Changing Habits: A Key to Overcoming Gambling Addiction

 It should go without saying that one of the keys to overcoming any kind of addiction is to change your habits. For many of us, we gambled on a somewhat daily basis trying to hide from what life threw at us. Over time it became second nature to our daily lives. So much so that when we try to quit, we cannot because we felt comfortable and felt we did not need to change. Over the course of the last 4 months, I have full changed my daily habits by incorporating much healthier choices in life. The biggest change I made as many have is physical exercise. While in our addiction if we were not chasing losses, we were chasing something else that would try to make us happy, dopamine. Physical exercise is an excellent way to get that dopamine boost we wanted from gambling. Regular physical exercise not only promotes overall well-being but also helps release endorphins, which can improve mood and reduce the urge to gamble. Over the course of the last 4 months, I have gone from ~240 to 205 as of writing this blog! If you do not like to work out, just find an activity you like that will get you up and moving. As per usual with any kind of habit, consistency is key!

 

                                         

Another healthy habit change is meditation. Meditation is about training in awareness and a healthier sense of perspective. You are not trying to turn off feelings or thoughts, you are learning to observe them without judgement. While meditating, you might be able to learn why you gambled in the first place. Meditation is a great way to reduce stress, increase calmness and promote happiness. Stress for many isolated/escape gamblers was a trigger for their gambling. By practicing meditation, you can channel your inner thoughts and prolong the urges to gamble. According to Sean Oulashin (@SeanOulashin on IG, creator of Antidote: Digital distraction to Peak Productivity in 30 days) the only wrong way to meditate, is to not meditate. The duration of meditation does not matter. The only thing that does matter is that you partake in the activity consistently. If you do not know where to start, there are many guided meditation apps and videos on YouTube available to help you start. 

 

Having a positive outlook and thinking can influence behavior and aid in leading a sustainable recovery from any addiction. Practicing gratitude daily in recovery can help people become more optimistic and have control in their lives. One way we can practice gratitude daily is by keeping a gratitude journal. In your journal, jot down some times throughout the day you felt happy or grateful and include people, places, objects, moments and successes. Focus on what is most important, concentrate on the people around you and your relationships is key to long lasting happiness. Another way is to give back. 

 

One thing I personally started doing this past month was volunteering at a non-profit called “Feed My Starving Children” . Is a Christian non-profit, dedicated to seeing every child whole in body and spirit. They work with food distributing partners throughout 100 different third world countries. According to a recent data 1 in 9 children die daily from causes related to malnutrition. I started volunteering with this organization because it makes me feel grateful for all that I have: a roof over my head, access to food, clean water, clean clothes, and shoes on my feet daily. At the end they show how many boxes, meals, children fed and the cost to produce all those meals for a year. When they show that, I get that rush of dopamine that I once got from gambling. Only this time, its much more healthier. If this seems to be something you are interested in, find a local soup kitchen or food pantry in your area, and start slow. For this non-profit in particular there is only 8 locations through four states (Arizona- 1, Illinois 3, Minnesota- 3 and Texas -1). 

 

 

Life gets better. One day at a time.

Smart Recovery vs. Gamblers Anonymous: Choosing the Right Path to Overcome Gambling Addiction

 Gambling addiction can be a difficult thing to overcome, but there is help available in the form of Smart Recovery and Gamblers Anonymous. These organizations provide support, resources, and tools to help individuals struggling with gambling addiction. The support offered by these organizations can be instrumental in helping individuals take back control of their lives and overcome their addiction. 

Smart Recovery is a non-profit organization that focuses on helping individuals struggling with gambling addiction. Smart Recovery utilizes a four-step program to help individuals overcome their addiction. This program consists of self-management, understanding the addiction, coping with urges, and finding a better way to live. The program helps individuals develop new coping skills and strategies to help them overcome their addiction and establish a new lifestyle. 

 

Gamblers Anonymous is a fellowship of individuals who have or had a gambling problem. The organization provides support and resources to help individuals overcome their gambling addiction. Gamblers Anonymous also offers 12-step meetings where individuals can share their experiences and help each other in their recovery. The organization also provides literature and other resources to help individuals in their recovery journey. 

 

Smart Recovery and Gamblers Anonymous are both important resources for individuals struggling with gambling addiction. The support offered by these organizations can be instrumental in helping individuals take back control of their lives and overcome their addiction. Both organizations provide resources and tools to help individuals develop new coping skills and strategies to help them overcome their addiction and establish a new lifestyle. Smart Recovery and Gamblers Anonymous can both be beneficial in the recovery process, but it is important to remember that it is up to the individual to take responsibility for their own recovery. It is important to remember that recovery takes time and dedication, and it is important to have patience and support from friends and family. 

