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 I used to watch a lot of video interviews with addicted gamblers. They told me how they went through treatment and one thing struck me. More precisely, this thing is quite natural in relation to addiction treatment, as I understood later, but I did not immediately understand the logic. We are talking about weaning from gaming. I thought that weaning from gaming would most likely only work in very advanced cases, when the player is at the bottom of a financial crisis or on the verge of suicide. Then weaning from gaming would most likely work well. But if this is not the case, then what is the benefit of weaning from gaming? Perhaps the logic is to create positive habits in a person. But, in my opinion, this does not allow us to identify the main reason for gaming and work on it. In my opinion, the real reason is that a person has a naive desire to get rich on gambling (, but he does not have even the slightest competence for this and it is more than likely that they will not appear. This is if we are talking about sports betting. If a person wants to get rich on casino games, such as roulette, and does not want to know anything about risk management and money management, then weaning from games is really necessary. And what do you think, does refusal to play (deprivation) contribute to recovery from addiction or is it useless?

I think it may contribute to the overall addiction of the person and it will also be considered as a factor towards recovery.

When you wean someone off, it means that you are discouraging them from doing the act itself. I think the determinative factor here would be the process on how you would wean that person into understanding that gambling harms them. From the perspective of the gambler, however, they do think that what they are doing is right.

The challenge here would be the willingness of that person to seek help from their family, friends, or peers that they are indeed suffering from addiction. Without that crucial factor, then everything would still be a challenge into helping that person recover in the process.

Of course, weaning helps cure a lot of bad habits and not only addiction problems. This would come from gradually replacing the gaming lifestyle which the addicted gambler holds dear with a more positive yet appealing habit and encouraging the gambler to cling on to it sometimes he is urged to gamble. This is more effective because encouraging someone to stop gambling without giving the person a new activity to embrace (and surely one that can give him money since he was gambling for profit) can make the transition process very slow, but if there is a replacement for his gambling addiction and it's interesting to him, then he can always see it as a substitute to gambling and under close supervision, the addicted gambler's urge for gambling would be replaced to a high extent to his urge for the replacement. Then the addiction can be cured by weaning for sure, I practiced it in 2018 and it cured mine.

It is important to define the word weaning. This word is popular among breastfeeding mothers and it is the gradual process of replacing breastmilk with another food. So we can conclude that weaning in gambling entails substituting gambling habits with other forms of entertainment. Anybody not just a gambling addict could decide to change their gambling habit through weaning. I don't need to be an addict to reevaluate my gambling activity and adopt necessary precautions, which can include weaning. 

Humans have individual differences. The strategy that works for individual A might not be effective for B. That's why counsellors and other professionals apply different treatments to patients. Weaning as a tool in controlling gambling addiction is not a waste of time. At least I have seen it work effectively on people I know.     

   

Different person have different perspective and one solution might work to others and won't on some. My take on this is, it is generally good approach to refuse playing to help cure gambling addiction but also helping curing the main root of the problem would help more recovery. Some people, can't accept the fact that easy money is really hard to get and the closest thing to that is through gambling, which we all know that only few managed to be success with this.

In my case, I literally trained my mind and I always tell to myself that gambling is no other than entertainment and this helps me stops being greedy and learn to accept the fact that I won't be millionaire in gambling or win a jackpot and this helps me not to be aggressive but just enjoy whatever bankroll I have and try to entertain myself with it.

Yes weaning works because it takes the natural step of adaptation to something else and gradually dropping off of old habits and in the case of gambling addiction it is an old bad habit. It would be slow, but it is very efficient on the long run.

I kind of prefer the old title Julien_Olynpic gave this thread than the updated one, I think deprivation is entirely different from weaning, deprivation can make the gambler more resistant to the healing process since there is nothing new filling up for the old habit. Weaning is effective and soothing but deprivation is forceful and highly ineffective and could make the gambler even worse after a period of supposed healing since he has been starving with nothing to fill him up. so he would likely bounce back to addiction with more pressure than the initial.

Yes I think refusal go play or gamble will contribute to recovery from addiction if actually the refusal is totally or wholly because if a gambler doesn't gamble for a period of time or long time, the zeal, the urge, the feeling and some kind of mindset will reduce and it will also change. The truth is that most gambler will find it difficult to even think of refusing to play because then have been sinked inside gambling and so taking this decision is sometimes almost impossible. Anyone who gamble without knowing how to manage risk and his finance will definitely turn an addict because if they make any loss they will press to get it back which can lead to losing more and from there addiction is developing.

Quitting gambling definitely helps because it breaks the cycle of constant betting and helps build better habits. Still, quitting alone doesn’t solve the main problem  the desire to get rich quickly and the lack of knowledge about managing risk and money. For real recovery, it’s important to also work on impulse control, learning about finances, and understanding the emotional reasons behind the gambling.

Weaning without having a reason and substitution will not work.

