When you are recovering from a gambling problem

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by: Sarah Middleton
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Word Count: 368
Date: Sun, 20 Feb 2011 Time: 1:02 AM
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Once you have accepted that you have a gambling problem and have attended a few support meetings, you may feel like the hard work is over. In fact, the hardest part about recovering from any addiction is managing to resist temptation for the rest of your life. Addicts never recover completely; they will always describe themselves as "recovering", suggesting the process is an ongoing one.

In the path of temptation

As a recovering gambling addict, you must take care not to put temptation in your path. There are obvious things you can do to avoid this, such as not going into a bookies, staying away from racing tracks and casinos and closing down any online accounts you have. Being a recovering addict means you cannot gamble at all - even buying a lottery ticket is forbidden!

Gambling for escapism

There will be plenty of times when you will feel tempted to gamble, especially when there are other problems in your life and you remember the rush or the escapism you enjoyed before, when you were allowed to gamble. The best way to deal with these cravings is to find an alternative activity to enjoy whenever you feel tempted to go back to the casino. If you enjoyed the excitement of gambling, take up a new hobby such as karting or rock climbing. If gambling was more of a social activity, join a support group or sign up for local evening classes, so that your social life revolves around something else.

There is help out there

When you feel the urge to gamble, you should call someone and tell them. You may have a mentor through your support group, but if not call a close friend or a member of your family. Someone you know will be able to help you and stop you from falling off the wagon. Find ways to fill your time and keep your mind active so that you don't even have the opportunity to think about gambling. Finally, get rid of your credit cards and hand control of your finances over to your partner or someone you can trust so that you can't even access the money you would usually use to gamble with.

About the Author

There is little doubt that gambling addiction is no laughing matter. It can have a devastating affect on many walks of a person's life, which is why a treatment for gambling is such an essential helpline for people.