Navigating Paths:
Gambling Addiction Treatment Options

Looking for gambling addiction treatment options? Find the right approach that suits your needs and start your path to recovery.

Author: J. Flowers Health Staff

Breaking Down the Gambling Addiction Treatment Options

Gambling addiction can be a serious problem, but the good news is that various gambling addiction treatment options are available. Some treatment options for gambling include the following:

Therapy and Counseling

When someone has a gambling addiction, meeting with a therapist can be helpful.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is a common type of treatment, widely used to treat a variety of mental health conditions and psychological issues (such as gambling addiction).

CBT helps people with gambling problems by dealing with their unhelpful thoughts and behaviors and helping them take control of their impulses.¹

Medication

Sometimes, medicine can help with parts of gambling addiction, like feelings of worry or sadness. However, it’s important to know that medicine isn’t a complete fix. It’s often used as a complementary treatment to therapy or holistic treatments.

Self-Help Techniques

Gambling addiction is a serious issue, but there are self-help techniques that can help someone overcome it.

Here are simple and effective strategies for dealing with gambling addiction:

Be Aware of Triggers: Understanding what triggers the urge to gamble can help prepare for those moments and resist the temptation.
Engage in New, Healthy Activities: The brain needs to stay active. Setting new goals can help someone focus on something other than gambling.
Learn Coping Strategies to Help Handle and Alleviate Stress: Stress can increase the temptation to gamble. Finding healthy ways to manage stress can help keep this temptation at bay.

Inpatient or Residential Treatment Centers

Sometimes, a person might need to stay at a place that helps people overcome their addictions. These places offer help all day and night and have rules and routines that make it easier to avoid gambling.

Outpatient Rehabilitation Programs

Outpatient programs offer more flexibility than inpatient treatment. They allow individuals to get treatment while maintaining their job and family life.

These programs usually involve participating in group therapy sessions and individual counseling appointments.

Customizing Gambling Addiction Treatment Options

Treating a gambling problem isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach. Each individual’s treatment needs to be specifically designed. It’s adjusted depending on two key factors: how serious the addiction is and the gambling behavior patterns.

Scope and Severity of Gambling Addiction

The term ‘severity’ describes the intensity or impact of gambling addiction. This severity can vary widely. If someone’s gambling habit is so intense that it’s causing big problems, they might need a stronger or more intensive treatment.

According to a study, researchers tried to figure out the link between how serious a person’s gambling problem is and the types of gambling they do. It was found that some activities can lead to bigger gambling issues for young adults who already gamble.

This included:²

Betting on the outcomes in video games (called skin betting)
Playing electronic gaming machines
Some types of online betting

What's the 'Pattern' in Gambling?

The ‘pattern’ of gambling refers to the specific habits and behaviors tied to someone’s gambling problem.

It includes:

What triggers their desire to gamble
How do they feel when they’re gambling
What types of gambling do they prefer

Getting Help Early: The Importance of Early Intervention

Addressing gambling addiction at an early stage can significantly impact the recovery process. Let’s explore why early detection and getting gambling addiction treatment options are crucial.

Recognizing the Signs and Taking Action

Identifying the signs of gambling addiction early on allows individuals to seek assistance before the problem escalates. Taking prompt action can help prevent further harm and increase the chances of successful recovery.

Why Seek Early Treatment?

When gambling addiction is addressed in its early stages, individuals have a better chance of overcoming the issue. Early treatment can help minimize the negative consequences associated with gambling. It also lets individuals regain control over their lives and prevents the addiction from getting worse.

For instance, if a person tends to gamble when they’re feeling stressed, CBT might be useful. This therapy can help them recognize and change thoughts and behaviors that lead to gambling and find better ways to handle stress.

On the other hand, if a person does a lot of online gambling, gambling addiction treatment options could involve strategies to help them use the internet less or block access to online gambling sites.

How Patients, Families, and Healthcare Providers Influence Gambling Addiction Treatment Options

When choosing the best gambling addiction treatment options, different people have important roles to play: the patient, their family, and the healthcare provider. Let’s take a closer look at what each role involves.

