How to Deal With the Harmful Effects of Gambling
Gambling is a popular pastime, but some people become addicted. Problem gambling can cause serious financial and emotional problems. It can also affect your social life, relationships and health.
The urge to gamble is often triggered by certain situations, such as stress, boredom or arguments with a partner. Using other activities to distract yourself from the urge to gamble can help prevent it from taking over your thoughts and behaviour. For example, if your route home from work goes past a casino, take a different one. Or, if you’re watching sports and get the urge to bet, change channels or turn the TV off. Similarly, if you have credit cards or cash at home that you could use to gamble, leaving them at home can make it harder for you to do so.
When you feel an urge to gamble, focus on something else, such as watching a movie or doing mindfulness exercises. Alternatively, think about the things that you love and find rewarding in your life, such as spending time with friends and family, or going to the gym.
You can also try a technique called urge surfing. It’s like riding a wave at the beach. When you feel an urge to gamble, close your eyes and imagine the name or branding of a venue or app. This will create a ‘road out’ of the destination in your mind. This will help to retrain your brain to think about other things.
Some people gamble because it gives them a rush of excitement, or makes them feel good about themselves. Others use it to self-soothe unpleasant emotions, or as a way to socialize with others. In the long run, these are not sustainable ways to deal with problems. Instead, it’s important to develop healthier and more effective ways of managing your moods, relaxing and socializing.
There are many harmful effects of gambling, such as:
Having a habit of playing online games or putting money into betting websites. Having an irrational belief that you will win and never lose, or the irrational thought that you will have more luck tomorrow. Spending more than you can afford to lose. Hiding money from loved ones to gamble.
If someone you know is struggling with gambling, talk to them. Be honest, but don’t blame them or lecture them. Try to help them find a solution together, such as seeking gambling help or setting limits on their spending. You might also consider looking after their credit and EFTPOS cards, or agreeing to lend them money, but with the condition that it must be paid back as soon as possible. You could also join a peer support group such as Gamblers Anonymous. This is a 12-step recovery program, similar to Alcoholics Anonymous, and is a great source of encouragement from former gamblers who have succeeded in breaking the addiction. You can also seek professional help, such as hypnotherapy or counselling. Lastly, you can strengthen your support network by spending time with family and friends who don’t gamble.