All About Gambling Addiction and How to Overcome it with Psychological Therapy & Counselling

What is a Gambling Addiction?

Gambling addiction is a significant problem in our society with estimates that as many as 250,000 people in the UK have a gambling problem.

It is further estimated that UK gamblers spend a combined total of £7 billion every year!

However, only about 5% of gamblers ever seek help for their problem suggesting that many may be suffering in slience, or are reluctant to talk about it due to the stigmas surrounding debts.

Accordingly, there are a variety of options available to you if you’re worried that you might have a gambling addiction problem and psychotherapy is an increasingly popular choice.

Therapy & counselling can help you to tackle both your addictive behaviours as well as any underlying problems that may have triggered your perceived need to gamble.

Gambling Addiction Symptoms & Behaviours

There are a number of signs to look out for if you think you may be developing an addiction to gambling, including:

• Preoccupation with gambling: Constantly thinking about gambling or planning the next gambling session.
• Need to gamble with increasing amounts of money: Needing to increase the amount of money gambled to experience the same level of excitement or satisfaction.
• Failed attempts to quit: Repeatedly attempting to quit or cut back on gambling but being unsuccessful.
• Chasing losses: Continuing to gamble in an attempt to recoup losses from previous gambling sessions.
• Lying or hiding gambling behaviour: Hiding the extent of gambling behavior from family and friends.
• Risking relationships or careers: Continuing to gamble despite negative consequences on relationships, work, or finances.
• Borrowing money to gamble: Taking out loans, borrowing from friends or family, or using credit cards to fund gambling.
• Mood swings: Experiencing mood swings, such as irritability or depression, when unable to gamble.
• Illegal behaviours: Engaging in illegal activities such as theft or fraud to fund gambling.

If you are experiencing any of these signs or symptoms then it may be time to talk.

Why Do People Gamble?

Clearly, gambling is something that appeals to the human mind, as it has done for thousands of years.

So why do people continue to gamble when we all know that the house always wins?

In other words, betting shops and casinos calculate the odds in order to make a profit from your gambling.

The bottom line, therefore, is that you are more likely to lose than to win.

However, gamblers often believe that they are MORE likely to win following a run of losing bets and end up chasing losses.

The reality, of course, is that the number of times you lose has absolutely no bearing on the likelihood of you winning.

Do you have a Gambling Addiction?

There is a big difference between a person who enjoys an occasional bet at the races a few times a year, and a person who can’t get through the day without betting on something.

Access and exposure to gambling was made much easier following de-regulation by the then Labout government in 2007.

One only has to watch UK televeision for a few hours these days to be bombarded by advert after advert promoting on-line gambling apps.

Therapy & Counselling for Gambling Addictions

We offer a number of different types of therapy and counselling for your gambling addiction problems.

Choosing the most suitable therapy depends on a number of different considerations including factors such as:

• How long you have had the problem.
• Your personal preferences.
• How your problem is affecting you today.

You can read more about the different types of therapy for gambling problems on the following links:

• CBT for Gambling Addiction
• Counselling for Gambling issues
• Pluralistic Therapy for Gambling Addiction

Although all therapies use slightly different approaches, the one thing they all have in common is the relationship that is formed between the client and therapist.

Research suggests that this therapy relationship may be the most important factor in achieving a good therapy outcome.

Could Reality Therapy Be Right For You?

Reality Therapy is an approach which argues that your gambling addiction is a product of the way that you think internally and not the result of any kind of biological illness.

It also argues that any past experiences which you may believe are the cause of your problem, are no longer influential because those situations are no longer happening and therefore do not exist.

By teaching you how to take responsibility for the way that you feel, Reality Therapy can help you to stop creating the anxiety and stress associated with gambling as well as significantly improve the sense of control you have over the trajectory of your life going forward.

Arrange your FREE initial consultation here.

If you’d like to find out more about overcoming a gambling addiction or recovering from any of your mental health problems then why not arrange a free initial consultation with us.

During this consultation we will discuss your particular issues and the different types of mental health counselling we offer without you having to commit to any counselling going forward.

The consultation lasts around 50 minutes and is a great opportunity to meet with either Paul or Joan and decide if you would like to proceed with any support.