How To Deal With Gambling Addiction

As one of the best online casinos, Gamble Addicts promotes Accountable Gaming. Playing online games should be a social activity that gamblers enjoy in their leisure time without suffering adverse effects on their daily lives. But some gamblers become so addicted to gaming that it starts to cause issues at home or on their jobs.

According to the most-recently available figures from a 2016 study, an estimated 2.6% of the US population of around 10 million people have a gambling addiction. These compulsive gamblers are more likely to commit criminal activities such as embezzlement, theft, shoplifting, and fraud to fund their addiction. Families where a parent is a compulsive gambler, are also more likely to suffer from domestic violence.

Tips to Help You Control Compulsive Gambling

Before you can address your gambling problem, you have to recognize that you have an addiction. Here are some symptoms of having a gambling disorder according to the American Psychiatric Association:

• Thinking frequently about gambling when you are not gambling (such as constantly looking forward to the next gambling session)
• Continuing to gamble even after losing a lot of money (known as ‘chasing losses’)
• Lying to family and friends to conceal your gambling activity
• Having to gamble with larger and larger amounts to achieve the desired ‘high.’
• You are repeatedly trying and failing to stop or cut back on your gambling activity.
• Losing or risking close relationships or your job prospects due to your addiction

Here are some tips on how we can control our gambling addiction:

• Join a support group. It would be easier to quit gambling when you have help from people struggling with the same problem. One of the most ‘popular’ of these groups is Gamblers Anonymous, which uses the same 12-step program like Alcoholics Anonymous.
• Avoid triggers that cause you to think about gambling. For many addicts, one of the reasons they became addicted was to deal with issues in their lives, such as stress. Hence, one way you can control your cravings to gamble is to find positive ways to deal with these issues. For instance, you can take up meditation as a way of coping with stress.
• Find alternatives. To fill the ‘hole’ in your life left when you quit gambling, you should find more positive activities. For instance, you can spend more time with family and friends. You can look for another hobby that would occupy your time more productively. Or you can volunteer for charitable activities such as volunteering at an animal shelter.
• Consider the consequences. Many compulsive gamblers fail to consider the hurt they’ve caused to family and friends, as well as the damage it has caused to their lives. Reflect on these consequences the next time you feel the need to gamble, such as the financial hardships and emotional pain you’ve inflicted on your family, as well as the problems you’ve caused at work.

Always Practice Responsible Gaming

Gambling should be a fun recreational activity that you indulge responsibly on online gaming sites such as Gamble Addicts. The moment you start to see the warning signs of problem gambling, such as borrowing money to play and feeling irritable when you’re not gambling, stop at once and seek help!

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