The Patient's Role

As the person dealing with gambling addiction, the patient plays a crucial role in selecting the right treatment.

It starts with:

Acknowledging the Issue: Accepting their struggle with gambling addiction.
Seeking Help: Reaching out for professional assistance.
Initiating Open Communication: Sharing their experiences, emotions, and concerns with a healthcare provider.
Adhering to the Treatment: Following the treatment plan outlined by their healthcare provider.
Being Committed to Recovery: Demonstrating determination to overcome their addiction.

The Family's Role

The family’s support can make a significant difference in the person’s recovery journey. They can help the person dealing with gambling addiction by:

Providing Emotional Support: Being understanding and patient as the person works to overcome their addiction.
Learning about the Issue: Educating themselves about gambling addiction to better understand the challenges their loved one is facing.
Participating in Therapy: Attending therapy sessions or support groups with their loved ones.
Motivating the Person: Encouraging their loved one to stay committed to their gambling addiction treatment options.

How Gambling Addiction Affects Families

A study conducted in the UK shows that having a family member with a gambling problem is challenging. It’s not just about money troubles.

Here’s what families often go through:³

Self-blame: Family members often feel like it’s their fault that their loved one has a gambling problem.
Denial: Some family members can’t or won’t accept that their loved one has a gambling problem. This can make it harder to help the person.
Mental health problems: Dealing with a loved one’s gambling problem can make family members feel stressed, anxious, or depressed.
Bankruptcy: Sometimes, the person’s gambling can cause major money problems, even bankruptcy or huge debt for the family.

This shows how much gambling can affect not just the person who’s gambling but their whole family and even their community. It’s important to remember this when thinking about gambling addiction treatment options.

The Healthcare Provider's Role

The healthcare provider has professional expertise in treating gambling addiction. Here’s how they help individuals explore different gambling addiction treatment options and choose the right one:

Listening: Understanding the person’s experiences and concerns about their gambling addiction.
Assessing Needs: Evaluating the severity of the addiction, any other mental health conditions, and the person’s unique circumstances.
Guiding Treatment: Recommending the most appropriate gambling addiction treatment options based on their professional expertise.
Providing Education: Explaining different gambling addiction treatment options to the person and their family.
Assisting in Decision-Making: Helping the person make an informed decision about their treatment.

Adapting Gambling Addiction Treatment Options for Overcoming Gambling Addiction

As a person battling gambling addiction starts to improve, their gambling addiction treatment options should adjust along with their progress. Here’s how that might happen.

Tracking Progress and Tweaking Treatment

During treatment, doctors and therapists closely monitor how the person is coping. They ask the following:

Are they gambling less?
Are they feeling better?
Are they finding it easier to handle situations where they might be tempted to gamble?

Simply put, healthcare professionals pay close attention to how the person is doing. Based on what they observe, they can change the gambling addiction treatment options to better fit the person’s needs.

Celebrating Improvements and Adjusting Goals

When a person achieves major goals, like cutting back on gambling or quitting completely, it’s time to cheer. It means their hard work is making a difference.

At this point, the plan for gambling addiction treatment options might be adjusted to keep boosting their progress and tackle any new hurdles.

Managing Bumps on the Road

Recovery isn’t always a smooth path, and there can be obstacles along the way. If a person struggles or falls back into gambling, the treatment plan might need to be tweaked to offer more support and help them navigate these challenges.

Open Discussions and Collaborative Decisions

Having open discussions and working together as the treatment plan evolves is important. The person undergoing treatment, their therapist, and their family will have ongoing conversations about progress, bumps in the road, and any changes needed.

Expanding Gambling Addiction Treatment Options

Apart from the usual treatment methods, we can add other helpful gambling addiction treatment options to the treatment plan. Let’s look at some of these extra therapies and support services.

