Gambling can easily spiral out of control. What starts as a harmless thrill can quickly develop into a full-blown addiction, affecting not only the gambler but their family, friends, and financial stability. But there’s hope. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) has proven to be a powerful tool in helping individuals break free from the grip of gambling addiction.
Have a closer look at how CBT for gambling works and why it’s an effective treatment for those looking to turn their lives around:
Understanding Gambling Addiction
Gambling addiction is a mental disorder in which, despite knowledge of the possible gambles involved, a person goes ahead and illegally engages in them. The influences of parental or societal pressures against them will always socially ruin the characteristics of most people.
An addicted gambler will go to any length and stake anything that has value, thus risking his mental and probably physical well-being either to recover losses or out of sheer luck for a jackpot. Cognitive-behavioral therapy should be suggested as the pathway to treatment.
What is CBT?
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is well known to be the psychotherapy of choice to treating substance and other addictions, such as gambling. CBT means that gambling addiction is nothing more or less than distorted thinking. Examples of such a turned-inward form of thinking include: “The only way I’ll be able to pay for my rent will be through winning the lottery,” or “I’m really stressed out. What can I do? I’ll just go out and gamble.”
How CBT Helps with Gambling Addiction
- Identifying Triggers: CBT therapy teaches individuals to recognize the circumstances, emotions, and thoughts that contribute to their gambling urges. Upon discovering what triggers their cravings, they become better able to evade those situations that might otherwise lead to gambling.
- Changing Destructive Thought Patterns: Gambling addiction is often reinforced by mistaken beliefs. CBT helps gamblers to challenge the beliefs that keep them gambling- like the illusion of control (that they can influence the outcome of a game) or gambler’s fallacy (the misconception that after a loss, winning is due).
- Developing Healthy Coping Mechanisms: Many gambling addicts essentially rely on gambling to help deal with stress and emotional pain. CBT teaches individuals how to respond to these states more healthily, e.g. cultivating mindfulness, practicing relaxation techniques, or engaging in other enjoyments that do not involve gambling.
- Relapse Prevention: The recovery from gambling addiction is a kind of journey that often involves setbacks. CBT teaches people how to deal with the urge to relapse and continue living for their long-term goals. With the right attitude, one can keep going and keep gambling at bay.
Why CBT is So Effective
Cognitive behavioral therapy has earned its credentials as the most scientifically supported method of therapy for gambling addiction due to its goal-oriented and structurally defined methodology. In contrast to typical psychotherapy, CBT encourages the patient not only to talk about their feelings but also actively tackle thoughts and behaviors. Research indicates that CBT is one of the most effective psychotherapies in interventions with gambling-addicted patients and is effective for weeks or even months following treatment.
CBT is a treatment process that helps people comprehend their roots, challenge their unhelpful thinking processes, and develop strategies for effective coping. While it is somewhat tough, it sets one free from the downward spiral of gambling and able control over one’s life.