 

Gambling addiction is a serious issue that can have a devastating impact on an individual’s life. It is important to remember that there is help available, and Smart Recovery and Gamblers Anonymous are both excellent resources for individuals struggling with gambling addiction. The support offered by these organizations can be instrumental in helping individuals take back control of their lives and overcome their addiction. Life will get better. One day at a time.

Self exclusion FTW

 Self excluding yourself from the casino or sportsbooks is a huge step.  By self-excluding you're telling the casino/ sportsbooks you know you have a problem and are not allowing yourself to gamble anymore. These laws vary by state as well as the maximum amount of time you can self-exclude. Some states such as Illinois consider it a lifetime ban. However after 5 years, you can remove yourself from the ban list. If you plan to reverse the exclusion, it will take many hoops to jump through in order for that to happen.  However, for other states, its kind of like a slap on the wrist, one to five years banned and your self ban is lifted. I have some issues about this as after ban is lifted, the compulsive gambler can just go right back to their old ways once again and not learn anything from the first time.  

 If you use an app to bet, you will not be allowed to login. Might as well delete the app from existence. If you are found at a specific casino that you self-excluded from, they will have every right to consider that trespassing and can become a problem with the law. At this time, I am unaware if there is any nationwide self-exclusion for the United States. There are some in other countries, such as Austrailia. This year, they started a country wide self exclusion application called BetStop. If any Austrailians are signed up for BetStop, the online sites will not be permitted to let them gamble for a pre-selected amount of time.

 

If self-exclusion is not an option for the compulsive gambler, there is an app/website that can block all gambling sites. Gamban is an easy alternative which blocks online gambling from all devices including on a laptop. The downfall is there is a small price to keep these on any device. 

 

Heres a link to the Illinois gaming board website with more information on self-excluding here in Illinois. 

Honesty is the best policy

 The first step to recovery is to come to terms that we have a problem. "We admitted we were powerless over gambling - that our lives had become unmanageable." (https://12step.org/references/12-step-versions/ga/) The only way we can truly come to terms with that is to be honest with ourselves first and foremost. Gambling addiction is one of the most secretive of all addictions because it’s the easiest to hide. There is no outward physical signs of a gambling addiction, you cant see it on their faces and we certainly do not know what is going on mentally with others. We typically hide what we're doing because we are ashamed, and feel guilty. Sometimes its best for us to get back to the basics, learning something we most likely learned back in grade school: honesty is the best policy. Being honest, not only with ourselves but our friends, family and other loved ones, allows us to be open and for others to try and trust us again. When we hold onto the lies and deceit, we feel trapped in our addictions and can even make us feel trapped in our recovery which could lead right back to a relapse. Honesty is key to rebuilding relationships with those you might have wronged with the addiction. While active in our gambling addiction we were dishonest with our loved ones about our addictions. Now that we are trying to live a life in recovery, being honest with those loved ones should be our main priority to rebuild the trust we lost.

 

So, how can we be more honest? Be truthful about your struggles. When you're feeling an urge, or are struggling with recovering, tell someone. Talk to a trusted individuals about your problems and why do you feel its bothering you. How would they know what's going on in your head if you do not tell them? If you have yet to, please let your loved ones know. Being dishonest with your loved ones will only hurt your relationship with them. In the end, could be very detrimental to everything. But, if you're open and honest with them and proving you can make the change, they might just want to support you and stay by your side. The road to recovery is a long one, but can very much worth it in the end. Life will get better. One day at a time.

Recovery from Gambling Addiction: Practical Steps for a Better Tomorrow

For the last few weeks, I've been a regular in the gambling addiction and problem gambling communities on reddit and have seen many of the same questions being asked. "How do I stop gambling", or "Help, I've hit my rock bottom, how do I get out of this rut?". Now I'm no professional, I am just a fellow compulsive gambler who went through some of the same issues many of you all have gone through. Take this advice or blog with a grain of salt. Not all of these work for everyone. But as the first steps to wanting real change, realize you have an issue and are willing to put in the work on a daily basis to be better. The moment you are honest with yourself, telling yourself I am a compulsive gambler and want to change, you can. 

 

The next step is to self-exclude. Self-exclusions is basically a self imposed ban, telling the casino or sportsbook that you are aware you have a problem and mutually agree to not gamble on the app (kinda hard when you won't be allowed to use the app) or in person at the casino. The latter is kinda tricky because sometimes you can slip right past the person checking IDs or even some parts of the casino you can just walk right past without being asked to show an ID. If you do get caught at a casino that you have self-excluded from, you can face trouble with the law as that’s technically considered trespassing. Usually only lasts for a 1 to 5 year ban, after that YOURE FIXED! Wrong! They discontinue the ban and you're free, like Dobby the elf. But that will only get you right back where you started, back at the casino or sportsbook  gambling. If there is a lifetime ban, your future self will thank you for leaving this life behind you. 

