Ep. 71 - What it Takes to Stop Gambling: Making Your Recovery Plan
When you’ve already taken those hard steps to pull back from gambling and face the fall out, you want to keep the momentum going, right?
This is the final of four blogs and episodes of Fold em that provide guidance on how to stop gambling and stay on track long-term. In this one, we walk you through how to make a Recovery Plan for yourself. This plan outlines what is needed to keep gambling and other addictions out of your life and (most importantly) to keep growing the best version of yourself.
Our Recovery Plan has four parts, which were introduced in the previous three blogs and podcast episodes. In this blog, we describe the four parts of a Recovery Plan and provide questions for you to reflect upon to help build your personal plan and keep revising it over time.
We encourage you to listen to Episode 71 of Fold em to learn more. You hear clips from Georgete, Shane and Abe about what is helping them to stay away from gambling after struggling with relapses in the past. You also hear from Allison Rice, who works as a counsellor with Gambling Support BC and brings twenty years of experience with helping people overcome addiction.
Listen to episode 71 and learn:
How to put together your Personal Recovery Plan
Why having a personal recovery plan will make staying away from gambling easier
That there is a path out from gambling problems
Listen now to episode 71 of Fold em by clicking on the green play button at the top of the blog.
If you prefer to tune in directly from Apple Podcasts or Google Podcasts, click on the red “Listen and Subscribe” button below.
Your Personal Recovery Plan … think of it as “I need this like I need air. I need this like I need food.”
Why Put Together a Personal Recovery Plan?
Maybe you’re thinking, “Why do I need a Recovery Plan? I seem to be doing just fine and there’s no way I’m going back to gambling ever again.” Or perhaps after too many relapses you’re losing hope that you’ll ever break free of gambling and other addictions. It feels trite to imagine that a “plan” will make a difference.
One predictable thing about gambling problems is that they lead to endless resistance and debate in your head about why you shouldn’t do something about it. So, notice your thoughts trying to convince you to stop reading this and then keep on reading.
Three reasons to put together a personal recovery plan:
Others have found a path forward and so can you. This plan involves doing what has worked for others.
The stakes are high if you get pulled back into gambling or other addictions. This plan helps you to learn from your past experiences and continue to address and correct what didn’t work in the past.
Gambling brought enough stress and problems into your life. You deserve to stay on track with feeling better and growing a better life.
Allison Rice, who has worked with many individuals and their families to overcome addiction, tells us in Episode 71 of Fold em, that this plan is like building a sandwich. There are common components to a sandwich. For example, bread, protein, toppings and condiments. We’re going to outline common components of a Recovery Plan. You get to personalize and decide how to pull it together.
Part One of Your Personal Recovery Plan: Building a Community of Support
The first part of a Recovery Plan is to connect with help and support outside of family and friends. Recruit the right people who understand gambling problems and/or addiction. This might mean connecting with an online meeting, group or chat room, getting a sponsor through Gamblers Anonymous or attending counselling.
We’re not saying that friends and family aren’t important. They absolutely are. But, connecting with people who have been through gambling issues or those who understand addiction is needed to get effective guidance and accountability from people who can see through the trickiness of this problem. It also can feel like such a relief to talk to people who get this issue.
It will likely feel a little uncomfortable to try a meeting, chat room or counselling if you’ve been dealing with it on your own. But, if that hasn’t been working for you it makes sense to try something different. And different is usually uncomfortable.
Here’s questions to ask yourself as you build this part of your Recovery Plan:
What help outside of family and friends do I connect with to help me stay away from gambling? If none, what am I willing to try?
How often do I need to connect with these groups/people? How will I increase this contact when I’m having a hard time?
How long will I commit to staying connected to these groups/people?
Part Two of Your Personal Recovery Plan: Growing Self-Awareness and Knowledge
The second part of a Recovery Plan involves learning about gambling problems and diving a little deeper into understanding why you got pulled in. Everyone will do this differently. Some people may show up at recovery meetings and listen, listen and listen more. Others will listen to podcasts, do research online or read books on the issue. Others sign up for a Gamblers Anonymous step group or connect with a sponsor or counsellor.
This part of the plan takes some time. Hang in there, bring an open mind, and take suggestions from others who have gone before you. Just trust that you’re worth it and good things will come from this.
Here’s questions to ask yourself as you build this part of your Recovery Plan:
What have I done to learn more about gambling issues and addiction?
