How to stop gambling habit

Who makes it so hard to stop gambling? The answer is we do. You, me and many people before us. In the United States we historically put a huge priority on money, success, lust, entertainment and other things that never lead to real long term joy.

Helpguide.org noted in their article Gambling addiction and problem gambling noted:

The first step is recognizing and acknowledging the problem. You may have a gambling problem if:

· How to stop a gambling habit key point #1 Triggers: Unpleasant feelings such as stress, depression, loneliness, fear, and anxiety can trigger compulsive gambling or make it worse. After a stressful day at work, after an argument with your spouse or coworker, or to avoid more time spent on your own, an evening at the track or the casino can seem like a fun, exciting way to unwind and socialize. But there are healthier and far less expensive ways to keep unpleasant feelings in check. These may include exercising, meditating, spending time with friends, taking up new hobbies, or exploring relaxation techniques.

How to stop a gambling habit key point #2 You can find group support at Gamblers Anonymous, a twelve-step recovery program patterned after Alcoholics Anonymous. A key part of a 12-step program is choosing a sponsor. A sponsor is a former gambler who has time and experience remaining free from addiction, and can often provide invaluable guidance and support.

As you may have noticed, quitting problem gambling is relatively easy. It’s staying in recovery- making a permanent commitment to stay away from gambling- that is such a challenge.

How to stop a gambling habit key point #3 Maintaining recovery for problem gambling and gambling addiction is possible if you surround yourself with people to whom you’re accountable, avoid tempting environments, give up control of your finances (at least at first), and find exciting or enjoyable activities to replace gambling.

How to stop a gambling habit key point #4 Maintaining recovery from problem gambling or gambling addiction depends a lot on the reasons why you were gambling in the first place. Once you’ve quit gambling, reasons such as depression, loneliness, or boredom will remain, so in order to maintain your recovery, you’ll need to address these problems. There are alternative behaviors you can substitute for gambling. Some examples include:

With gamblers often our joy is related to a big win or to some type of success. These events are often short lived and therefore our joy is fleeting. But it is sometimes worse when our success is long term because when we truly get exactly what we want on a permanent basis we get to see reality right before our eyes. We have everything that we have always wanted and our joy still is fleeting. Superstar poker player Stu Ungar won the won the World Series of Poker three times. This brought him only fleeting happiness. To try to fill the void in his life he then turned to drugs. Ungar’s drug problem escalated to such a point that during the WSOP main event in 1990, Ungar was found on the third day of the tournament unconscious on the floor of his hotel room from a drug overdose. However, he had such a chip lead that even when the dealers kept taking his always rising blinds out every time around the table Ungar still finished 9th and pocketed $20,500. Despite having won an estimated $30 million during his poker career, Ungar died with no money.

It is even more horrific sometimes when a young singer or actor hits it huge. They make it to the top, then we read that they are a complete slave to booze. Or that they shot themselves with a shotgun. Why do they do this? The answer is because they got everything and then realized that they had nothing. We will never get real long term joy from an event or from money or success.

Real long term joy is found by becoming a real Christian. There are two types of Christians. Those who have joy all of the time, and those who let circumstances dictate their joy. The Bible says in Psalms 16 verse 11. In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. This is the secret. Fullness of joy is only available through a right relationship with God. Through a close relationship with God. God loves it when we have no joy of our own and we choose to press through to finding joy through Him. When we combine that trait with doing something for others as Christian service, it is very hard to avoid joy. By the same principle, any sin is a joy killer. We are just trading away the joy we could have all month, for a short time of pleasure or fun.

Almighty God is a God who is filled with joy. The Holy Spirit is the part of Him that is with us when we become Christians. The more we allow the Holy Spirit to live in and through us the more we will fully experience His joy. We also experience joy when we actively try to find our God given purpose through prayer. A time and a place for pray is very helpful in quitting addiction.

How to stop a gambling habit key point #7 We need to always worship God: We worship God by telling Him that we love Him. We need to thank God for his unconditional love for us then we should meditate on how we can learn to love him more. The Bible says that He who loves me keeps my commandments.

Next tell God that you worship only Him. Not money, not gambling, not lust, not anything else.

How to stop a gambling habit key point #8 Next tell God that you praise Him because He is a mighty God, an awesome God, and one that is greatly to be praised. We love to praise football stars, rock stars, and poker players. Just stop it. They will only bring you tiny bits of joy. Praise God instead who can bring you fullness of joy. How to stop gambling key point #9 The Bible says in everything give thanks. This means that we are to thank God for everything good or bad. This habit will help you stay away from gambling.

When you learn to find joy though Jesus Christ you will find that you have 10 times as much power over your addiction.

Losing at gambling causes a loss of self esteem. This is one reason why there is a high rate of suicide among problem gamblers.

When gamblers are feeling hopeless, the risk of suicide is high. It’s very important to take any thoughts or talk of suicide seriously. If you or someone you care about is suicidal, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. For a suicide helpline outside the U.S., visit Befrienders Worldwide

 

• How to stop a gambling habit element #1 A decision: Before gambling occurs, the decision to gamble has been made. If you have an urge to gamble: stop what you are doing and call someone, think about the consequences to your actions, tell yourself to stop thinking about gambling, and find something else to do immediately.
• How to stop a gambling habit element #2 Money: Gambling cannot occur without money. Get rid of your credit cards, let someone else be in charge of your money, have the bank make automatic payments for you, and keep a limited amount of cash on you at all times.
• How to stop a gambling habit element #3 Time: Gambling cannot occur if you don’t have the time. Schedule enjoyable recreational time for yourself that has nothing to do with gambling, find time for relaxation, and plan outings with your family.
• How to stop a gambling habit element #4 A game: Without a game or activity to bet on there is no opportunity to gamble. Don’t put yourself in tempting environments or locations. Tell the gambling establishments you frequent that you have a gambling problem and ask them to restrict you from betting at their casinos and establishments. Block online gambling sites on your computer.

• Family and friends are worried about you. Denial keeps problem gambling going. If friends and family are worried, listen to them carefully. Take a hard look at how gambling is affecting your life. It’s not a sign of weakness to ask for help. Many older gamblers are reluctant to reach out to their adult children if they’ve gambled away their inheritance. But it’s never too late to make changes for the better.

Reason for Gambling	Sample Substitute Behaviors
To provide excitement, get a rush of adrenaline	Sport or a challenging hobby, such as mountain biking, rock climbing, or Go Kart racing
Boredom or loneliness	Find something you’re passionate about such as art, music, sports, or books then find others with the same interests
To relax after a stressful day	As little as 15 minutes of daily exercise can relieve stress. Or deep breathing, meditation, or massage
To solve money problems	The odds are always stacked against you so it’s far better to seek help with debts from a credit counselor

• How to stop a gambling habit key point #5 Do something else. Distract yourself with another activity, such as cleaning your house, going to the gym, or watching a movie.
• How to stop a gambling habit key point #6 Avoid Isolation. If you gamble to socialize or be around other people, try healthier ways to build a social network. Volunteer, connect with old friends, make new friends.”