How to help a person with compulsive gambling: 6 tips to give support

Gambling is part of behavioral addictions; the subjects who present it feel an irrational need to get involved in bets and games of chance. It is important to provide support to these people, beyond psychotherapy sessions, with the intention that they can regain control of their actions.

In this article We will see several tips on how to help a person with compulsive gambling, taking into account that in most cases the symptoms of addictions do not disappear completely, but they can be controlled so that those who present them have a good quality of life.

• Related article: "Addiction: disease or learning disorder?"

What is compulsive gambling?

To understand how to help a person with compulsive gambling, it is necessary to know what this psychological disorder consists of. It is a behavioral addiction in which the person loses control of their actions, and has the irrepressible need to participate in any type of game of chance or place bets.

In these cases it is not a behavior motivated by the consumption of some addictive substance; what happens is that the subject's natural reward system is altered in such a way that by participating in any random playful activity feels an irrational gratification that leads him to want to go through that experience more times.

The act of participating in the game, and the anticipation of this sensation, generates a need so powerful that a great deal of time and resources are invested in satisfying it. The pleasure increases when the subject wins something in the game or in the bets, causing him to begin to justify participating in more of these activities.

As in all cases of addiction, it is difficult for the subject to notice for himself that he has a problem and that he needs help. In general, before seeking or accepting psychological assistance, an experience must occur deeply damaging in which the person feels that they have hit rock bottom and can no longer maintain their style of life.

Tips to help a gambler

In the following list of tips we are going to review some strategic tools to help a person with compulsive gambling, useful for friends and relatives of those who go through this behavioral disorder linked to addictions.

1. Accompany him to therapy

Psychological therapy has good results on the subject of behavioral addictions, and if the subject attends in the company of a person who is interested in her improvement, the process can be much more fast and effective, taking into account that the patient will feel in a context of greater security from the beginning.

One of the therapies that gives the best results regarding the issue of compulsive gambling is cognitive-behavioral therapy, which seeks to change the maladaptive thoughts of the subject and replace them with adaptive ones, and do the same with her behavior patterns when interacting with the environment.

On the other hand, the previous step of convincing the person that they need to go to psychotherapy sessions is also very important; for it, it is necessary to recommend and inform about the advantages of assistance by professionals. If you do not go to the psychologist, the chances of recovery are minimal.

• Related article: "Pathological gambling: causes and symptoms of gambling addiction"

2. assume he has a problem

Another of the first steps to be able to provide help to someone who has a gambling addiction is to understand that the person has a problem and that he is not being rational when acting, especially when it comes to activities that involve games of chance, betting and money management money.

Compression will be important to put ourselves in the place of that person and feel his frustration in an empathic way, without making value judgments that only manage to make him feel worse than he probably already feels thanks to his lack of control over his life.

• You may be interested in: "Empathy, much more than putting yourself in the other's place"

3. Ask questions without judging

A good way to help the subject to vent is to ask him questions about his feelings and his gambling situation, but without making him feel like a bad person or irresponsible. The idea is that he himself can come to the conclusion that receiving help could improve his quality of life.

Besides, asking questions will help us get detailed information about personal motives for which the subject seeks refuge in the game or bets; It is important to note that not all gamblers present their addiction in the same way.

4. Make him relate the game to his problems

As we have read before, it is difficult for a person with compulsive gambling to be rational and relate his behavior to the problems he presents in other areas of his life. What we must do is give them clear and daily examples where gambling is the main responsible for their bad times and moments of discomfort or financial problems.

For example, cite anecdotes of moments that have been unpleasant for him and where his gambling behavior has been the cause of his ills, making him see that if he starts to avoid gambling, your problems will start to lessen to the same extent in a very short time. It is important to emphasize the latter: overcoming addiction must be based on concrete and easily recognizable motivations right after embracing a healthier and more adaptive lifestyle.

5. Give him information about his addiction

The more information a person has about what is affecting them, the more likely they are to choose to let go of what is hurting them. It is important to provide this information in an adequate way, without making the subject feel like a patient to whom we are giving a cure.

What we seek is to make the person understand the most fundamental aspects of his addiction, so that he can understand more clearly the reason for some of their behaviors, and be willing to seek solutions necessary. In the event that gambling arises along with other addictions, something that is very common, it is also necessary to inform about the adverse effects of these substances, and about the possible solutions given by mental health professionals.

6. Help him find new interests

This implies changing the focus of the subject's attention, so that he does not feel that his only objective is to leave the game in a forced or necessary way, but rather who is motivated to achieve new things for him, so that he can feel gratified without the need to constantly play or bet.

For example, help him find new hobbies that don't involve gambling, such as reading or going to the movies, among others. We can also find out if the person is interested in taking courses or other studies, and encourage them to do so.