Tips, Strategies for Quitting Gambling from Recovering Addict
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Oct 21, 2024
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06:44 p.m.
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My name is Rob, and I’m in recovery for a gambling addiction. I made my last bet on November 12, 2022 after six years of gambling. Nowadays I create content online to help people who are struggling with gambling to avoid making the same mistakes with their lives that I made with mine.
My Gambling Addiction and Recovery Story
My gambling story began when I was 18 years old with daily fantasy sports. In the beginning it was a fun thing to do with my friends and talk about all of the sports we loved to watch, but it quickly became an obsession for me.
At the start, I would play $10 DFS contests. But by the end of my time gambling, I was spinning slot machines in my pocket on my phone and listening to the sound that would come through the headphones, knowing based by the tone how much money that spin had won or lost.
Gambling took over my life and led me to lose friendships, relationships and much of my college experience. It also led me down a scary path with my mental health.
I realized I needed to change after a 12-hour gambling binge at a casino that led to me working 70 hours/week for the next six months to pay off my debts.
I knew it was time for a change. Here’s what I did and what I’d recommend to others.
My recommended tips and strategies for quitting gambling
1) Finding Alternatives for your Time
When I first stopped gambling, I had absolutely nothing to do with my time. I was bored, frustrated and it felt like everything that brought me meaning in my life was gone. Wow, that sounds dramatic looking back…
But in the moment, it was exactly how I felt. I needed to find things to fill this void that I was feeling. I tried everything: reading, writing, journaling, meditating, yoga, lifting, running, spending more time with friends and family, watching movies, etc. It all helped a little bit, but what really made the difference for me was finding something that inspired a sense of purpose and meaning in my life. I ended up trying to make video content to help others dealing with the same problems that I was fighting through.
Experiment and try to find new activities or projects to fill your time and energy. Keep searching until you find something that you’re passionate about and can focus on without thinking of betting.
One important thing to remember is that although you may be looking for something that will fill your life with meaning, you should not seek to replace the thrill and dopamine high from gambling. The high that you get from gambling is exactly what you become addicted to as a problem gambler, and trying to replace it with some other dopamine hit won’t allow your brain the peace it needs to begin to recover.
2) Limiting Your Access To Money
When I was deep in gambling addiction, one of the hardest things for me was recognizing that money was a trigger. Every time I had easy access to cash, it felt like an opportunity – a way to chase that next big win.
I eventually realized that if I didn’t change how I handled my money, I’d never break the cycle. It felt restrictive at first, like losing control of my own life, but it was necessary. I set up systems – whether it was handing over my finances to a trusted family member or limiting access to credit and debit cards. I had to make it inconvenient to gamble.
This gave me a chance to step back and rethink what I was doing. With each step, I gained a little more space between me and the next bet. That space gave me breathing room to focus on recovery.
It’s not glamorous, but it’s very helpful: do whatever is needed beforehand so that in a moment of temptation you aren’t able to quickly access gambling funds.
3) Limiting Your Access To Gambling
One of the biggest breakthroughs for me was realizing that I needed to physically and digitally distance myself from gambling.
It’s not just about avoiding casinos or betting apps—it’s about cutting off all the avenues that feed the addiction. I started by self-excluding from casinos and online betting platforms. The power of self-exclusion lies in the way it removes that constant temptation from your environment.
I also deleted all the gambling apps from my phone and unsubscribed from gambling-related emails. It’s like you’re reclaiming your space and making it harder to be tempted back into old habits. At first it feels strange, like part of your routine is missing. But as time goes on, that empty space becomes an opportunity to fill your life with healthier habits.
Installing gambling blocking software also felt like an extra layer of protection during my recovery. I realized that even with all my efforts to limit access, there were still moments of temptation. I knew that if I didn’t take additional steps to block those triggers, I could easily slip back into old habits.
With software like Gamban, I was able to block access to betting sites and apps entirely. It was like putting a barrier between me and the addiction. Of course, it’s not a magic fix. This alone won’t solve everything, but it gives you time to pause and rethink before acting on a harmful impulse. It’s another tool that helped me create a safer digital space while I worked on healing my mindset.
4) Support Group Meetings
Walking into my first support group meeting, I felt nervous and out of place.
I wasn’t sure what to expect or if I’d fit in. I actually thought I was the only person on earth with a gambling problem. But the moment I heard other people share their stories, I realized I wasn’t alone.
Hearing people talk about the same struggles I’d been dealing with – losing money, relationships, and feeling trapped – made a huge difference. It was like I had found a community that truly understood what I was going through, without judgment.
Over time, these meetings became a safe space for me to open up about my own challenges and hear advice from others who had been in my shoes. It wasn’t just about venting; it was about learning and supporting each other through every step of the recovery process. The accountability and camaraderie from these groups were life-changing.
5) Therapy/Mental Health Services
Therapy played a huge role in my recovery, helping me understand the core of what was going on in my mind. When I first started therapy, I wasn’t sure how much it would help, but talking with a professional opened my eyes to how gambling had become a coping mechanism for other unresolved issues in my life.
We worked on strategies to manage stress, anxiety, and those feelings of emptiness that gambling used to mask. The therapist that I worked with didn’t have a firm background in gambling, but that isn’t a problem nowadays with Birches Health, whose gambling addiction counselors are specially trained and certified to help treat it.
Therapy gave me tools to navigate tough emotions without turning to destructive behaviors. More than that, it helped me rebuild my self-worth and create a healthier relationship with myself and the world around me. Mental health services were key to my long-term recovery, and I encourage anyone struggling with addiction to seek the support they deserve.
Gambling Addiction treatment options I would recommend
I go to a Gamblers Anonymous meeting every Tuesday night, so I recommend finding a support group meeting of some kind as soon as possible.
Therapy can be beneficial either on its own or in addition to group support. Birches Health offers virtual care from the comfort of home from a nationwide team of specialized counselors. There are multiple ways to connect with Birches, depending on how you’d personally prefer to start your recovery journey:
Or you can simply call Birches at 833-483-3838 or email hello@bircheshealth.com to get in touch right away.
And if you’re looking for help re-learning or re-organizing your finances after gambling, check out gamfin.org for information on financial counseling.
