Gambling
Gambling can be difficult to define; partly because it takes shape in so many different forms. However, it may be loosely described as, “when two or more people participate in an activity, where the outcome is unclear and partially determined by chance, and where the loser agrees to pay the winner money” (www.gamcare.org.uk).
Do I Have a Gambling Problem?
The National Health Society estimates that there are as many as 250,000 individuals in the UK with a gambling addiction. When suffering from compulsive gambling it can feel impossible to control the impulse to gamble, and we continue despite the problems it causes us and our loved ones. Like other forms of addiction, gambling can become all that we think about, or want to do, no matter what the consequences.
Signs of addiction
If you find yourself spending increasing amounts of time or money on betting, then you may have a gambling problem. If it is causing you to be secretive, if you are gambling when you do not have the money, if your friends and family are worried, or you are having problems controlling your impulses to bet, then it’s likely that your gambling has become an addiction. But you are not alone!
How Common is Gambling
Since the introduction of legal betting establishments in the 1960’s, gambling seems to be an increasing part of our society. In contrast with other addictions that require the individual to venture outside the home to get their “fix”, gambling addiction is different. Most personal computers and mobile phones have an active Internet connection and with this is the temptation to spend your hard earned cash at an online casino or bingo websites with a couple of clicks of a button. Marketing for Internet betting venues frequently entice customers by giving them “free” cash to play with. With seemingly harmless offers from gambling venues encouraging people to play, is it any wonder that so many of us buy into the idea of “nothing to lose” and become addicted to gambling?
The cry of the gambler
To convey the painful emotional struggle felt by others who suffer from gambling addiction, the following quote was taken from the New Members Forum (www.gamcare.org.uk):
“The feeling is horrible; it is a compulsion that drives us to enter the comforting world of the betting shop and part with all our hard earned money. I wish that there was something that I could do to suppress the urge to go in to the bookies, casino or arcade and plough my entire wages into a machine that for over 10 years has taken all my hard earned money. FOBTS (Fixed Odd Betting Terminals)…… I hate you, you’ve ruined my life!”
Therapy for Gambling
Though it may sound like a cliché, the first step to gaining control over a problem or addiction to gambling is admitting to the problem. Acknowledging a gambling problem takes considerable courage, strength and desire in order to rectify the financial and emotional damage that gambling has caused. Recovering from gambling addiction is not easy, but it may be easier with the support of a trained therapist who can offer counselling for gambling. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is often used to treat gambling by focusing on different ways of thinking and also addresses how your feelings and behaviours when you want to gamble. If appropriate, CBT will also look at your current life situation to explore the root of the problem.
If you have a problem with gambling, you may think and feel very differently about your betting, than those around you. You may believe that certain rituals may bring you luck, that if you lose you can regain what you have lost by gambling more or that winning twice in a row means that you are on a ‘winning streak’. However, these thoughts can often lead you to bet more and with larger sums of money. CBT can help you to confront these thoughts, and has been shown to reduce not only the amount of days a person spends gambling but also the amount of money that they lose through gambling. Further, addressing the effect of gambling on one’s relationships and attempting to minimize this impact may also be a significant component to CBT treatment for gambling addiction.
Gambling Counselling & Psychotherapy in London
If you are looking for a qualified and experienced gambling counsellor & psychotherapist in London, then please contact me for more information on how I can help you.
My Standards
Our practice adheres to the rigorous standards set forth by the British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP). We are committed to providing evidence-based, effective therapy to our clients. Our therapists undergo extensive training and adhere to strict ethical guidelines to ensure the highest quality of care. We continuously engage in professional development and adhere to ongoing supervision and monitoring processes to maintain our standards of excellence in therapeutic practice.
