Problem gambling arises when people persist in dedicating time and financial resources to gambling activities despite facing detrimental consequences.
For those who struggle with problem gambling, the behavior becomes compulsive, often beyond their control. They frequently ruminate on gambling and may become fixated on the prospect of winning.
It is perceived as devastating when they lose, leading to an obsessive drive to recover lost funds and resources. Additionally, some individuals may resort to gambling as a means of coping with stressors in their lives.
In this article, our experts from Luxe Recovery discuss gambling addiction and some ways to recover and break its vicious cycle.
Understanding Gambling Addiction
Gambling is characterized by risking something of value, typically monetary assets, in scenarios where the outcome is unpredictable. The primary motivation behind gambling is often the desire to acquire additional financial resources or valuable items.
Common forms of gambling include lotteries, jackpot games, horse racing wagers, and soccer betting. When gambling becomes compulsive, it often leads to a diagnosable gambling addiction.
Gambling addiction, referred to as Gambling Disorder, is a multifaceted condition marked by a persistent pattern of harmful gambling activity that persists even when it disrupts significant aspects of an individual’s life.
This disorder often initiates with sporadic gambling activities during the teenage years or early adulthood, eventually evolving into a more problematic gambling pattern.
It is crucial to understand that not every individual who engages in gambling will inevitably develop an addiction.
Is It Possible to Heal from Gambling Addiction?
Gambling addiction, similar to other forms of addiction, cannot be entirely removed from an individual’s system nor can it be completely cured. Although a definitive cure for this condition remains challenging, effective treatment options are available.
Like other chronic health conditions such as asthma, diabetes, and hypertension, gambling addiction necessitates persistent management and care. Hence, problem gamblers must commit to a lifelong process to sustain a healthy, gambling-free existence.
Gambling Addiction Treatment
There are various effective treatment options for gambling addiction. The most successful approaches typically involve the support of mental health professionals and addiction experts.
It is essential to recognize that gambling addiction can sometimes coexist with other mental health disorders, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety disorders, and obsessive-compulsive and related disorders.
In these cases, it is vital to tackle both conditions comprehensively with the guidance of a mental health expert. Some of the most commonly used treatments for gambling addiction include:
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) remains one of the gold standard treatments for people with behavioral addiction, including compulsive gambling. It is based on the principles of understanding the complex interactions among our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.
CBT primarily addresses irrational thought patterns and beliefs that perpetuate compulsive behaviors through structured, problem-oriented interviews with clients. Throughout the therapeutic process, individuals gain insights into their addictive gambling behaviors and the underlying patterns while also formulating new coping strategies.
The role of the therapist is to assist them in identifying dysfunctional thoughts, cognitive processes, beliefs, and emotions, facilitating a transformation towards alternative behaviors through systematic methods.
When CBT is applied to treat particularly gambling addiction, people are often encouraged to maintain a diary or thought record that captures significant situations or circumstances, emotions, thoughts, and beliefs, as well as documenting dysfunctional cognitions, assumptions, and evaluations.
This approach aims to cultivate new behavioral and reaction patterns, particularly in managing financial matters related to gambling disorders. It is crucial for fostering healthier behavioral patterns and recognizing and replacing irrational emotions, thoughts, and cognitions with constructive alternatives, particularly in abstaining from gambling.
Despite a significant number of gamblers remaining untreated, it is believed that recovery is attainable by reframing gambling-related cognitive distortions into functional thoughts through the application of CBT.
Motivational Interviewing
Motivational interviewing (MI) is a therapeutic method designed to assist individuals in addressing their ambivalent emotions about change. People struggling with gambling addiction often experience a conflict between the desire to cease their compulsive gambling activities and the gratification or enjoyment these behaviors provide.
MI facilitates the resolution of these internal conflicts and improves their intrinsic motivation to pursue change. Practitioners of MI commonly identify various stages of change that individuals may experience, including pre-contemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, and maintenance.
Support Groups
Individuals who have embarked on the journey of recovery through professional addiction treatment can benefit from various support groups. One of the most recognized among these is Gamblers Anonymous (GA).
Similar to numerous recovery organizations, Gamblers Anonymous adheres to the 12-step framework. The sole prerequisite for membership is a genuine desire to cease gambling. Many attendees choose to work with a sponsor to navigate the steps effectively.
Meetings occur both virtually and in person across the nation and globally, taking place every day of the week. Participants often find solace in connecting with others who are facing similar challenges.
Signs and Symptoms of Compulsive Gambling
The presence of a gambling problem does not necessarily equate to a diagnosis of gambling addiction for all individuals. To qualify as pathological gambling, the behavior must be characterized by persistence, recurrence, and result in significant clinical impairment or distress, as evidenced by the fulfilment of four or more specific criteria based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (DSM).
- The individual experiences a need to gamble with an increasing amount of money to achieve the desired excitement.
- There is frequently a preoccupation with gambling thoughts.
- Individuals may engage in gambling as a coping mechanism during periods of distress.
- They may experience restlessness or irritability when attempting to cease gambling.
- Following financial losses, there is a tendency to return on subsequent occasions in an attempt to recover lost funds.
- Deceptive practices may be employed to hide the true extent of one’s gambling activities.
- Significant relationships, employment, educational pursuits, or career opportunities may be jeopardized due to gambling behavior.
- Individuals may depend on others for financial assistance to alleviate dire financial circumstances resulting from gambling.
- Gambling behavior cannot be attributed to a manic episode.
Importance of Family and Friends during Recovery Process
Family and friends play a crucial role in facilitating access to information and resources pertinent to gambling treatment. It is generally advised against providing financial assistance, as such actions may exacerbate the situation and hinder the gambler’s acknowledgement of the serious issues stemming from their gambling behavior, thereby delaying their pursuit of help.
Family members should prioritize learning strategies to safeguard their financial resources to mitigate further harm caused by the gambler’s activities.
Instead of offering financial support, family members can adopt a more constructive approach by being both physically and emotionally available for the gambler, such as accompanying them to treatment sessions.
Recover from Gambling Addiction at Our Treatment Center
Seeking treatment for gambling addiction can be challenging. Throughout this treatment journey, they may encounter some setbacks and obstacles; however, the pursuit of treatment is a continuous endeavour that yields significant benefits.
It is crucial to recognize gambling addiction as a chronic issue that demands ongoing attention. By engaging in appropriate treatment plans, those affected by gambling addiction can access vital support and resources to navigate their challenges and achieve a rewarding and balanced life.
If you find this discussion interesting and you or someone you know is suffering from gambling addiction, we recommend that you get help. Luxe Recovery is here to provide a unique and comprehensive treatment program to reduce gambling addiction symptoms, manage triggers or urges to gamble, promote long-term recovery, and prevent relapse.