They have to find something that make them as excited as gambling, similar to people who want to quit smoke. Smokers might able to stop smoke for few days, then they will try to smoke later, some of them use the electric pod or eat candies.

The most important thing in order to change is their own will, after that they will find the way to quit.

It's part of human nature that if you have the chance to do what you want, you will do it. It's all in the mental thinking because if you convince yourself that "it's okay" knowing that it does more harm to you than benefits, then it's better to stick with the right thing and not play.

Several potential medical approaches or programs may address this issue. I hope someone here can provide scientific research on this topic.

Depriving yourself to gamble will never help in the recovery of gambling addicition. The more you deprive yourself the more you will have the urge to play.

If you really want to stop and escape from addiction, it's better to do it small-steps at a time so your mind and body will be able to adjust properly. Stopping instantly might cause some withdrawal and likely bring you back into gambling again.

Depriving should a gradual process for addicted gamblers because they started to get addicted gradually, expecting them to stop abruptly can be very difficult. The first step for addicts should be to make a decision that they want to stop and from there they can start to reduce gambling activities, gradually and eventually they will fully stop. Gambling addiction deeply affects addicts and most time it won't be easy to get over the habit by themselves alone, they need support of their loved ones and professionals. It is not every addicts that can stop abruptly or gradually by themselves they need the efforts of others to see them through

 It all boils down to being determined. You can deprive yourself from playing for a period of time but who knows it's not because you want to stop, but rather because you may have run out of money and are deeply in debt. It takes a lot to deprive yourself of something that gives you an adrenaline rush and people who are knee deep in gambling and want to break out would need more than just deprivation.
 It's someone who needs help that goes for it and if you add determination to your desire to stay away, it can help push the process.

The cure for gambling addiction requires a medical doctor and psychological healing. In some cases even drugs (but this related to serious issues).
Deprivation could not really cure anything. It could have a "binge effect" where after a long period without gambling... a player waste hours and tons of money on gambling again. I will not see any of these documentary... or at least I will not find other than "shows".
Serious issues of health requires medical doctors. Thats all.

I think that any addiction creates some psychological hooks in us that remain unchanged over time. I know people who smoked, but later, due to health reasons, doctors advised them to quit this habit. People leave, but every time they had to allocate time for a smoke break, as they did before, they had an emptiness, time that they did not know how to spend. That is, the habit of spending time, accompanied by certain signals, constantly reminds them of the missing things in their well-being; the same can be said about people addicted to gambling. It will be tough to break the habit on your own, since every time, every signal, and any action repeated earlier will remind a person of their habit, and such people cannot always remain strong; there are more breakdowns until a truly real desire to stop and get rid of the addiction appears.

The motive is very important imo. If a person thinks, believes he could get rich from gambling, he won’t ever stop playing because he believes, one day the odds will favor him. The moment he understands the odds are stacked against him, he will stop playing probably and look for something else to replace his addiction.

If a guy plays to have fun, then it is a whole different story. He can still get addicted to gambling if he is having so much fun playing and that’s harder to treat because this time, as long as he is having fun playing, he will never stop. One way or another, it needs to become unfun for him again.

You see, we need to look into the core reason to understand why different types of people like to gamble for different reasons and then come up with a solution tailored to their needs.

I think it will increase more their urge to gamble since forcing their selves to stop cannot provably solve the issue.

Lots of us experience that and its stressful and we feel unease if we think about that's happening. I guess the total solution to aid gambling addiction is to seek professional help just like what has been suggested by other people. Also aside from your family find a support group that can give us advices towards those conditions we currently experience.

If we are dedicated to combat the situation we are facing for sure little by little we can fight that addiction. Decreasing their activity might be helpful but this is not always the case since there are certain factors that can trigger their urge to gamble and do those abusive stuffs they made.

Someone with a severe gambling addiction who is on the verge of financial crisis or suicide due to stress may be able to stop. Regardless of the situation, there will always be a way out. Ultimately, it depends on the individual and their strong determination to recover. Whether they are addicted or not, it's best to avoid excessive gambling, as this carries obvious risks.
The key to change depends on the individual's own will and intention. Even if they receive support and assistance from others, if their resolve is weak, they may falter and revert to their previous ways.

If you used the word weaning, it is not just about deprivation, but also about having other activities that you are doing to replace gambling which makes you stay aways from gambling. Yes, this can be very helpful for gambling addicts. But what that is mostly important is what that is causing the gambling addiction. The addicted gambler needs to answer that so that it can be used to know how to treat the addiction. Most is about making money, so letting them know it is almost not possible to use gambling to make money, this can help them, but showing them how some people only become depressed when they have this mentality will help them know the truth and stop the addiction.

The goal of gambling addiction treatment is to stop the person from playing often or at all, goes without saying that there will be an attempt to slowly take the person away from their source of addiction and replace that activity with a different one that gives same levels of dopamine but one they can manage effectively and not get hooked on.

