How-to-Help-a-Loved-One-with-a-Gambling-Addiction

How to Help a Loved One with a Gambling Addiction

Individuals who discover that their loved ones are struggling with a gambling addiction want to find ways to help them and cure their addiction. Information about some of the most effective methods to helping a gambling addict can be found online at GamblingRecovery.org.

Individuals who know someone with a gambling addiction wish that they could simply tell them to quit, but it is not that simple and this should not be said to them, if it was that easy for them to quit they would instead of suffering and enduring all the problems that this type of addiction can cause in their life. By telling a gambling addict to just stop gambling they will not think that you understand their problem and you will lose their trust, without having their trust there is no way that you will be able to help them beat this addiction.

Also when trying to help someone beat their addiction with gambling you can never enable them no matter what you do. An individual with a gambling addiction will show extreme creativity with the stories they come to you with as to why they need you to help them financially, but giving them money would only be enabling them and would not help them at all. One of the ways to help an individual with an addiction to gambling is to force them to deal with the consequences of their actions, which means not helping them financially no matter how much they ask you to.

These individuals may be helped financially by their family members and friends if these people safeguard their ATM cards and credit cards for them. If they are allowed to keep them in their possession the end result could be devastating. In order for this tactic to be effective the addicted individual must willing hand over the cards to you, you cannot take them with force against their will.

Encouraging your loved one to go through counseling is a great idea and will help them accomplish the goal of quitting gambling. One type of counseling that is effective is to seek the help of a therapist who is familiar with performing hypnotherapy. When this is performed correctly the gambler's negative thoughts that are present in their subconscious mind will be replaced with positive thoughts. Using the subconscious mind is one of the best ways to rid yourself of unwanted habits and addictions. The gamblers will see an increase in their level of confidence and self-esteem due to undergoing hypnotherapy. If therapy is the route that one takes they should also attend anonymous meetings for gamblers consistently in order to increase their chances of ridding themselves of this addiction.

When hypnotherapy is performed an individual's subconscious thought process will change almost immediately. To gain more support with the fight against this addiction individuals could use hypnosis recordings. No matter how severe the addiction may be this approach to the problem may prove to be quite helpful. It is important that you locate hypnosis recordings that have an extremely high quality. This is a very convenient tool to use and it is also discrete with a wide variety of different options to choose from.

Another approach that can be used to help with this addiction is to exercise tough love. If the individual that has the gambling addiction is someone that you live with especially if their addiction is putting a strain on your financial situation.

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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)

Quotes

"I couldn’t even imagine the state of my family’s finances being contingent upon whether Dragon Tail come in first in the fifth at Aqueduct"

Lucy

"The more I won, the deeper my happy, little gambling hobby sank into a dark and dangerous compulsion. I literally couldn’t stay away."

Leo Dirr

"I stole from friends or borrowed money with concocted stories to hide my gambling losses, I had become a pretty despicable person."

Graham

"My life is now fulfilled and in retrospect I can see how miserable and unhappy I really was and I don’t now know where I found the time or interest to gamble on pokies."

Elsie

"I used every dollar I could spare (and money that I could not spare) to put into the money-hungry pokie machines."

Roy

"I stopped going out with my friends, didn't take care of myself, and literally became apathetic about anyone who are not interested in gambling."

Tom

"When my mum gambles and looses everything, I lose everything too."

Kate

"Loneliness and desperation are bad reasons to gamble but it happens to the best of us."

Amy

"The glitz of the lights, the sounds of the slots, the hope in the air. It all made me feel so alive."

Leo

"Not only was gambling destroying my family and me financially, it was more importantly destroying my soul."

John

"I was always a casual gambler but now I have become a loner and my entire days are consumed with it."

Rick

"I've almost lost my home, my car, all of my savings are gone and I can't seem to stop myself."

Anonymous

"I began by playing for an hour or two every so often. Eventually I was playing from eleven every day."

Xavier

"I am an addict. I am a liar; I am a cheat; I am a thief. I am all of these things when I am in addiction."

Jane

"I chased that big win every day of my life, figuring that I can do this again."

Arnie Wexler

"It’s a rip-off. But I can’t complain because I made the mistake of getting involved in it."

Tony

"My intention was never to steal money. I had a very serious problem. I was a desperate man trying to cover up my addiction. I know what I did was wrong."

