Help a gambler It is essential for you to overcome your problem with the game and avoid its negative consequences in the long run.
The gambling is a mental illness classified as an addictive disorder, in which the person suffering from it feels enormous needs to play.
As with substance use, overcoming an addiction to gambling is often a difficult task that requires high motivation and a lot of willpower.
What exactly is gaming?
The Gambling Is understood as a phenomenon that prevents a person from being able to resist impulses to play.
However, the cataloging of this alteration as a psychological illness has created some controversy over the last few years.
First, gambling was classified as a disorder of the Impulse control In which the person who suffers from it does not have sufficient resources as To resist their urges to play.
Subsequently, however, a large number of investigations Mental illness , And it was concluded that pathological gambling constitutes An addictive disorder.
Thus, gambling is not characterized by a simple inability to control impulses to play, but the person suffering from this disorder Develops an addiction to gambling.
In this way, gambling is in many ways similar to chemical addictions or Drug addiction .
While a drug addict seeks and desires at all times the consumption of a substance for his well-being and gratification, a gambler does the same with the game.
Therefore, pathological gambling ends up as a behavioral addiction, in which the person needs to play repetitively to meet the demands Of gratification of his brain .
When a gambler is deprived of his most precious desire, that is, gambling, he may experience sensations similar to those suffered by a drug addict when Can not consume.
With this more than brief review on this mental disorder, we clearly see that the person suffering from gambling is hooked to the game, so That overcoming this addiction is always going to be a very complicated task.
10 Tips to Help a Luddite
1. Understand your problem
The first step that we must take if we want to help a ludopath to reverse his situation is to understand well what is a lopopathy.
As mentioned above, gambling is an addiction, a behavioral addiction, but that, after all, few differences present Regarding substance addiction.
In this way, we must understand that a gambler is hooked to the game in the same way as a Cocaine is to cocaine .
Understanding your problem is a key element as people who are not addicted to any substance or behavior can cost us a lot Understand how someone can get so caught up in something.
However, we will be unable to help a gambler if we are unable to understand what is happening to him and what role the game has in his head.
It may seem very reprehensible for a person to become addicted to the game or some substance, creating problems both for himself and for those who Surround
However, if we let ourselves be led by possible reproaches or recriminations towards the person suffering from gambling, we will be very difficult to help.
Therefore, it is important that we focus on the present, on the situation that it is touching to live and on the difficulties that can present with respect to the game.
2. Ask without judging
So far we know that gambling is an addiction in which the person is forced to play to respond to their psychological demands.
However, not all gamblers present their addiction in an identical way, so we should investigate how the gambling lives the person to whom We want to help.
Likewise, we must know what thoughts the ludópata has about his addiction.
Do you identify gambling as pathological? Do you consider yourself addicted to gambling? Are you aware of the problems that arise from it? Do you want to change your personal situation? Would you like to stop playing and live a more organized life?
All these aspects we must identify them before we start to help you, since depending on your personal situation it will be necessary to do some things u Others.
It will be very different if we want to help a gambler who identifies his relationship with gambling as an addiction and who is convinced that he wants Overcome it, than if we want to help a gambler who does not even acknowledge having a problem with the game.
To do so, it is important to ask questions like the ones we have formulated before without making any value judgment previously.
It is better that the person respond according to their own thoughts than based on what you say.
For example, if a gambler denies having a problem with the game, it will not do for you to say yes and you have to stop playing, since he will follow Analyzing their relationship with the game based on their previous thoughts.
No matter how insistent, no gambler will stop playing if he does not want to do it, just as no drug addict will stop consuming if he does not. Proposes
3. Relate the game to problems
If from the previous section we extract that the person suffering from gambling does not identify gambling as a problem, we must make it appear in a way Skillful
As we have said before, if a gambler is not aware of suffering an addiction to the game, it will not do us any good to say it.
In this way, there are more effective techniques than constantly repeating a gambler who has problems with the game and has to stop doing so.
One of them is to relate the game that he carries out day by day with possible problems that may have caused him.
A gambler can deny his addiction to exhaustion so that he can continue to play without remorse of conscience, but it will cost him more Avoiding awareness of the problems that arise from the game itself.
This task can be relatively simple since pathological gambling usually causes a large number of problems.
Splurges of money, economic problems, Couple conflicts , Family problems, decreases in friendships, Problems with sleep , consume of Alcohol, labor conflicts, decreased performance, loss of health...
These are just a few examples of the problems most likely to have caused gambling in a gambler.
Commenting on these problems that he has been suffering and relating them to the hours he has allocated to the game is the most effective method for the gambler Be aware that your relationship with the game may be hurting.
4. Tell about pathological gambling
Once the gambler is able to relate his relationship to the game with the problems that have been presented, you can start to inform On gambling.
