As gambling and other games of chance become more widely available, more and more people are developing an addiction to them. Most states permit some type of gambling, and the proliferation of the internet has only increased the convenience of this phenomenon. Help is available for those who feel they are powerless over their gambling.
However difficult it may be, treatment for gambling addiction has been proven successful. It’s possible to cure gambling addiction using talk therapy, medication, or even self-help organizations.
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Compulsive Gambling Therapy
Treatment for compulsive gambling is quite successful. However, one must recognize compulsive gambling as a problem before therapy can be effective. While acceptance of problematic gambling behaviors is not a prerequisite to beginning treatment, it is likely to be a major focus of the first few sessions.
The link between thoughts, emotions, and behaviors is the primary emphasis of cognitive-behavioral treatment (CBT) for compulsive gambling. Misconceptions regarding gambling are exposed and corrected, leading to more positive and productive attitudes and behaviors. With the use of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), an individual can alter their gambling outlook and, by extension, their gambling habits. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can help persons who gamble compulsively develop coping mechanisms that lessen their need to bet.
Gambling Addiction Medications
Other psychological disorders frequently accompany problem gambling. Dual diagnosis is a word that is occasionally used to characterize this occurrence. Gambling addiction is commonly seen alongside other mental health issues, such as depression. While antidepressants are not specifically designed to treat gambling addiction, they may be helpful for those who are depressed and have a problem with compulsive gambling.
The impulse to gamble compulsively may lessen if the underlying depression is treated. This is especially true when depression is the underlying cause of gambling. It has also been found that narcotic antagonists like naltrexone can help those who suffer from a gambling addiction. Drug and alcohol addicts can find relief from their urges with this medication. In other people, this has also helped curb their compulsion to gamble.
Fighting the Urge to Gamble
There are several methods available to assist people in overcoming their gambling addiction. Understanding where an urge comes from is the first step in controlling it. Then, you’ll know how to avoid or reframe these potentially traumatic encounters. A person struggling with a gambling addiction may benefit from seeking abstinence-oriented support.
Gambling in casinos and betting on games like poker or even roulette online can be stressful. However, with time and practice, you may learn to master your emotions and ideas.
Gambling-Related Support Groups
Self-help for gambling problems is possible through organizations like Gamblers Anonymous. Like other 12-step fellowships like AA and NA, GA meetings are structured around a series of “steps” that members work through to recover from their gambling addiction.
The Search for Gambling Alternatives
Developing strategies for replacing the habit is crucial to avoid returning to gambling. Recovery requires a person to identify hobbies or diversion tactics to use when gambling desires arise and locate alternative forms of recreation. The likelihood of long-term sobriety improves when people learn to replace gambling with other activities and coping mechanisms.
Hotlines for Compulsive Gambling
A person may need crisis support even if they are frequently attending gambling support programs. Help from a gambling addiction hotline could be useful in these situations. Call a toll-free hotline to get more information on how to help a family member who has a gambling problem.
Assisting a Loved One Who Has a Gambling Addiction
It’s tough to see a loved one battle an addiction they can’t seem to break, like gambling. Despite how hopeless the situation may make you feel, help is available for those with a gambling addiction. Education on helping those with gambling problems is crucial before taking action. Be supportive and kind when assisting someone who has a gambling issue. Finding treatment or support groups may be easier with some help.
Gambling Addiction and Related Mental Health Issues
Gambling addiction is often found in tandem with other mental health issues. Substance addiction, generalized anxiety, and depression are frequently seen as co-occurring mental health disorders. Several factors can contribute to the co-occurrence of gambling and substance misuse. Gaming and substance misuse are often seen together for several reasons, including the fact that many establishments that offer gambling services also sell alcohol and the fact that both seem to have similar effects on the brain. Both alcohol and gambling addictions must be treated simultaneously for the best results, and both must be included in any comprehensive strategy for preventing relapse.
Addiction to gambling can develop when one uses the activity as a distraction from one’s troubles. Gambling, for instance, might provide distraction and positive emotions to a person with a mental health condition. Compulsive gambling is a behavior that develops when people repeatedly gamble for the sake of the perceived benefits, such as respite from stress and boredom. In treating someone who is having trouble with both gambling and depression, it is important to address both issues.
The urge to gamble typically subsides when underlying sadness is addressed. A relapse into compulsive gambling is likely to occur if the underlying depression is not addressed along with the gambling addiction. Addiction to gambling can lead to depression in certain people. In most cases, this happens when the gambler has already begun to feel the detrimental effects of their behavior.
It’s possible that anxiety and gambling go hand in hand. Once their gambling grows out of their control, many persons who are addicted to the activity also begin to experience anxiety. Worries about the possible outcomes of gambling and the temptation to give in to those desires can contribute to anxiety. Anxiety and compulsive gambling are two conditions that, like many others, require simultaneous therapy.