Inside the battle for gambling addiction hotline 1-800-GAMBLER

There’s also Motivational Interviewing and other structured counseling with a therapist. Most programs personalize treatment and use different combinations of various modalities. Residential treatment means living at a facility for a while, following a daily schedule packed with therapy, groups, and skill-building. The idea is to remove you from your triggers and have support around the clock.

• Six studies reported the mean age and standard deviation of the sample and a further two reported percentages within age ranges.
• Similarly, problem gambling has seen a surge in research since its inclusion as a recognised disorder within the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5; American Psychiatric Association, 2013).
• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is one of the most common types of therapy to break a gambling addiction.

Fortunately, help is available for anyone in a negative financial situation, no matter how they got there. Seventy-six papers remained for abstract and title screening following removal of duplicates. Forty-seven papers were excluded following title and abstract screening and a further 12 removed following full text review, resulting in 9 articles retained as meeting the inclusion criteria (see Fig. 1). It should be noted that two studies published by Amonhaemanon may have been based on the same dataset as the sample sizes are identical, although we could not find any commentary to that effect in either publication. As such, these studies will be discussed as if they have been conducted on independent samples. Year of publication ranged from 2018 to 2023, with the majority of articles (89%) published since 2021.

Recovery Programs

Admitting a problem within your social circle can separate your true friends from your enablers. Just know that once you do, many online gambling sites have functions that allow you to block yourself for an extended period of time. Virtually every state has introduced a bill legalizing sports betting in some form since the 2018 U.S. Sports betting has become legitimized as every major sports league partners with betting companies – all while cautioning participants to get help if they believe they have a gambling problem. “Gambling addiction is destructive, and mounting debt can increase significantly every day that you wait to reach out for help,” Alexander Korsager, Chief Gambling Officer at web cloud-based gaming resource Casino.org, said. Based on the initial assessment, the counselor will help you set specific, attainable goals for your recovery.

Comprehensive Treatment Programs and Resources

While this doesn’t necessarily reduce the quality of the research itself, it does make it a little harder to properly interpret the findings or assess their generalisability to other populations. The NCPG collects and analyzes data from problem gambling calls, often to illustrate the danger of addiction to betting. But not every state that uses GAMBLER shares its statistics with the national council. “Thousands of individuals and families could suddenly find themselves without access to the only national lifeline for problem gambling,” said Amanda Szmuc, an attorney with Offit Kurman. To avoid chasing losses, set strict budget limits before you gamble and stick to them. Recognize that losses are part of the game and resist the urge to gamble more to recover your losses.

They also found viewers scored significantly higher on financial knowledge following viewing the show. Novel research such as this demonstrates that there may be benefits of financial literacy education as an intervention for problem gambling at a population level. The connection between gambling addiction and financial stress is undeniable.

How Financial Stress Can Put Recovery at Risk and What to Do About It

Your debt counselor can help you decide if this might be the right choice for you and assist you through the process or provide alternative options that can resolve your financial issues. Recovery is not just about saying goodbye to bad habits—it’s about saying hello to a better life. If you or a loved one is struggling with gambling addiction, know that there is a way out. With the right support system—emotional, psychological, and financial—you can recover and thrive.

Consider implementing a “72-hour protocol” in which you focus exclusively on self-care immediately following a significant loss. This might include regular meals, eight hours of sleep, exercise, and avoiding gambling-related activities. Overcoming a gambling problem is never easy but treatment options are available, and recovery is possible. Each person is unique, so it is important to find a path for treatment fit to your specific needs. There isn’t just one “best” way to treat problem gambling – often, a mix of approaches are used during treatment.

Fortunately, as problem gambling becomes more common, so do support services and other resources that can help those struggling get back on the path towards stability. Below we’ll explore how to recognize problem gambling and highlight the resources that can help you or a loved one regain stability. In many cases, the constant tension around money can lead to emotional breakdowns within families. Children may feel the impact of financial instability, too, experiencing stress or a diminished quality of life. Talkspace articles are written by experienced mental health-wellness contributors; they are grounded in scientific research and evidence-based practices.

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