Most people have enjoyed a fun night at a casino or placed a friendly wager on a football game or basketball tournament. In fact, the National Council on Problem Gambling pegs the percentage of Americans who’ve gambled at least once in their life at 85%. But responsible gambling means setting a limit and sticking to it. Gambling becomes a problem when it starts to impact your overall financial situation, relationships, family and career. With the rise of legal sports betting in America, greater efforts are being made for gambling addiction awareness. It starts with recognizing the gambling addiction signs.
Not all gamblers are problem gamblers, but you might have an addiction if you find yourself constantly thinking about gambling or unable to stop gambling once you start. If gambling is causing you financial problems or you’re hiding your gambling behavior from your loved ones, these can also be signs that you have a problem. Once you’ve acknowledged that the problem exists, seeking help for your gambling addiction is the next step toward getting your life back.
Gambling Addiction Awareness: The Self-Assessment
If you suspect you might have or be developing a gambling problem, consider conducting a self-assessment. This involves examining your gambling behavior closely and assessing how it’s impacting your life. Here are the steps:
- Honest reflection. Think about how often you gamble and why you’re doing it. Is it truly just for fun, or are you trying to escape other problems in your life?
- Warning signs. Pay attention to behaviors such as lying about or trying to hide your gambling, using money meant for other expenses to gamble or feeling restless or experiencing withdrawal symptoms when not gambling.
- Impact on life. Think about how gambling affects your life. Are you having financial troubles or arguments with your spouse or family or losing interest in other hobbies because of gambling? If your gambling causes problems in other areas of your life, it’s a sure sign of addiction.
- Seeking help. If you notice any of the above signs, you should seek help. If it’s more comfortable for you, you can start by talking to someone you love before seeing a professional.
Seeking Help for Your Gambling Addiction
If you think you might have a gambling addiction, you should get help, both for your own sake and for your family and loved ones. Counselors and other professionals can support you through recovery, and you have several treatment options available. Here are a few to consider:
- Therapy or counseling. A therapist can help you understand the root of your gambling addiction and teach you how to squelch the desire to gamble. They can also help you fix other problems in your life caused by gambling.
- Support groups. Support groups are made up of people like you who are going through the same struggles. They are typically in various stages of recovery and can be there to support you throughout your journey.
- Hotlines or helplines. The benefit of a hotline or helpline is that it gives you someone to talk to right away. If you’re struggling with the urge to gamble, you can call and talk to a trained, compassionate professional.
Supportive Resources for Gambling Addiction Recovery
The most crucial step on the path to recovery is taking action and seeking help for your gambling addiction. It’s one thing to have gambling addiction awareness and recognize that you need help, but to take action, you need to know the specific resources available to you. Here are a few organizations and nonprofits that can help you recover from gambling addiction:
- National Problem Gambling Helpline. You can receive confidential support and referrals to local gambling addiction resources by calling the National Problem Gambling Helpline at (800) 522-4700. It’s available 24-7.
- Gamblers Anonymous. This is the largest and most well-known national peer support organization for individuals recovering from gambling addiction.
- Gambling Addiction Therapy. You can receive therapy for gambling addiction either in person or online through an organization such as BetterHelp or Headway.
- GoodTherapy. This is a good resource to find a local therapist who specializes in the type of treatment you’re looking for.
Gambling addiction is as real and can be as devastating to your life and family as an addiction to drugs or alcohol. But like any addiction, it can be managed and even defeated by first recognizing that the problem exists and then empowering yourself to seek help. To speak with a gambling addiction counselor today who can set you on the path to recovery, call us now.