Scott Glandon

"The internet is making all the difference now. It's still gambling and still potentially destructive but it is hidden away."

Faith

"Everyone believes the harm is how much money is spent, and that what’s driving the compulsive gamblers is a desire to make money. But the idea of winning money falls away when you get to the point of addiction."

Natasha

"What feelings rise up in the hearts of parents when they discover that their beautiful, intelligent child is using drugs or drinking massive amounts of alcohol?"

Anonymous

"Learn from the mistake you've made and understand why you did it, and then put the lessons you've learnt into action"

John Rogers, PhD

"I saw my father for who he was, instead of the man I had created in my mind"

Lucy

"That bubble burst when I heard him turn to a friend and say, “Gimme $600.” My mouth fell open at the request and then my eyes went wide as the request was granted. So much for responsible."

Lucy

"I have messed up yet again. I have lied, stolen, borrowed and broken the last bit of trust you all may have had for me"

Liam Conaghan

"I stole my girlfriend's (at the time) and sisters bank cards and emptied their accounts before later getting my friends details for money that I soon gambled away. At that moment I knew I had reached rock bottom of my life."

Liam Conaghan

"Even if I win, I will keep gambling until it's all gone again and without any logic, I will use all our money available."

Katy

"When I stopped drinking in 1992, after years of alcohol abuse, I almost immediately began gambling. It very quickly became a problem which I could not control. I wanted to stop, tried to stop, but couldn’t."

Alan

"I believe I began playing the machines for fun and excitement. At first I saw no harm in it. The truth was though; I was really trying to fulfil instantly something that was missing in my life."

Will

"I have not gambled since my first visit with my new counsellor, but I don’t want to make the mistake I made the last time and stop the counselling too early."

Gail

"My gambling has had an impact on my marriage as there have been frequent arguments over the years about my gambling, about the debts and the uncertainty of our financial situation."

Ricardo

"One night after not being able to sleep from sheer guilt and fear, I woke my fiancé up early in the morning and told him everything. My fiancé was stunned and shocked by this revelation. He was so disappointed and that made me really want to give up gambl"

Elaine

"If it wasn't for her gambling counsellor I don't think I would have made it this far."

Amy

"I was out of control and not seeing things too clearly and I hate to say I didn't care."

Cheryl

"I had it all, wonderful husband, son, family, friends, home and career. Then, eighteen years later I found myself divorced and starting again."

Angie

"I understand now that the reason I was playing the machines was to supplement the lack of excitement in my life."

Will

More Send us your Quotes

Tips & Hints

Ask someone to help you
Don't be put off by this. You can do it on your own but the support of others makes it easier, especially if you've got serious problem...
Don't be put off by this. You can do it on your own but the support of others makes it easier, especially if you've got serious problems caused by gambling. This person might be a spouse, parent, friend or counsellor.
More
Limit your access to cash
About one in five problem gamblers can give it up fairly easily. Most find that for quite a time they can't stop if they have cash in t...
About one in five problem gamblers can give it up fairly easily. Most find that for quite a time they can't stop if they have cash in their pocket and the club, TAB or casino is open. Many who stop gambling take a lot of trouble to get their cash flow under control.
More
Fill the gap
Problem gamblers may spend 10-20 hours or more a week gambling. They also spend a lot of time thinking and worrying about their gamblin...
Problem gamblers may spend 10-20 hours or more a week gambling. They also spend a lot of time thinking and worrying about their gambling. When you give up gambling you need to fill the gap it leaves. There are lots of ways to do this such as getting to know family and friends if you have neglected them while gambling or taking another part-time job.
More
Friends can help
There is no doubt that if you have help from your spouse and close friends you are more likely to succeed. Make an effort to explain yo...
There is no doubt that if you have help from your spouse and close friends you are more likely to succeed. Make an effort to explain your problem to your friends. Most people can understand the problem of getting addicted. Once you can admit that your problem may have hurt them, and you can tell them so, then they will be rooting for you.
More
Relax and look after yourself
Giving up when you've spent hours each week gambling can make you feel tense and irritable. This can feel even worse when you still go ...
Giving up when you've spent hours each week gambling can make you feel tense and irritable. This can feel even worse when you still go into the places where you gambled, like to the club if you played the pokies, or pass a TAB or the casino on your way to work.
More

Gamblers Anonymous

Become a member of gamblers Anonymous group in your locality and get support from fellow gamblers in the group to tackle addiction. The...

