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It’s important to know that addiction to gambling is not something you can just ‘pull yourself out of’. It’s a serious mental health issue that requires professional treatment and support.

Identifying the triggers

Identifying triggers is a crucial step in breaking free from gambling addiction. Often, the urge to gamble is fueled by stress, boredom, financial pressure or negative emotions. People who have a strong desire to gamble may also develop unhealthy thought patterns, such as the illusion of control or irrational beliefs. These unhealthy habits can be difficult to break.

Keeping a journal can help you identify the situations and emotions that cause gambling cravings. You can use this information to develop a targeted strategy to avoid and overcome these triggers. For example, if your drive to work or favourite TV show tends to trigger you to gamble, consider taking a different route or changing the channel.

You can also reduce risk factors by avoiding high-risk situations, such as using credit cards, taking out loans and carrying large amounts of money with you. Instead, find healthy replacements for problem gambling, such as exercise, rekindling an old hobby or trying something new.

Taking a break

Taking a break from gambling can help you overcome your addiction, especially if you’re struggling with negative emotions. Research has shown that people who gamble often do so to cope with feelings of stress, anxiety, or boredom. For this reason, it is crucial to find healthy replacements for gambling.

A good place to start is by talking about your problem with trusted friends and family members. They can help you stay accountable, avoid triggers, and give you a sense of support. In addition, it’s important to distance yourself from people who gamble. This will prevent you from being tempted by other players’ gambling habits.

Another important step is to block access to online gambling websites. Using a tool like Freedom will help you keep gambling out of your life, even when you’re feeling tempted. It’s also easy to set recurring block sessions so that you can avoid gambling sites whenever you want. This will increase your chances of success.

Self-exclusion

While blocking gambling websites is a helpful tool, it’s important to find healthy replacement activities. This will help you stay motivated and avoid returning to your addiction. You can start small by incorporating hobbies you once enjoyed, spending time with people who don’t gamble, or going for walks. Whatever you do, make sure it’s something that genuinely interests you.

Voluntary self-exclusion is a widely used harm reduction measure, and it can reduce the risk of problem gambling in individuals with gambling disorder. However, previous research has shown that many gamblers breach their self-exclusion and continue to gamble. The present study aimed to assess the effectiveness of a nationwide, multi-operator self-exclusion model in Sweden. It also investigated the factors associated with having breached self-exclusion. The results suggest that mental health problems were more common in those who reported having breached their self-exclusion, but these differences disappeared when other variables were taken into account. The Freedom app can help you stop online gambling by putting one more obstacle between you and dangerous gambling websites. Using features like recurring block sessions and Locked mode, it can bring awareness to unconscious addictive behaviors while increasing your chances of success.

Healthy replacements

Gambling addiction is a serious issue that affects many people. It can lead to financial problems and relationship difficulties. It can also cause physical and emotional abuse of family members. Fortunately, there are ways to overcome this problem. One way is to surround yourself with support, avoid gambling environments and websites, and find healthy replacements for gambling activities.

Another way to curb your cravings is to practice mindfulness, which can help you focus on the present moment. It can also reduce stress, anxiety, and depression. You can try meditation, yoga, or deep breathing exercises.

Another option is to use the Freedom app, which helps you control your internet usage. You can use recurring block sessions to set up times when you will not be able to access gambling sites. You can also block multiple devices and platforms with the app. Freedom is available for Windows, macOS and iOS. Your counsellor will be able to explain how to use self-exclusion and Internet blocks to stop gambling.