Online Gambling Addiction: Definition, Signs, Causes, and How to Stop

What are the Withdrawal Symptoms of Gambling Addiction?

The withdrawal symptoms of gambling addiction include frustration, restlessness, anxiety or depression, difficulty concentrating, and sleep disturbances.

These withdrawal symptoms are listed below.

• Frustration: Individuals can become easily frustrated or frustrated when unable to gamble. This can lead to severe distress in their personal lives.
• Restlessness: People can feel restless and unable to relax due to the lack of gambling activities.
• Anxiety or Depression: Individuals can feel sad, hopeless, and anxious due to the withdrawal from gambling.
• Difficulty concentrating: Lack of gambling activities can make addicts struggle to focus on tasks or responsibilities because of their cravings.
• Sleep Disturbances: Trouble sleeping or having disturbed sleep patterns are major symptoms of gambling withdrawal.

How to Stop Online Gambling?

To stop online gambling, you can start making healthier choices, finding alternatives to gambling, avoiding isolation, regular exercise, getting professional help, setting financial limits, and using self-exclusion tools.

The step-by-step guide on how to stop gambling is listed below.

Making Healthier Choices

Start making healthier choices by replacing gambling with productive activities that improve your overall well-being. For example, pursue hobbies like book reading, painting, playing an instrument, or gardening. Engaging in these activities can provide a sense of accomplishment and divert your mind, which can help reduce the urge to gamble.

Finding Alternatives to Gambling

Finding alternatives to gambling refers to discovering new forms of entertainment that are enjoyable and fulfilling. This might include joining a sports league, attending community events, or exploring new interests like cooking or reading. These alternatives can provide positive experiences and help shift focus away from gambling.

Avoiding Isolation

Gambling addicts should avoid being alone and start to connect with supportive friends and family. Isolation can increase the likelihood of relapse, so it’s important to maintain social interactions. Join support groups or online communities where you can share experiences and receive encouragement from others facing similar challenges.

Doing Regular Exercise

Start doing regular exercise and add physical activity to your daily routine to boost your mental and physical health. Exercise releases endorphins, which can improve mood and reduce stress. Activities like jogging, yoga, or swimming can also serve as effective distractions from gambling urges.

Getting Professional Help

Addicts should seek guidance and help from mental health professionals who specialise in gambling addiction. Therapists can offer counselling, cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT), and other treatment options according to your condition and needs. Professional support can help address the root causes of addiction and develop coping strategies.

Setting Financial Limits

Setting financial limits refers to creating a strict budget and tracking your spending to prevent overspending on gambling. You can limit your access to money by using budgeting tools or financial management apps to keep track of your expenses and ensure you stay within your financial limits.

Using Self-Exclusion Tools

Start taking advantage of self-exclusion tools like “Gamstop” offered by online gambling or casino sites. These tools allow you to limit your access to gambling platforms for a specified period, helping to reduce the temptation and provide a cooling-off period.

How to Stop A Gambler from Gambling?

Helping a friend or loved one stop gambling requires patience, care, and strategy. You can start by talking openly about their gambling and how it affects their life. Encourage them to get help from a counsellor or therapist who can provide guidance and support. Additionally, offer to help manage their finances, like setting limits and controlling access to money they might use for gambling.

You can suggest and help gamblers find new hobbies or activities to keep them busy and distracted from gambling urges. If possible, take part with them in these activities too. For example, join a swimming class together, get a gym membership, go camping, etc. Most importantly, be supportive and understanding throughout their recovery, and keep communication open. Your support and care can play a big role in helping gamblers overcome their addiction.