There are various strategies that people have developed to make sure that gambling does not have catastrophic affects on their finances and family. These methods include having a strict limit to the money one is allowed to gamble with for the night. Having a limit to the time you’ll spend in the casino is also a good idea. There’s also an understanding amongst recreational gamblers that gambling is just that – fun. It’s not a way to make extra money or a way to get out of debt or a way to get over feelings of depression and boredom. However, for gambling addicts, the act of gambling means something entirely different.
Gambling is just one specific manifestation of the disease of addiction. It manifests in the compulsive and uncontrollable desire to chase the rush of energy that comes with winning money – and that rush is all-consuming. The fact is that gambling addicts do not become addicted overnight, (addiction may set in over months or even years), which is why gambling rehabilitation combines group treatment for common symptoms, with individual counselling that will help addicts to deal with their problem within their own unique contexts.
The most important thing to understand about gambling rehabilitation, is that it’s a process. It’s not a quick fix to a simple problem. To the contrary, it is a long-term solution to a deeply entrenched and complex problem. Depending on each addict’s unique set of circumstances, gambling rehabilitation may begin with a self-imposed ban from all local casinos. Legally, casinos are obligated to comply with self-imposed bans and to ensure that if addicts contravene the ban, they will be removed from the premises. In the case of online casinos, backroom poker games and pub slot machines, the solution is for gambling addicts to refrain from going to those places and spending time with the people they spent time with while acting out.
Gambling rehabilitation is a two-way street. Counsellors, therapists and workshop facilitators can do their part by providing gambling addicts with the knowledge they need to understand their disease, as well as the coping mechanisms they will need to curb their negative behaviour. However, without the cooperation and willingness of the gambling addict, treatment will be ineffective. The good news is that although willingness may not come immediately to all gambling addicts, it can develop over time. What is often said is that some people enter recovery for the wrong reasons such as appeasing their family, but they end up staying for the right reasons. Ultimately, that is what matters.
If you or a loved one is in search of help for gambling addiction, know that help is readily available. Contact us for a free consultation and we’ll support you in your journey
