About Gambling Addiction Treatment

This information is intended for general information only and should not be considered as medical advice on the part of Health-Tourism.com. Any decision on medical treatments, after-care or recovery should be done solely upon proper consultation and advice of a qualified physician.

What is gambling addiction?

This is the urge to continuously gamble even though there is a desire to stop and the consequences are negative and harmful. It is also known as problem gambling ludomania or compulsive gambling.

• The desire to experience thrills
• Desperation for money
• The entertaining atmosphere of the gambling scene
• The social status associated with being a successful gambler

• Gambling when you cannot afford to
• Your friends and family intervene and express their concern over your gambling
• Feeling the need to be secretive about gambling
• Finding it difficult to control your gambling habits
• The need to gamble with increasing amounts of money so as to achieve the desired effect.
• Restlessness and irritability when you cut down or stop gambling
• Repeated unsuccessful efforts to control or stop gambling
• Mind is always preoccupied with gambling
• Relying on others to relieve desperate financial situations as a result of gambling.

Most treatment plans for gambling addictions involve a combination of counseling, self help, step-based programs, medication and peer support.

The greatest and most important step in overcoming the addiction is accepting that you have a problem.

• Seek help for underlying mood disorders: Some disorders such as stress, anxiety, depression and substance abuse can trigger problems with gambling. Even after battling gambling addiction, the problems will remain and it is therefore important to address them.
• Lean healthier ways to relieve unpleasant feelings: To some people gambling is a way to soothe unpleasant emotions such as loneliness, stress and boredom. You can try healthier and effective ways of managing the emotions such as relaxation techniques. You should avoid environments and websites that will provide temptations.
• Strengthen your support network: It is important to reach out to friends and family who will give you the support you need to overcome the addiction. You should surround yourself with people you are accountable to.
• Join a support group: This is especially important because you get to meet and connect those who experiencing the same challenges. Here you can find encouragement and motivation.

Seeking professional help and going through therapy can help you overcome and cope with your addiction for a lifetime. Some of the methods used include:

• Inpatient treatment programs: These are recommended for people with severe gambling addiction. They cannot avoid gambling without constant support.
• Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT): This method focuses on modifying and changing the unhealthy gambling thoughts and behaviors such as false beliefs and rationalizations. CBT can also help you learn how to fight the urges to gamble and how to solve the work, financial and relationship troubles that have been brought about by the gambling addiction.
• The Four Steps Program: This is a variation of CBT and it aims at changing your thoughts on gambling in four steps which are: re-label. Reattribute, refocus ad revalue.
• Marriage and credit counseling: These aim at helping you progressively work through the specific relationship and financial problems due to the gambling problem.
  

Learn more about Gambling Addiction Treatment

• Gambling addiction on Psych Guides
• Gambling addiction on Help Guide
• Gambling addiction on Wikipedia