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Addictions Problem Counselling - Gambling Addiction Treatment
- By Rosemary Grace Brooks
- Published 01/14/2009
- Addiction Recovery
- Unrated
Gambling addiction is like any other addiction. As with drug addicts and alcoholics, gambling addicts suffer from a disease – it is incurable and progressive. Yet with treatment and a daily programme of recovery, it can be arrested and maintained.
Unable to control their obsessive and compulsive gambling, addicts are taken to a very dark place, which grows increasingly worse over time. Losing families, jobs, houses, cars and all other possessions, but mostly self respect, the gambling addict is left in a place of total unmanageability where their life has suffered complete destruction. Suicide is common amongst gambling addicts as they see no other solution to their habit and loss of livelihood. Even though they want nothing more than to be free of their compulsion to gamble, they cannot stop, they do not know how to stop, and cannot see a life free of gambling.
As with any addiction, for a person who is a gambling addict to begin recovery, they will need to stop their gambling behaviours in order for healing to begin. However, the problems which a gambling addict needs to deal with are in fact, not gambling. The obsessive and compulsive behaviours are not the problem – they are a symptom of the disease of addiction, revealing that something is very wrong within the person. As with drug addicts and alcoholics, the behaviour is caused by the addiction. The behaviour is not the cause. Yet a gambling addict will need to stop the behaviours to begin recovery, as the behaviours provide the escape from their problems which they seek, allowing them to avoid the true problem.
Many gambling addicts are admitted to in-patient treatment facilities or out patient therapy programmes, depending on the severity of their problem. One on one therapy and group therapy in a nurturing environment is a highly successful treatment method for gambling addiction, allowing the gambling addict to address their underlying issues.
The use of a Twelve Step Programme as used in the Twelve Step fellowship dealing with gambling addiction Gamblers Anonymous (GA), as well as intensive therapy is a highly successful method of treating gambling addiction, whilst allowing the sufferer the introduction to continued recovery and abstinence they need. Relapses do happen, but with a Twelve Step programme of recovery, a gambling addict is able to harness tools to help them cope with daily life, the problems and feelings they have been avoiding and difficult times without reverting to the destructive obsessive and compulsive behaviours which accompany gambling addiction.
Oasis Counselling Centre is a registered in-patient treatment facility in