Gambling can quickly lead to financial disaster and broken relationships, so it is crucial that individuals recognize any signs of gambling addiction or seek treatment if their betting habit becomes an addiction.
Therapy for gambling addiction may include cognitive-behavioral therapy that teaches you to identify unhealthy thoughts and behaviors, family therapy, or financial counseling services to restore relationships or rebuild finances.
Identifying a Problem
Most people gamble occasionally, whether buying lottery tickets, betting on sports or horse races, or playing a video lottery terminal (VLT). Some find these activities enjoyable and harmless – stopping once their winnings or losses reach certain thresholds; for others however it becomes far more serious, developing gambling disorders which affect mental health as well as other areas of their life.
Gambling disorder can wreak havoc with families and communities, uprooting relationships and draining savings accounts. Furthermore, it has serious repercussions for mental health; often co-occurring with depression, anxiety or substance abuse. People living with mental illness are seven times more likely to have problems gambling than the general population.
Pathological gambling can be hard for loved ones to detect because its signs can often remain hidden. They might lie about their gambling behavior to friends and family members or spend money on things other than gambling – like cars, clothes, entertainment or food – in order to divert attention away from how their gambling habits are harming them.
Healthcare professionals must regularly screen crisis clients in crisis for gambling harm, whether in mental health, general practice, primary care, justice, housing or child protection settings. Screening helps identify people who require treatment as well as uncover other disorders requiring further assessment such as bipolar disorder which involves extreme mood swings between depression and mania – conditions which often co-occur with gambling issues.
Getting Help
If a loved one has an addiction to gambling, it’s essential that they receive help immediately. Gambling disorders can have serious repercussions in terms of relationships, finances and feelings of shame or guilt; and they could exacerbate existing mental health conditions like depression or anxiety which could worsen through their habit.
Approach the issue directly with your friend or family member, choosing an appropriate location and allotting enough time. Be prepared to tell them of the severity of their disorder and suggest professional treatment; keeping an open mind while listening carefully to both sides’ accounts of events is also key – even if their viewpoint differs from yours.
Psychotherapy, medication and support groups can all be effective ways of treating gambling disorders, while online therapy offers another solution if professional help is not affordable or unavailable. Cognitive behavioral therapy, behavioral therapy and family therapy can be especially helpful in identifying unhealthy, irrational beliefs that contribute to gambling addiction, replacing them with healthier ones and creating healthier beliefs about gambling addiction and addiction in general. Antidepressants, mood stabilizers and narcotic antagonists may be prescribed. Online therapy allows individuals access to licensed therapists from the comfort of their own home while being more cost effective than in-person treatments options available elsewhere.
Avoiding Relapse
Risks associated with gambling addiction are high, so clients need to understand this risk. They should take the time to reflect on how gambling has impacted their finances, health and close relationships and evaluate its true cost before engaging in gambling again. Doing this may help them realize it’s not worth their time or money and motivate them to continue recovery efforts.
Clients should avoid high-risk situations, such as using credit cards or carrying large sums of cash around, gambling venues/agencies/sporting events and taking drugs that lower inhibitions and increase impulsiveness and risk-taking behaviors, alcohol/drugs use. They could join support groups like Gamblers Anonymous to find social support and develop coping skills; such groups may be particularly helpful to those suffering from anxiety/depression (Korn & Shaffer 2004).
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), which entails changing beliefs and attitudes about gambling, can assist individuals in changing their beliefs and attitudes regarding it. They can learn to identify triggers and reframe cravings so they are controlled instead of giving into them – for instance by starting a journal and recording thoughts and feelings when cravings appear so as to try and understand why they occur (Littman-Sharp et al, 2009). Another tool available to them may include inventory of gambling situations (IGS), which asks individuals to identify situations which put them at risk or might encourage them into more frequent gambling behavior (Littman-Sharp et al, 2009).
Developing a Support Network
Establishing a support network can help ease stress and help avoid relapse. Friends and family can offer emotional and financial assistance. Furthermore, they may encourage you to attend gambling recovery programs like Gamblers Anonymous that employ similar principles as Alcoholics Anonymous in helping individuals recover from gambling addictions.
People who struggle with problem gambling often experience other mental health conditions, including depression and anxiety. These disorders may have an immediate effect on gambling behavior as well as increase its frequency and intensity; the impulsivity associated with these disorders could also contribute to gambling addiction.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) can help address these issues and alter your views about gambling. CBT can assist in recognising distorted thoughts such as believing certain rituals are lucky or that betting more will bring back losses; and can identify triggers that prompt further gambling so a plan to overcome them may be developed.
Gambling is an addictive behavior that has devastating repercussions in an individual’s personal, work and home lives. It can result in bankruptcy, debts, loss of employment and decline in physical and mental health – not to mention devastating family effects such as relationship distress, child neglect, domestic violence or even suicide.