 

 

I'll be up front and honest, while I tell others about going to Gamblers Anonymous, I, myself have only gone to 1 meeting ever in the last month. Maybe I have yet to find a group that I fit well with? Or maybe, I'm just hard-headed like many other compulsive gamblers.. While many compulsive gamblers  swear by going to GA meetings, it does not mean it’s the end all be all. Going to GA can definitely be a great source for those who are in recovery. Some others might find it to be a chore and not gain great value from it. It is one of those things where you get from it what you put into it. One type of support group meeting I have attended more of recently is SMART recovery meeting. SMART stands for self-management and recovery training. Gamblers anonymous is a 12 step program, similar to that of Alcoholics and narcotics anonymous programs. SMART recovery is a 4 step program and is open to any kind of addiction, including social media, shopping and phone.  The four steps are 1. building and maintaining motivation, 2. coping with urges and cravings, 3. managing thoughts, feelings and behaviors, 4. living a balanced life. They say gambling addictions are similar to those of drugs and alcohol so hearing from other addicts about their lives is very interesting when we put ourselves in their shoes. I think either program works the best. While we're all here for the same issue (compulsive gambling) what works for me, probably won't work for you, and vice versa. 

 

I think seeking a therapist is one of the most important things we can do as addicts. Typically with any addiction there is some underlying condition that eats at us and causes us to do what we do, gamble. Seeking out a therapist who specializes with addictions such as gambling would be the best thing we can do for ourselves to see what is truly wrong with us, why are we the way we are. There are inpatient centers around the country that could also be useful. While it might be very expensive, spending 30 days away from gambling, can give you a clearer way of thinking. There are four dedicated gambling addiction treatment centers around the country:

 

Algamus Gambling Treatment Services 

Prescott Valley of Arizona

 

Bridgeway Recovery 

Salem Oregon 

 

Core Center of Recovery 

Shreveport Louisiana

 

Vanguard Center for Gambling Recovery 

Granite Falls Minnesota

 

There are a few things to consider when looking into treatment centers: (Gambling Addiction: A complete guide to survival, treatment and recovery from gambling addiction and problem gambling)

 

1. Price

2. Insurance 

3. Will state fund your stay?

4. Offer a payment plan?

5. Any dedicated counselors available 24/7

6. How many other total patients

7. Any privileges for leaving the facility?

8. What is the food situation?

9. What happens after you get released?

 

 

Changing up what you do on a daily basis is key to recovery. For many of us, we gambled because we got bored. We were just sitting in front of the TV, mindlessly scrolling on our phones and wanted to win some money. In place of that mindless scrolling, one thing you can do is increase your physical exercise. In the last 4 months, I have increased the amount of physical exercise (3-4 days weekly) including both strength training and cardio. I try to split time 30 mins each. While you're increasing your physical exercise, you also should change what you're feeding you body. Making a nutritional change is huge and also helps the brain. Another activity that can be added is practicing gratitude. Practicing gratitude helps feel positive emotions, improve mental health and even improve relationships. When you practice gratitude, it changes signals in the brain by boosting serotonin (controls mood and is responsible for happiness) and activates the brain stem to produce dopamine, which was what we were chasing when gambling, only now, its a healthier form. Practicing gratitude makes you feel thankful for what you have rather than always wanting more. As compulsive gamblers, we get complacent, we are always wanting more. If we start to be more grateful for what is in front of us, we won't feel like we need more because we have enough.

It's gets better. One day at a time.

Four stages of a gambling addiction

When it comes to gambling addiction, there are four common phases we have or will have gone through: winning, losing, desperation and hopelessness phases. TW: discussion of suicide.

 

The first stage of a gambling addiction is the winning phase. We all had some sort of win or winnings that got us hooked. For me, it was a few years earlier when I was on a family vacation in Vegas. I did not gamble as much then, usually only in Vegas which we averaged about once a year since right before my grandpa passed in 2017. I put $20 in the Stinkin Rich video gaming machine at Planet Hollywood, a few spins later, I was able to double that to $45. Now that does not seem like a huge win but it was enough to get me hooked and started my love of Vegas. The idea that you could put in as little as $20 and come away with double that is what got me hooked. Since then, I started playing the slot machine apps on the phone and watched Vegas influencers youtube videos of them playing slots at the various casinos throughout the city.  When it came down to sports betting, my biggest win was probably $2.5K early on. I won that amount one time after betting on MLS over/under goals scored. We have a sense of optimism thinking we can replicate our biggest win and better yet, maybe even more. Rarely ever does that happen. This then leads to the next stage. 