Complementary Therapies

Complementary therapies are various techniques or practices that can help during recovery. They work together with the usual treatments to make them work better. Some common extra therapies for gambling addiction include:

Yoga and Mindfulness

Yoga and mindfulness can play a supportive role in the healing process for gambling addiction. While they may not directly address the underlying causes of addiction, they can provide individuals with helpful tools and strategies to manage cravings, reduce stress, and promote overall well-being.

Here are some ways in which yoga and mindfulness practices can be beneficial:

Stress Reduction: Gambling addiction often goes hand in hand with high levels of stress. Yoga and mindfulness practices can help individuals develop techniques for managing stress and anxiety, which are common triggers for addictive behaviors. These practices promote relaxation, deep breathing, and physical movement, helping to calm the mind and reduce stress levels.
Emotional Regulation: Gambling addiction can be accompanied by intense emotions such as guilt, shame, and frustration. Yoga and mindfulness cultivate awareness of emotions and provide tools to regulate them. Through mindful awareness, individuals can develop a non-judgmental attitude toward their emotions, allowing them to process and manage them in healthier ways.
Mindful Decision-Making: Mindfulness practices encourage present-moment awareness and non-reactivity. This can be particularly helpful for individuals with gambling addiction, as it allows them to pause and consider their choices before acting impulsively. Mindfulness helps develop a greater sense of self-control, enabling individuals to make conscious decisions aligned with their recovery goals.
Improved Self-Reflection: Yoga and mindfulness practices promote self-reflection and introspection. They encourage individuals to cultivate a deeper understanding of their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, including the underlying motivations behind gambling addiction.

Exercise and Physical Activity

Regular exercise helps make you feel happier, reduce stress, and increase self-esteem. It can also provide a healthy way to release emotions and distract from thoughts about gambling.

Acupuncture

In a research study, acupuncture therapy was used along with medication and therapy, leading to good results.

Acupuncture works by:⁴

Controlling the brain’s reward system
Releasing neurotransmitters
Activating specific parts of the brain to reduce impulsive behavior and cravings

Art Therapy

Expressing emotions through creative activities like drawing or painting can be healing. Art therapy provides a non-speaking way to process and explore feelings related to gambling addiction.

Nature Therapy

Nature therapy can greatly help people trying to overcome gambling addiction. It can help them feel less stressed and keep progressing in their recovery journey.

Support Services

Support services are resources designed to provide advice, help, and a sense of community for individuals in recovery. These services can be added to the treatment plan to offer extra support.

Gambling Addiction Treatment Options at J. Flowers Health Institute

At J. Flowers Health Institute, our programs are great for people seeking a clear diagnosis and comprehensive care for their gambling addiction. We offer a personalized approach.

"Individuals with gambling addiction have several treatment options available, each differing in effectiveness, duration, and suitability based on personal needs and circumstances. At J. Flowers Health Institute, we offer inpatient programs, one-on-one therapy, and group therapy. Inpatient programs provide a structured, immersive environment ideal for severe cases, while our treatment includes Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Motivational Interviewing (MI), family therapy, and medication-assisted treatment, ensuring comprehensive care tailored to individual needs. We also communicate with the patient’s other providers to ensure continuity of care and support sustained recovery."

J. Flowers Health Institute Multidisciplinary Staff

Figuring Out Your Gambling Problem

We take a close look at your health history and personal experiences to understand your gambling problem better. You’ll have a team of health professionals specializing in gambling problems working together on your case.

We use a detailed process called the Comprehensive Diagnostic Evaluation to learn as much as possible about your gambling problem. This process helps us to come up with the best gambling addiction treatment options to help you overcome your gambling addiction.

Get Started on Your Road to Recovery

Once we understand your gambling problem fully, we create a unique plan for you. This might include different types of help, like the Bespoke Stabilization and Wellness and Restoration Programs.

At J. Flowers Health Institute, we’re ready to help you overcome your gambling addiction with personalized evaluations and wellness programs. Reach out today and explore your gambling addiction treatment options for beating your gambling problem.

Navigating Paths: Gambling Addiction Treatment Options