Calculate your wins and losses

Gamblers generally forget to get the real picture of things and are more fascinated about the speculation of the outcome. Make a record...

Counselling

If you find it difficult to give up gambling, seek the help of a professional counsellor, who specializes in gambling addiction. The co...

Decide to stop gambling

Make a strong decision to abstain from gambling and indulge in other activities to keep you engaged. Overcome gambling addiction by sti...

Admit Addiction

Gambling obsession can be cured only when people recognize the addiction and admit it. Admitting the problem and enrolling in a program...

Use internet filters

If you play gambling online, install internet filters that block these sites. When the sites are blocked, the urge to play subsides....

Self-help books

Some self help books written by renowned authors can help you to learn more about controlling and curing gambling obsession. For overco...

Handover the finances

Entrust the duty of handling your finances to someone else in your family. Allow them to pay bills, buy essential household stuff. Stay...

Don't view gambling as a way of making money

Always remember that you are buying entertainment. Always be prepared to lose - if you win, know that it will happen by chance....

Spend time doing other activities

Spend more time with family or friends. Take up a new hobby or interest or revisit one that you enjoyed before gambling took over....

Write Down Your Progress

Write down your progress in a journal or diary. Venting about your day really helps you stay focused on your goal of quitting gambling....

Start Today

Don't keep telling your self "I will quit tomorrow." The sooner you start, the better....

Get Smart

Do as much reading as you can on topics relating to a gambling problem. When you do this, you will be more educated about what your add...

Stay away from all forms of gambling

As you have decided to stop gambling, you must not gamble on anything, including lottery or raffle tickets. Stay away from all aspects ...

Make a Change

Change your lifestyle, and be ready to change your circle of friends, those who encourages you to gamble....

Find the Cause

Discover the root cause that led you to gambling. By doing this, you can prevent this causes from invading your life....

Don't Run Over Your Problems

If you are addicted, it doesn’t mean that you are hopeless, you can always find means on how you can fight this dilemma that is makin...

Learn All You Can

As a friend or relative of a problem gambler, research all you can about gambling addictions – symptoms, signs, consequences, the lot...

Just Say No

Learn to say “no” to the gambler. No you won’t accompany them to the races. No you won’t lend them money. As they begin to real...

Change Takes time

The problem won’t get fixed overnight but recognise any progress and successes that the problem gambler makes. Learn to identify thei...

Never Accept the blame

As a loved one, this is not your fault – and besides, this is not the time to be blaming anybody. Often the blame will arise as a res...

Don’t Lecture or Accuse

This is not the time for moral superiority and ivory towers. Showing the gambler that their problem is damaging themselves and you is i...

Don’t Lend them Money

The problem gambler may be your best friend. You may have known each other since the day you were born. They probably fully intend to p...

Don’t cover or lie for them

The gambler has a problem and you pretending they don’t will help neither them nor you. Make sure everybody who should be, is aware o...

Don’t Let Them Manipulate You

An addict, gamblers included, can be a devious, cunning beast, and they will manipulate you and try to exert control over you in order ...

The Addiction tornado

As a “family disease”, addiction shares many characteristics with a tornado – it affects not only the person at the centre of it ...

Talk to a debt counselor

Talk to a debt counselor about your gambling debts to relieve financial pressure and find out how to solve financial problems caused by...

Reward Yourself

Reward yourself for not gambling. Go shopping for that special thing you always wanted, you should have money for it now since you are ...

Get Professional Help

If you are depressed, anxious, or perhaps even suicidal because of gambling, you must seek out professional counseling immediately. 24 ...

Talk about lying

When people lie about gambling and debts, they may sometimes try to gamble their way out of debt so they won't have to ‘come clean'. ...

Become a good problem solver

If problems happen in other parts of your life, don't stick your head in the sand. Do what you've done about gambling. Look your proble...

Busts and setbacks

Problem gamblers can kick the habit. However, you must be fair to yourself. Problem gambling is like an addiction. It is really hard to...

List all the advantages of ceasing gambling

Keep in mind the benefits of stopping gambling, as this will help you to stay the course. Some of the main advantages to keep in mind a...

List all the problems you have had due to gambling

Remind yourself that when you completely stop gambling, these problems will start to resolve. Stop being in denial, face the facts abou...

More Tips & Hints