 

Then, the losing happens. You think you can win more. So what happens? You start betting more, and more. Eventually, what goes up, must come down. Your luck starts running out and you start losing more than winning. You'll probably win some here and there but it will be more like the $45 I was recently content with over the $2.5K I was ecstatic about. We keep chasing our losses by wagering or playing more money in the long run to win less than expected. We started lying to our friends and family about our usage just so they do not find out how deep in the hole we really are. We keep telling ourselves “this is the last bet that is going to make us rich!” But then it does not end the way we imagined, so we continue the same cycle of placing a bet or going to the tables to beat the house. The house rarely loses. The biggest losers are us compulsive gamblers thinking we can finally win big.

 

Once we continue losing, eventually we come to the third stage, desperation. We start to lose control over our actions. We continue medicating our underlying conditions anyway possible. We started selling anything and everything to find money to try to partake and make those $10 into $100. We start feeling ashamed and guilty of continuing our poor habits but feel it’s the only thing that will make us happy in the moment. If we do not gamble, we start becoming irritable, and upset for no reason. At this point, the signs of a compulsive gambler are noticeable. If you notice this with one of your friends or loved ones, this is the time to have them seek professional help. At this stage, it is not too late to turn their life around. 

Hopelessness is the final stage of compulsive gambling. The point past rock-bottom. This stage is the heaviest out of all as we sometimes feel like we do not belong on this earth anymore. Sometimes the shame and guilt of this disease starts to become more of a burden on us. We think the world would be better off without us, that all our problems would be gone if we were not here. If you get to this point or are currently at this point please know, you matter and what you are going through matters. It is said that problem gamblers have the highest rate of suicide amongst all addiction. In a 2022 systematic review conducted out of University of Helsinki, they found that suicidality was high with those that gambled at harmful levels. It ranged anywhere from 22 -81 percent with suicidal ideations, while 7 to 30 percent attempted. The more severe the gambling, the higher the rates were (Marionneau and Nikkinen, 2022).

Please know there is light at the end of the tunnel. There is hope and ways to get help. Recently, 988 is a hotline you can call, text or visit their website (988lifeline.org) or 1-800-273-8255 (National Suicide Prevention Hotline) to support people in a crisis or feeling distressed. Another hotline to contact 1-800-GAMBLER (AreYouReallyWinning.com). They can get you in touch with professional help and talk you through your issues with compulsive gambling. Kurt Dahl, recovering gambling addict, writer of the book “Gambling Addiction: A complete guide to survival, treatment and recovery from gambling addiction and problem gambling” suggests taking a 3 x 6 index card and writing these thoughts on it: 

1-800-273-8255 (National Suicide Prevention Hotline)

This will pass

My brain can not be trusted right now 

I will live today

For now, I will IGNORE IGNORE IGNORE 

1-800-273-8255

It gets better. One day at a time. 

My advice for those who want to change:

• Delete the sportsbook apps.

• Forever, do not re-download

• Self-exclude yourself. 

• Asking a gambling venue to exclude you from the venue or a gambling activity offered by the venue.

• Lifetime ban, if not the maximum years

• If you have a loved one, they will be affected by it in some way, come clean to them about what you are doing. If it gets pushed back and not talked about, It could be worse in the future. 

• Gambling addiction is one of the most secretive addictions out there, stop hiding from your loved one and tell them EVERYTHING

• Attend a GA meeting (online or in person)

• https://gamblersanonymous.org/ga/

• Find a therapist that specializes in addiction. 

• Make better habits

• Hit the gym

• Watch what youre feeding your mind 

• Nutrition

• Social media

• Books 

• YT videos

• Read books

• Learn about the gambling addiction 

• When you learn enough and change your mindset, you will eventually understand why you started in the first place. There are often underlying issues that contribute to gambling addiction.

 

• If sports gambling is the main culprit, STOP WATCHING SPORTS 

• Watching sports for us compulsive sports bettors is the gateway drug.

• Delete all sports apps 

• Unfollow all sports teams and fan pages from social media 

• Give control of your finances to a trusted person 

• For gamblers, seeing money in a bank account could increase the risk of gambling, thinking we could turn that $100 in the account to $1k is not the right mindset to have.

• If you have a line of credit, cut up your credit cards, close the accounts.

 

Marionneau V, Nikkinen J. Gambling-related suicides and suicidality: A systematic review of qualitative evidence. Front Psychiatry. 2022 Oct 26;13:980303. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.980303. PMID: 36387006; PMCID: PMC9645554.