Solutions for a Gambling Problem

Compulsive, or pathological, gambling, affects your psychological and physical well-being. Gambling problems also affect your relationships with family and friends. According to PBS, more than one million Americans have gambling problems that cause conflicts with their daily lives. Even if you have the money to spend or don't gamble every day, it is still possible to have a serious gambling problem. Once you acknowledge and recognize that you have a problem, there are many ways to overcome it.

Support Groups

• Join a group like Gamblers Anonymous for group support and talks. It helps to talk with people who have been where you have been or worse and can understand your problem and struggle with gambling addiction or compulsion. If there isn't a Gamblers Anonymous group in your area, you can also go to Alcoholics Anonymous or similar groups, because they all offer support for addiction and recovery.

Therapy

• Personal, one-on-one sessions with a licensed therapist or psychologist can also help get to the root of a gambling problem and help the gambler understand his motivations and driving forces. Therapy offers a safe zone where a gambler can discuss his problems openly and get the weight off his chest about lies, debts or other problems created by pathological gambling.

Friends and Family

• Turn to friends and family and let them know that you recognize you have a problem and that their help and support is requested during your recovery. Many people who struggle with gambling addiction alienate themselves from their loved ones, friends and spouses. By acknowledging the problem and stating a willingness to change, a gambler will become closer to her friends and family and one step closer to recovery.

Money Management

• Set up automatic payments for all bills and get rid of any credit cards. Sign up for a checking and savings account with a cosigner (spouse, parent or friend) so that they receive your statements and can hold you accountable for questionable ATM withdrawals or account transactions.

New Hobbies

• Find something enjoyable to do that doesn't involve gambling of any kind. Yard work, reading and crafts are great ways to pass time in a productive and fruitful manner without being tempted to gamble. Gambling can be a serious addiction just like alcohol, so don't flirt with gambling temptation by being in environments that promote it.