How Gamblers Quit Gambling
Information shared at Gamblers Anonymous meetings list three events that may occur in a compulsive gamblers life, unless they stop the addiction. Fear alone is not a factor that drives the addict into treatment. Literature tells the gambler that if they are compulsive and continue to gamble, it’s either prison, insanity, or death.
Prison: When a compulsive gambler needs more ammunition to continue to gamble, many will resort to embezzling from employers or stealing from family or friends. The result will be a judge sentencing him or her to probation, restitution, and even prison. Depending on the amount of money involved, the prison sentence could be anywhere between six months to more than twenty years.
Insanity: The compulsive gambler is affected physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and financially. The mental, emotional and spiritual damage takes a toll on the gambler. He never realizes or recognizes that he is being stimulated by sounds, colors, lights, and rewards, every five to seven seconds while he is in action. With sports betting the stimulation period will vary. He may also be thinking about his gambling even when he is away from the game. The gambler is desperate and needs to bet more money to reach the previous high just as the drug addict needs to take more drugs.
Death: Physical damage from compulsive gambling reaches a number of areas in our bodies. The stress can cause harm to the bodies’ internal organs when the gambler sits on a stool for hours at a time and sometimes days, without food, drink or trips to the restroom. The heart, kidneys, liver, and the immune system may be weakened. In some instances, the gambler becomes so distraught that he will commit suicide. Suicide by gamblers is not uncommon.
Alternatives For How To Quit Gambling
There are alternatives to prison, insanity, or death and the choices are; a 12-step program, counseling, in-house addiction treatment, and religion. It is important to note here that all gamblers do not gamble the same and every treatment plan will not work for every gambler. But recovery is the same process. The theory in stopping the addiction is that the gambler must be ready to stop and he will when the pain of gambling becomes too great. When he begins to recover, he becomes a part of life rather than apart from. Here are some ideas on where to find help for gambling.
12 step groups – Gamblers Anonymous (GA) offers hope and help to compulsive gamblers. The group exists to allow members to share the experiences about gambling, and to mentor one another to healthier life choices and encourages a gambling free lifestyle.
In patient addiction treatment – There have been compulsive gamblers who have entered treatment through interventions, family and peer pressure, or employer suggestions. Addiction treatment for behavioral addictions is usually a combination of education, psychotherapy, and 12 step support.
Treatment centers help explain how the brain’s neural pathways are altered by addiction, and help you understand how to recognize triggers, and deal with the pain or fear or anger that precedes gambling.
Psychotherapy – Counseling from therapists who are trained to treat gambling issues gives a person the opportunity to view the other side of their problem and helps them understand how past experiences might have affect the current problem.
Religion and spirituality – Many people have recovered from gambling addiction through their faith in a power greater than themselves.
The Have I Got A Problem website is a free online resource to help people better understand any issues or concerns they may have about mental health or addiction. The website includes resources specifically focused to; general Mental Health, Depression, Stress, Anxiety, Insecurities, Self-harm Schizophrenia, Bipolar, Anger Management, Eating Disorders, Coping, general Addiction, Alcohol, Smoking, Gambling, Drugs, Cocaine, Heroin, Marijuana (Cannabis) Ecstasy, PCP, Mephedrone, Ketamine & Crystal Meth.
The site was created to give the public information to help them understand mental health and addiction issues and to assist people in making better informed decisions about their life and personal choices.
www.haveigotaproblem.com was created and is run by 'Advising Communities’, which is a UK registered charity (Charity No. 1061055)
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