Ep. 4 - Online Gambling: Signs of a Problem and Strategies to Stop
If online gambling has become a problem for you or someone you know, listen in for real life stories and tips on how to stop. Click on the green play button now to hear this episode of Fold em.
If you would like to check out other episodes of our podcast, Fold em: Help for Gamblng Problems, click on the red button below. Be sure to subscribe, so you won’t miss out on the latest show.
In this episode of our podcast, Fold em: Help for Gambling Problems, we speak with a woman who shares her experiences and learnings about putting a stop to online gambling.
Her story is one of persistence and the power of connecting with a recovery community. She has been able to stop and stay stopped. You can too!
What are the signs that gambling is a problem?
You may have heard about the 3 C’s of addiction. These are the characteristics or signs of addiction, as opposed to a bad habit. The 3 C’s are:
Compulsion: strong behaviours surrounding gambling, such as:
increasing time and energy thinking about and planning it
prioritizing gambling over other activities and people
having rituals and routines while gambling
Control: once the gambling starts, there is decreased or no control over such things as:
the amount of time and money put into gambling
maintaining commitments to others or looking after yourself
taking risks you wouldn’t normally take.
Sometimes gamblers rationalize that they don’t have a problem because they periodically take breaks from gambling. However, if over time the pattern is that gambling is a series of episodes that are out of control, this indicates a problem.
Consequence: as a result of gambling, there are negative impacts for the gambler and others. For example:
financial
health related: increase in stress, anxiety or problems sleeping, or tending less to exercise and taking care of yourself
relational: secrets from a spouse or family and disconnection in relationships
Despite these consequences and others expressing concern about the gambling, if it continues, this indicates a problem. Consequences are the most important of the 3 C’s. The gambler may think that they can handle it, but if it is creating a problem for them and the people in their life, it is worth paying attention to.
How to stop and stay stopped
It can be a process to stop and to figure out what is needed to prevent further relapses. This also involves a process of coming to terms with the fact that the pull of addiction is very powerful and that interventions that involve giving up some control are required to protect yourself from it.
In this episode, our two guests, Danielle and Manj Bath, a counsellor specializing in gambling problems, share ideas about how to stop online gambling:
Be honest with yourself and others of the amount of time and money that has gone into gambling. Being honest with yourself also involves letting go of the idea that you can gamble your way out of this problem. Accept that you need to walk away from the losses.
Get help. Learn from others who have gone before you in dealing with this issue. Connect with people who can offer non-judgemental support. Reach out to a helpline, or look online for problem gambling resources. Try counselling, an online forum and/or a support group (online or in person)
Use blocks to put space between you and the next bet. This could involve excluding from online sites (chat online with help/support services for each gambling website) and/or installing software to block access to all gambling sites on your device. In this episode, Danielle said that the software which worked best for her was Goodbye Gambling for Android devices. There are many options available if you search App stores or online. When self exclusion or blocking software is installed, it gives you a break when cravings and space to do something else to settle this down.
To learn more about strategies for regaining control of online gambling, listen now to the fourth episode of Fold em. Hear Danielle’s story of overcoming this addiction. Tune in by clicking the green “play” button at the top of this blog. If you prefer to listen on Apple or Google podcasts, click on the red “Listen Now” button to go directly there.
Fold em is a podcast hosted by Adrienne Cossom and her colleagues at Gambling Support BC. Whether you are looking at stopping or scaling back your own gambling or supporting a family member with a problem, this podcast will help you take back control. Hear from gamblers who have been through it and get tips from counsellors.
If you live in British Columbia and have been impacted by gambling problems, contact the counsellor featured in this episode, Manj Bath, for free counselling. Click on the “Contact Manj” button below.
To learn more about gambling concerns and how to access resources and support, go to the home page of this website OR click on the red “Learn More” button below.