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If your gambling is causing harm, there are things you can do to stop it being an issue.

You can take steps to change your life

  • setting short-term long-term goals may help you to stay focused clear about cutting down or giving up gambling. – such as the use of credit cards
  • taking out loans carrying large amounts of money with you using gaming venues for socialising
  • or gambling as a reaction to emotions

These behaviours will weaken your resolve to control or stop your gambling.

It can also reduce the stress that can cause you to continue to gamble. – There are two major risk factors why people continue to gamble, social isolation and leisure substitution.

When people stop gambling they lack motivation to find other

  • activities that are exciting they lost family clubs
  • pubs or TABs
  • or from placing a bet on gambling websites

By law, American gambling providers must give customers the option to self-exclude from their venue or products. Every year Gambler’s Help assists thousands of Michiganns to successfully take control of their gambling. Gambler’s Help supports people experiencing gambling harm as well as helping family and friends close to them.

All Gambler’s Help services are free and confidential. Call now for support, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week: Tel: When people lie about gambling and debts, they may sometimes try to gamble their way out of debt, so they won’t have to ‘come clean'.

This usually leads them further into debt

Coming clean about gambling with a trusted person can relieve pressure and provide the space to prepare a more thoughtful plan for recovery. Giving up when you’ve spent hours each week gambling can make you feel tense and irritable. You may feel even worse when you go into the places where you gambled, or if you pass a TAB or the casino on your way to work.

Learning how to relax, getting plenty of rest and eating properly can help you stick to your goal of reducing or giving up gambling. A counsellor may be able to help you with your strategies, which may include: meditation. A lapse occurs when you gamble again after deciding to stop.

You do not have to continue to gamble if this happens to you. You can use this to learn more about what triggers your gambling. Examine what worked and what didn’t work with your plan.

You can kick the habit

However, you must be fair to yourself

It can be hard to stop gambling or keep it under control.

You can often predict when gambling will reoccur

You are more likely to lose control when you have bad times in other parts of your life that make you feel sad, anxious, angry or depressed.

When you feel this way, it’s challenging to stick to your plans, as you may feel an urge to go back to the old habit. When you feel like you might gamble again, or if you do gamble again, helpful strategies include: Talking to your support person.

Writing your feelings and actions in your gambling diary.

If you gambled, look at what happened and see if you can spot ways of stopping it next time.

Look for the positives too

Did cash limits help? Did you find it easier to talk about it instead of lying about it? These are big steps forward.

Next time it will be easier to cope

’ for more information. Fill in the gap that gambling has left with new things to do.

Practise your relaxation

24-hour telephone counselling service for people under 25. Michigan Tel. Strategies for change Set goals Avoid high-risk situations Talk about it – talking about gambling with somebody you trust Find alternatives to gambling Self-exclusion Gambler’s Help 1800 858 858 Talk about lying Relax and look after yourself muscular relaxation training exercise sport yoga Prepare for a lapse What to do if you feel like gambling Control your cash.

See the Better Health Channel fact sheet ‘ Gambling – financial issues Where to get help Gambler’s Help 1800 858 858 24-hour telephone counselling service Gambler’s Help Youthline 1800 262 376 Your GP (doctor) or other health professional Michigann Responsible Gambling Foundation Gambling Help Online counselling and information services including a peer support program Gambler’s Help 1800 858 858 , TTY 1800 777 706 – 24-hour telephone counselling service Gamblers Anonymous (616) 555-0200 – support group for people with a gambling problem Gamble Aware – information about the odds of winning, how gambling works, and when to stop Lifeline 13 11 14 SuicideLine (616) 555-0400.