambling or pathological gambling is closely associated with a variety of mood disorders, and perhaps that’s the reason gambling addicts also face issues such as anxiety, depression, and stress, etc.
A lot of people do not have a clear idea about the difference between gambling addiction and problem gambling. What you need to understand here is you don’t have to be completely out of control to suffer from a gambling problem. Any kind of gambling behaviour that creates problems in your daily life can be considered as problem gambling. All those people who chase losses, spend large sums of money in gambling and continue to gamble regardless of its harmful consequences, do have a gambling problem. In addition to that, if you keep thinking about gambling all the time, you have a gambling problem.
People who believe that their gambling addiction has only financial consequences are extremely wrong. What actually happens is, if you spend huge time in chasing losses, or winning more money you eventually end up destroying your relationships with your loved ones and face a variety of legal problems. In many cases, it also leads to health problems (like stress and depression), and job loss. Sometimes a gambling addict gets suicidal thoughts when he/she suffers from severe depression. There is little doubt that people of all ages are affected by it. Apart from that, no matter how strong will power you have, there are always chances of you becoming a gambling addict.
So, if you are already facing this issue, here are 6 ways to deal with it-
1.Accept the fact that you are a gambling addict
One of the first steps towards handling your addiction is to accept the fact that you have a serious mental problem, that needs to be dealt with severely. In other words, until and unless you know that there is a problem, you can’t actually find solutions for it, hence figuring out that you have an impulse control disorder, can solve half the problem. It’s very important for you to stop being in denial that you have a problem, because due to that you will never be able to seek gambling addiction treatment, and hence you will never be able to recover from your problem.
2. Find The Best Gambling Addiction Rehab Centre
Once you get to know your problem, you then need to find a good addiction rehab centre like CHARTER harley street in your town or city, wherein you can treat your addiction. You will find an Outpatient gambling addiction rehab centres for the treatment of your problem, so go for the one that suits your requirements.
3. Make Sure The Rehab Centre Chosen By You Offers All The Facilities
If you want to recover from your addiction soon, you should try to find out a gambling addiction rehab centre that specialises in behaviour disorders. Therapists who treat emotional and behavioural disorders can easily give you right solutions for gambling addiction.
4. Get The Help Of A Support Group
Self-help groups are also very essential for recovering from gambling addiction. A large number of gambling addicts seek help from self-help groups, wherein they get to share their strengths and experiences with others so that everyone in the group can walk on their road to recovery.
5. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
If you are a compulsive gambler, you must go for cognitive behavioural therapy, wherein your therapist helps you develop coping skills as well as cognitive tools which assist in dealing with your urge to gamble. If there is any solution that helps in altering an addict’s harmful thoughts and behaviour, that’s cognitive behavioural therapy. Cognitive behavioural therapy is often considered as the standard treatment program for compulsive gambling. you can also visit Good Financial Cents for advice on how to better manage your money.
6. Spend More Time With Your Family & Friends
One of the best ways to keep gambling at bay is to spend maximum time with your family members and friends. Your loved ones care a lot for you, and they will never allow you to get into something that is harmful to you.
Apart from going for treatment and therapies, you should try to utilise your free time in productive activities so that you can keep yourself away from gambling.