Gambling Addiction

Gambling Addiction

Whether you bet on horse racing, sports, scratch cards, roulette, poker, or slots, weather it’s in a casino or online, problem gambling can strain relationships, interfere with work and lead to financial catastrophe. You may even do things you never thought you would like stealing money to gamble or pay your debts. You may think you can not stop however with the right help you can overcome a gambling problem or addiction and regain control of your life.

The first step is recognising and acknowledging the problem. Compulsive gamblers can not control the impulse to gamble, even when they know their gambling is hurting themselves or their loved ones, gambling is all they can think about and all they want to do no matter the consequences.

Compulsive gamblers keep gambling whether they are up or down, broke or flush, happy or depressed. Even when they know the odds are against them, even when they cannot afford to lose, people with a gambling addiction cannot “stay off the bet.” Problem gambling is any gambling behaviour that disrupts your life. If you’re preoccupied with gambling, spending more and more time and money on it, chasing losses, or gambling despite serious consequences, you could have a gambling addiction.

At the Goldsmith clinic we are here to understand you and what your addiction stands for. Why are you addicted to drugs, sex or gambling? If, with the appropriate professional help you can understand it and cut yourself some slack then you can learn how to change it, as recognition is the first step to change. In our experience, addiction can allow people to manage in the short term, difficulties in their life past or present life, that perhaps without the addiction may be too overwhelming for them.

There is usually significant shame and guilt attached to an addiction. Forgiveness is a key step that one must explore as relationships can be damaged or broken in the event of addiction. Let our specialist therapists help you on the journey of recovery from your addiction.

Start your recovery today.