While some people are able to gamble recreationally or socially and stop without difficulty, other individuals may be unable to easily quit gambling. The latter type of person may be a problem gambler or, in severe cases, a compulsive or pathological gambler. Both kinds of gambler require help to overcome their issues with gambling and avoid associated complications.
Verifying a Gambling Problem
The first thing a person needs to do before seeking help for a gambling problem is to determine if he really has a gambling problem. One method of verifying a gambling problem is to ask 10 questions about behavior related to the issue. For example, do you gamble longer than planned, gamble until you have no money left, stay awake thinking about gambling, waste your salary and savings on gambling, repeatedly fail when trying to stop gambling, consider committing or actually commit crimes to obtain money for gambling, borrow money for gambling, experience remorse after gambling, feel depressed about gambling's effect on your finances, or gamble to make money for financial responsibilities? If even one of these situations are true for you, you might be a problem gambler who needs professional assistance, according to the National Council on Problem Gambling.
Function of Gambling Help
Gambling help enables compulsive and problem gamblers to learn how to resist their abnormal urge to gamble, which is uncontrollable in the case of compulsive gamblers. Before seeking assistance, people with a gambling problem must acknowledge that they have a condition that often becomes worse gradually over time, and they must also have a clear desire to recover and get well. If an individual with a gambling problem is unable or unwilling to accept the reality of their situation, help will do nothing for them, according to Gamblers Anonymous.
Types of Gambling Help
Forms of gambling help include medications, psychotherapy and self-help groups. Drug treatments, such as mood stabilizers and antidepressants, help compulsive and problem gamblers cope with the emotional problems that addiction creates. Psychotherapy, specifically cognitive behavior therapy, teaches compulsive and problem gamblers how to replace unhealthy beliefs with healthier beliefs, and group therapy provides the additional support of advice and feedback from others who share the same problem. Self-help groups, such as Gamblers Anonymous, also offer a supportive environment to overcome a gambling problem alongside other gamblers struggling with the same issue.
Gambling Help for Relatives
Relatives of compulsive and problem gamblers, such as children and spouses, may also need help to cope with the repercussions of gambling addiction. Such assistance may help children avoid developing a gambling problem, which is possible when they suffer emotionally after exposure to addictive gambling behavior, and spouses who have to cope with the distressing financial and psychological effects of addictive gambling on the household. Gambling help for relatives include family and marital therapy.
After Recovery
Recovered gambling addicts remain at risk of relapsing after treatment and developing a gambling problem again, especially if they continue to associate with gamblers or visit places where gambling occurs. The best way to avoid reverting to old behavior is to seek gambling help again as soon as possible if you feel the tendency to gamble again.
References
- Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services: Problem Gambling and the Family
- Gamblers Anonymous: Questions and Answers
- MayoClinic.com: Compulsive Gambling - Treatments and Drugs
- National Council on Problem Gambling: 10 Questions About Gambling Behavior
- National Council on Problem Gambling: What Is Problem Gambling?
