There has been a lot of myth surrounding gambling addiction, and many people do not even have clear words to define it.
However, this is a form of addiction where an individual is unable to resist the urge to place bets. The activity can become uncontrollable leading to negative effects both socially, and economically.
It can be quite challenging stopping problem gambling, and even when done successfully, individuals may find themselves falling back.
For most addicted gamblers, abstinence is the only way out of this fix, but it is not always an easy path to take. However, there are few ideas that you can incorporate into your abstinence journey to sustain a new way of life. You can check out DeluxeCasinoBonus to get a deeper insight into this.
Below are the most important tips:
Be a Planner
Research carried out on several EX-gamblers reveal that, most gamblers struggle with boredom, which leads them to activities like gambling.
To help overcome this, it is important that gamers plan their time well to avoid the highs and lows of boredom.
This way, you will not have to fill up the idle time with gambling activities.
Don not gamble what you cannot afford to loose
This one is obvious and repeated over and over again by many ex-gamblers. It is important to have this in mind even before you start betting/gambling. You should always know what is your budget, what is your goal and that sometimes you will loose.
In other words, money for utility bills, rent, annual tuition, holidays, etc., are always more important and you should never touch that money.
If you have a clear plan and at the same time are are aware of what you are doing, whatever you decide to gamble on can never affect your lifestyle or financial security. This is the way to successful gambling – you can have fun, but there always need to be boundaries! If you win – great; if you don’t win or loose, be aware that this is what it is – sometimes you’re going to loose – accept it and be happy. Perhaps you’re going to have more luck next time.
Stick to the Old Adage: One Day at A Time
This simply means forgetting the happenings of yesterday and living each day like its new. The things to forget should include your gambling losses, but also winnings.
The rule is – do not get attached to the previous day/week/month. Enjoy gaming for what it is now. If there is no attachment, there is no urges and you can focus only on enjoying the game. If your mind trying to attach itself to past memories, clear it and bring yourself again to the present moment.
It is common to desire a rematch with bookmakers or casinos, but this will only make things worse for you. To put simply, living one day at a time helps you to focus on today, as you put the happenings of yesterday behind you.
Know your playtime limits
When the fun is over, it is over – accept that that’s the way it is. You need to be aware of this beforehand – there will come a point where it’s time to leave/end and do something different.
The more you are aware of how much time you’ve invested into playing and when exactly you should stop playing, the easier it will be for you to disconnect from the play and finish for the day (week).
Some online casinos even offer a special feature where you can set how much time you plan to spend playing – once the time is up, the website will block you from any other games and the only time you can adjust the amount of time is on the day after.
Of course, this will not prevent you from jumping to another website and spend another 5 hours there. If you prefer, set a timer on your mobile phone or your desktop app.
Try Something Completely Different
If you are a gambling addict, chances are that you have done it countless times, and your mind got programmed into working in a certain way.
When you overcome this vice, it is easy to fall back, especially if you are within the same environment.
To stay safe from gambling, try and find something new to do. Set up some goals on what you want to achieve each day.
If you focus on problem-solving, you get into a better position to handle the allures of gambling, if and when they come up.
Look at the Negative Side of the Your Betting Firm or Casino
Visualise all the negativities of your preferred gaming house.
Imagine how they are out to manipulate you, think of the many huge wins that they promised, but you ended up with huge losses instead.
This way, you will be able to see the other side of the coin, and once you associate the gambling house will all the wrong reasons, chances of going back there are quite limited.
Keep in Mind That Gambling Equals Losses
This is extremely important, and you should always have in mind the fact that lack of discipline will certainly have an impact on your finances.
You are most likely going to lose money while gambling, regardless of your betting strategy.
You may have a very elaborate betting strategy, but no known gambler has ever been able to beat the house.
Conclusion
Gambling addicts may struggle with this vice for many years, without even realising that they are in a trap.
The problem can be described as a bond that the addict has been entangled in for some time. They have been able to bond and blend so well such that it is not an easy thing to break.
Overcoming gambling starts will self-acceptance and an individual’s willingness to change.
In addition to the ideas outlined above, things like therapy and counselling will also assist in healing old emotional wounds.
If you choose therapy, start by building a rapport with a therapist. This way, you will be able to identify specific weaknesses that may lead to relapse or any hidden triggers.
From there, you can now work towards creating a plan that will help you to successfully maintain a recovery.
