Fighting gambling urges can be difficult. But it's oh so important.
Whether you're a casual player who gets the itch to overspend on their gambling budget or you're a gambling addict on the road to recovery, temptation is pretty much everywhere.
Of course, for those with an addiction, the stakes are high. Slipping and placing bets again can put your hard-won recovery in jeopardy. And that's why it's so important you don't do it.
But whatever your situation, we're going to tell you how you can start fighting gambling urges and take control.
If you don't have a gambling problem and you're not displaying any of these warning signs, you might just want to keep your gambling in check a bit more. Sometimes time and budgets can get away with you. So the best way to start fighting gambling urges is to give yourself hard limits.
Work out a gambling budget and stick to it. Make sure it's modest and you have plenty of money budgeted for other leisure activities and savings. Then set deposit limits at any online casinos you're signed up to. And if you're going to bet in person, leave your bank card at home and make sure you only have as much as you want to spend at the casino in your wallet.
Then make sure you're not spending too much time actually gambling. Online, you can set up reality checks (which are pop ups after you've been playing for a specified period of time) or time outs (which block certain sites during particular time frames). And then in person, if you're gambling with a friend, tell them when you plan on leaving and agree to both leave then. If you're alone, simply set a timer on your phone. Or why not pre-order a cab? Then as soon as it turns up, it's lights out for your gambling session.
We're also a big fan of blocking ads online and unsubscribing from unwanted emails. Also unfollowing dumb gambling social media accounts can be great for not only fighting gambling urges, but also lowering annoying interactions on your daily scroll.
Like we said before, if you're addicted to gambling, fighting gambling urges is essential. For your mental health, financial health and relationships, this is crucial.
First of all, talk about your problem. Confess to your close family and friends. And get an outside support network, like Gamblers Anonymous or another type of therapy that works for you.
And if you tend to gamble online, make sure you're excluded from all your former betting sites.
Work on rebuilding yourself, financially and mentally. Shatter that stigma that can so often cloud former gambling addicts' lives. Remember, there is life after recovery.
And the most important thing to remember is that every former addict gets urges to succumb to their former vices. It's not not having the urges that's important. It's fighting them that's key.
If you feel the urge, tell someone about it. Whether that's your friend, therapist or local GA group. That will make you far less likely to act on it.
And if you find some of the people you tell don't take you seriously or aren't supportive in your recovery, it might be time to distance yourself from them. Especially if they are people who still gamble a lot.
Switching up your routes to and from work can help too. If your regular commute takes you past a casino or a betting shop, it's a good idea to try a new route with less triggering temptations.
For help cutting down or stopping gambling altogether, you can contact:
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