At this point, the gambler will be starting to analyze his relationship with the game, so he probably is not so closed to the information that he You can provide about your situation.
However, information must be given with some caution, without falling into determinism or cataloging.
In the same way that we said at the beginning, it's no good if you tell a ludopath who has pathological gambling, since he must discover it himself To be aware of it and can begin to perform actions to change.
Thus, it is important to explain what is gambling and what is the relationship between pathological gambling and addiction, so that it can be felt Identified and begin to become aware that perhaps he is suffering from this psychological alteration.
5. Change the focus of attention
Although a gambler may be aware that he has a problem with gambling, his own addiction may lead him to deny it and interpret his Problems in a different way.
In this way, you can be aware of your problems and your complicated relationship with the game, but do not give the latter full responsibility About their difficulties.
"Yes, I spent enough money on the game for the other day I won 300 euros, so my financial problems do not cause them just the game."
"Yes, when I come home late after having been playing discuss with my wife, but it has always been like that, it has a very strong character and I always Reprimand anything."
These two sentences can be rationalizations that a ludópata does on its situation.
As we see, in both there is a minimal acceptance that their relationship with the game can cause problems, but in no one is identified a clear addiction to the game.
In these situations, what we can do is to change the focus of attention, in which the goal is not to abandon the game itself.
If we set goals that are relevant to the gambler, it will be easier to increase his motivation than if the goal itself is simply Abandon the behavior that he likes to perform.
In this way, you may ask,"So far you have tried to improve your economy while spending money with the game and has not worked, let's Change the strategy by not playing to see if we have better results."
Using problem solving that is important for the gambler as an incentive to stop playing can be an effective strategy for Convince himself to overcome his addiction.
6. Proportionate Alternatives
When the gambler is convinced that he wants to stop playing to improve various aspects of his life, it is important to provide alternatives.
People who are addicted to the game often invest many hours to play, so if you want to stop you should find other activities with The ones that occupy that time.
Looking for activities that are incompatible with the game such as exercising, reading, staying with friends or going for walks are usually very suitable for the Ludovic is able to avoid playing in the hours he used to play.
7. Reasons for change
It is very important to motivate the gambler so that he can stop playing.
As we have said, overcoming an addiction is a very complicated task and the basis of success is based on the motivation to achieve the goals.
In this way, remembering the things that are gaining by leaving aside the game, the improvement in their quality of life and all the benefits that suppose to overcome one Addiction will be pure gasoline so that the gambler can continue to resist the game.
Likewise, it will be important to highlight all your achievements as small, to give them courage and to encourage them to continue striving to overcome their addiction.
8. Help you avoid dangerous situations
Although a person is very convinced and motivated to leave the game, there may be certain situations in which it becomes extremely complicated Avoid the game.
Being close to places with slot machines, bingos, casinos or times when you can consume alcohol will constitute dangerous situations that Can incite a relapse.
In this way, you can help you make a list of"dangerous situations"and create an agenda that allows you to avoid them altogether.
9. Encourage healthy recreational activities
Gum disease is usually linked to A lifestyle Unhealthy, alcohol consumption, few hours for care and disorganized life.
Thus, if the gambler manages to start a lifestyle with healthy activities such as exercising, caring for his image or practice any sport , he Game will have you more complicated to access your day to day.
Also, promoting an organized life, with well-established schedules, good rest at night, good family environment and healthy eating, are Other important aspects to avoid relapse.
10. Provide support
Finally, it is important that during the change process you can provide the support you need.
Overcoming an addiction is a complicated task so most likely, the ludópata live moments of stress and anguish that needs someone who in The one to lean on.
Give her your help, do not be too hard, try to empathize with her suffering and reach out to help her walk towards change.
References
- Greenberg, D. and Ranking, H. (1982): Compulsive gamblers in treatment, British Journal of Psychiatry, 140, 364-366.
- McconaghY, N., Armstrong, M.S., Blaszczynski I, A. and Allcock, C. (1983):"Controlled comparison of aversive therapy and imaginal desensitization in Compulsive gambling, British Journal of Psychiatry, 142, 366-372.
- Petry, N. (2003). A comparison of treatment-seeking pathological gamblers based on preferred gambling activity. Addiction, 98, 645-655.
- Toneatto, T. & Ladouceur, R. (2003). Treatment of pathological gambling: a critical review of the literature. Psychology of addictive Behaviors, 17 (4), 284-292.
- Villa, A., Becoña, E. and Vázquez, F.L. (1997). Pathological gambling with slot machines in a sample of schoolchildren from Gijón. Addictions, 9 (2), 195-208.
Villoria, C. & González-Marqués, J. (2004). A new cognitive analysis of player thinking: motivational components in games Of chance with bet. Electronic journal of motivation and emotion, 9 (22). Available at: reme.uji.es Accessed on 15 June 2008.