|  | Conditions Treatments | Neurological Disorders

The Treatments for Problem Gambling

Problem gambling is considered to be an impulsive control disorder, which makes it difficult for individuals to control their need to gamble. This addiction can cause broken relationships with family members and place gamblers in financial trouble. In order to treat the issue, gamblers must first admit that there is a problem. Once the problem has been identified, gamblers can seek treatment to help change the behavior that causes gambling urges.

  1. Support Group Treatments

    • Problem gamblers can seek help through support groups such as Gamblers Anonymous. This program, much like Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous, follows a 12-step recovery program that helps gamblers identify their problem with gambling and maintain a life away from it. These programs also provide non-judgemental support from other problem gamblers and assigns a sponsor that can provide assistance to gamblers concerns in their time of need.

    Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

    • Cognitive behavioral therapy is a form of therapy to help gamblers identify their gambling problem. Gamblers are taught how to change their unhealthy habitual thoughts and behaviors, as well as learn how to resist their urge or need to gamble. Problem gamblers learn how to face financial problems and mend broken relationships caused by their gambling obsession through this form of therapy. Cognitive behavioral therapy also allows problem gamblers to restructure their thoughts and rewire their mind for a healthier gambling-free life.

    Self-Directed Therapy

    • Self-directed therapy provides a four-step program teaching problem gamblers to relabel, reattribute, refocus, and revalue their thoughts and urges. Relabeling is used to have gamblers identify their compulsive issues and tell themselves that their urge to gamble is an obsessive thought. The next step is to have gamblers reattribute and recognize their urges rather than fight them. Gamblers must understand they that don't need to act on such urges. Refocusing, the third step, helps gamblers refocus their thoughts by doing other activities to clear the mind of the urge to gamble. After the first three steps have been practiced, gamblers are then taught to revalue their thoughts and remind the brain that these thoughts and urges are just compulsions that do not need to be acted on.

Neurological Disorders - Related Articles