What more would I like to learn? How can I learn this?
What writing am I doing connected to my recovery? For example, do I takes notes at a meeting or appointment? Do I keep a personal journal?
Part Three of Your Personal Recovery Plan: Relapse Prevention
The third part of a Recovery Plan draws upon that old Scout’s motto “Be Prepared.” The idea is that thinking through and practising how to act in an emergency will mean that you’re unlikely to be taken by surprise. With gambling, this involves knowing about the common and predictable ways that gambling pulls people back in; knowing about your particular vulnerabilities for relapse; and recruiting other people (accountability partners) to help you watch out for signs of relapse.
Here’s questions to ask yourself as you build this part of your Recovery Plan:
What has worked in the past to keep me away from gambling? What has been missing?
What am I now willing to do to prevent another gambling relapse?
What roadblocks help me to stay away from gambling, e.g. self exclusion, blocking software, restricted access to money
As I reflect upon previous relapses, what do I now know will likely set me down the path towards gambling, e.g. people, places, thoughts, changes in my behaviour, mindset or mood?
Who in my community of support knows about what could set me down the path towards gambling? If no one, how could I find someone to help me watch out for risks of relapse? (ideally someone who knows about gambling issues or addiction)
How should this person (or people) approach you if they have concerns you are at risk for relapse?
If I notice I’m having a hard time, how will I increase my support and accountability to protect myself from a gambling relapse?
Part Three of Your Personal Recovery Plan: Growing a Better Version of Myself
Our hope is that stopping gambling will ultimately enrich your life. That might seem unthinkable right now. So in the meantime, keep an open mind about this. It’s very likely that as you build your Recovery Plan and stick to it, you and your life will expand in positive directions. This doesn’t mean that life is perfect, but you’ll be better able to roll with it and find peace or wellness in unexpected ways.
Here’s questions to ask yourself as you build this part of your Recovery Plan:
What is needed for me to feel well? e.g. How much sleep or exercise do I need? What is the right type and dosage of social connections for me? What else is important, such as spirituality or faith, or practicing honesty.
In what ways would I like to add to/increase what is needed for me to feel well? For example, are there health or mental health issues I would like to address.
What are the signs that I and my support people would notice when I’m getting off track with wellness?
When have I experienced moments of contentment/peace/happiness/joy? How could I slowly build in more of these moments?
This part of your plan may start off with very small steps. That’s ok. Trust that you will likely have more time and energy as you stick to your plan. And, your brain will light up more to positive rewards as you gain time away from gambling. To learn more about this from two experts on Gambling and the Brain, listen to episode 51 of Fold em.
To hear more from Allison about how to build your personal Recovery Plan, listen to episode 71 of Fold em. Listen now by clicking on the green play button at the top of this blog or the red Listen Now to Fold em button at the bottom.
What Support is Available to Help With Gambling Concerns?
Gambling Support BC
If you live in British Columbia, you can connect with Gambling Outreach Support anytime. To do so, click on the red “Connect with Support in BC” button below. Or, go to the Gambling Support BC website. You can also access these services through the Gambling Support Line. It is available 24/7 at 1-888-795-6111.
Gambling Support BC services are available to any British Columbia resident experiencing problems from gambling, including spouses and family impacted by a loved one’s gambling. For those who gamble, you don’t need to stop or quit gambling or be self-excluded to access these free supports.
Our counselling and outreach services can help you figure out how to manage gambling concerns, including how to control or stop gambling. You decide what will work for you.
You can talk to an outreach support person about next steps for yourself if you aren’t wanting counselling. They can help you find self-help resources or local community resources and make a plan that meets you where you are at.
If You Have Concerns About Your Own Gambling - Help Outside of British Columbia
Canada: www.gamblingguidelines.ca/getting-help
United States: National Council on Problem Gambling
United Kingdom: GamCare
Australia: Gamblers’ Help
If you live outside of these countries, search online for “Gambling Help” in your country
Online Support and Meetings:
GamTalk (online chat forum)
To learn more about gambling concerns and how to access resources and support, go to the home page of this website, click on the red “Learn More” button below, or connect with us through Facebook.
Fold em is funded by Gambling Support BC.
We welcome your feedback and ideas for topics for upcoming episodes. Reach out through the Contact Us page on this website or through email at Foldempodcast@gmail.com.