Courtesy: Marc Lefkowitz and Dr. Nathan D. L. Smith of “Kindbridge . Com)
The stress and struggles all start right about now. Thanksgiving kicks off the holiday season, and away we go. For most, it means family, friends, and festive food.
However, for people with a gambling problem and their families, it can be a precarious time of year. Turkey Day, football, college bowls, and NFL playoffs are on the menu for sports bettors. Casinos decorated for the season are waiting with perks and comps.
Relationships and families are tested due to financial stress and lying to hide the gambling. Christmas presents offer a challenge. Gamblers may chase their losses only to dig a deeper financial hole. Isolation can become the norm. These are the typical situations people with gambling problems find themselves navigating to try, and both feed their need to gamble and hide their gambling during this time of year.
For many these days, gambling is a new experience. Legal sports betting is a relatively new phenomenon sweeping the US these days, and sportsbooks and casinos are bombarding the airwaves with unbelievable deals to attract new bettors to their products. This is no surprise. Every product that enters a market and gains traction advertises its product heavily to bring new clientele in the door. The problem arises when those with a tumultuous relationship with gambling ignore what the casino or sportsbook already tells them. They don’t hide it. They’re going to win in the long run.
Usually, the first problem for people who gamble excessively is financial. Unless diligently following a budget, when these gamblers start losing, they chase after their losses. They have won in the past and believe if they just gamble long enough, their luck will turn around, and they can win it all back.
It just creates greater losses. This burden can lead to lying, missing work, relationship tension, and/or borrowing money. In the early stages, problems like this can be solved before they progress into addiction, a repetitive pattern of unhealthy behavior experienced over weeks or months. Loss of the ability to stop or control your gambling is a symptom of gambling addiction. As we all prepare for the holidays, here are some suggestions if you recognize some of these problems developing in yourself or a loved one.
HERE ARE SOME IMPORTANT WAYS TO HELP YOU NOT GAMBLE THIS HOLIDAY.
Talk it Out
Many are afraid to talk about a gambling problem. Along with problem gambling comes shame and guilt, especially when money is involved. Talk to your family, a friend, therapist, or clergy. If this hasn’t been a persistent problem, your family and friends will most likely understand and offer support. If you are still afraid to reveal your problem, or it’s more serious, try talking to a therapist or clergy. In that case, confidentiality is assured. Though it may feel overwhelming at first, talking helps.
Turn Over Your Money
If you’re afraid you can’t stop and still have available cash, find someone trusted to hold your money. This can be important this time of the year, especially with Christmas bonuses, cash gifts, and other financial windfalls associated with the season.
Gambling Blocking Software
If you’re Gambling with apps, the Internet, or on your cell phone, there is software available to block access to betting sites. Download and install the software for a sense of relief and peace of mind right away. See our Resources page for some of these App Blockers. They do help!
Stop Chasing Your Lost Money
Depending on the preferred choice of gambling, the odds are always with the house. You will likely create more debt if you try to win the money back. The more times you gamble, the higher the odds of losing. It could lead to even committing a crime.
Avoid Isolation
When invited by family, friends, or co-workers to attend parties or events, say yes. Engaging with positive people can help in avoiding cravings to gamble. Accountability with friends or other trusted contacts is another bonus of avoiding isolation.
Throw Away the Mailers
Throw away any and all casino mailers or delete the gambling emails/texts as soon as you get them. If they’re giving you something for free, it means you’re probably losing multiples of the value of the gift. Unsubscribe from emails, delete the applications on your phone, and ask to be taken off promotional lists.
Plan Alternate Holiday Activities
On days when you usually gamble, plan alternative activities. For example, if you like betting on pro football on Sundays, instead plan family outings such as taking a hike, seeing a movie, or even playing in the snow in the mountains. Any activity that breaks your unhealthy patterns is a benefit.
Take a Break From Gambling
If you can, take a break from gambling during the holidays. It can be a relief from the normal chaos of this time of year. If you are unable to stop, it might be an indicator of a more serious problem. If you can’t take a voluntary break of 30 days on your own, it may be time to seek professional help. You can help by visiting “The National Council on Problem Gambling”> https://www.ncpgambling.org/ or call at:
1-800-GAMBLER
The National Council on Problem Gambling operates the National Problem Gambling Helpline Network. The network is a single national access point to local resources for those seeking help for a gambling problem. The network consists of 28 contact centers that provide resources and referrals for all 50 states and US territories. Help is available 24/7 and is 100% confidential.
The National Problem Gambling Helpline Network also includes text and chat services. These features enable those who are gambling online or on their mobile phone to access help the same way they play. One call, text, or chat will get you to problem gambling help anywhere in the U.S. 24/7/365. Again, it is private, and there is NO SHAME in reaching out for help.
Lastly, Seek Professional Help
There are many licensed therapists and certified counselors well-trained in treating persons with a gambling problem and their loved ones. Accountability coaches and trained counselors can help you faster than you think. Join peer support groups, try group therapy focused on reducing gambling-related harms, or talk to a therapist trained to help you navigate a successful recovery program. There are more resources available today to help people struggling with gambling disorders than ever before.
You may find someone through SAMSHA.
Also visit the online treatment locator. Call: 1-800-662-HELP (4357)
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I hope these tips and advice will help you or those supporting a loved one to have a blessed holiday season without any pressure to gamble. I know firsthand how they felt through MANY past holidays when I was still deep within my addicted gambling days. I can still remember those years of wanting to shop for Christmas presents for my family and having no money because I gambled it all away.
When I think about it now, it still makes my stomach turn. It is why I am grateful I reached out for help 16+ years ago to gain my life back from this destructive disease and addiction. Yes, I still recall the many negatives back then, but we need to always remember where we came from in order to be grateful for how far we have come in our recovery journey.
So, I wish you all a very happy holiday season with your loved ones and family. To learn more about my journey from addiction to gambling by purchasing my book from Amazon as a holiday gift! It shares my memoirs of How and Why I became a gambling addict. Most times, there are underlying issues as to why we use gambling as an escape…
Sharing My Journey of Hope, Help & Recovery From Gambling Addiction, News & Resources. 