People who are addicted are mostly feeding of the excitement of having an unsettled bet to look forward to and dream about. With all addictions, they do not have much else going on and solely depend on this activity to feel good. If they could integrate some other activities, they could even keep gambling for fun but in moderation. For players that cannot control their habits, total abstinence will be advised.

- Jay -

Exactly, you need to divert your attention to different things or habits. If you’re only restraining yourself without finding distractions, you’ll just keep thinking about playing and eventually fail in your attempt to recover. You should do other things you enjoy the most, and if that’s not enough, add more activities so you can avoid thinking about gambling. It’s important to do things you genuinely like so you won’t get bored or lose interest.

In my opinion I think it's one of the right steps to take when you are trying to recover from gambling addiction. Because what you don't do constantly you start losing the urge for it. Not just depriving yourself for a like a month or two. If you can deprive yourself for like a whole year or two, and find something else to engage your mind like learning a new skill or finding anything that will keep your mind engaged for that period of time that you are depriving yourself from gambling. You will find out at the end of the deprivation period, that you will view gambling differently from the way you saw it at the first time that you were battling addiction. The urge for those reckless gambling will fade away and the addiction will be gone.

If a person really suffers from severe gambling addiction (this is diagnosed by a doctor, and not just "it seems so"), then quitting gambling is an effective way of treatment. It is even better to try to switch the patient to something else (another hobby). For example, you can even try to get him involved with computer games. The point is to break the old addiction. Then it will be easier to teach him self-control. On the other hand, there are situations when a person can never return to gambling again, because he will become addicted again. This is determined by the individual characteristics of the human psyche.

Addiction makes some people lose their self to the point that everything they are just thinking about is gambling, how to get money to gamble and how to win, but the very important of "wean" is to help the person to cease from depending gambling, because at that point of addiction the person must have lost himself so bad that he just feels like his life depends on it, that's when weaning comes handy to prevent him from that activity so he could come to a realization that his life doesn't depend on gambling. So, that's the important of weaning.

Can it help to prevent addiction? The answer is yes, it can and has already help prevent addiction in some people but it might not work for everyone.
I have said something before about how there are different methods to cure addiction and how some of the methods might not produce a positive results on some persons but if you apply a different method, it will work.

In a way, to stop gambling, you have to refuse to play... to think of an excuse. And if it's working, it's not useless...

I think many people overcomplicate things and make it harder for themselves... There's just no way around with some things... you either do them or you don't. As the saying goes, close your eyes and jump. Once you start, you realize it's not as difficult & hard as you thought. Sometimes the best way forward is simply to move, and the rest will fall into place.

I agree on this because I notice the effect personally for not gambling a longer period of time.

I have less interest to gamble if I don’t gamble frequently ompared when I regularly play the game. Refusal to play is effective to fight addiction if the person will do an immediate stop to start a longer break on gambling.

The immediate is the crucial part because the urge to play is strong.

Since gambling addiction could easily lead to financial struggles, it might be better to be hooked on computer games. However, addiction could also affect time and relationships so it is better to be free from it in all areas. 

The most important factor is the willingness and the willpower to fight addiction. Except that the individual shows seriousness in controlling his gambling activity, no strategy will work.   

How else will you "get rich"? But even knowing about risk management and money management or bankroll and whatnot would not give you a fair chance of winning. Because gambling is not an investment. It is just a game of luck. A game for entertainment.
Of course the less exposed you are to something, the less you will be interested. If you keep playing, you will never recover because you are constantly being exposed to gambling and your brain will always get used to it and would want more. If you want to get over something, you have to get rid of it.

We're trying to find a one-size-fits-all solution in this thread, but every case is different. For some people having zero contact with gambling will work, while for others it's better to reduce their gambling activities little-by-little, not to talk about shock therapy that can be positive in certain cases. Psychology is not an exact science, and what may work for some, may not work for others.

Forcing someone to stop gambling completely often makes the urge stronger instead of fixing the problem sudden deprivation can bring stress and unease making it harder to control. Seeking professional help is important besides family support joining a group can give advice guidance and some accountability to help manage the condition better.Reducing gambling slowly works better than stopping all at once little by little with dedication and support the addiction can be managed its also important to notice triggers because certain situations or feelings can make the urge to gamble come back even after cutting down.

Being honest with yourself about why you gamble and what situations push you towards it helps a lot its not easy but understanding your own patterns makes it easier to resist.Having small routines or distractions can also help when urges hit like spending time with friends doing something you enjoy or even just stepping away for a while helps calm the mind.Recovery is more like a process than a one-time fix its okay to have slip ups as long as you keep learning from them and keep trying to improve gradually.

In the United Sates and in other anglo-speaking countries it is called "going cold turkey" and it depends completely on the will power of the individual who is addicted to gambling or addicted to anything and seeks to quit completely their addiction.
In my opinion, it is not as effective as people believe, because most of the people do not have strong enough willpower to make it work in the long term and completely quit gambling. The majority of gamblers simple relapse and continue to dive in their addiction, until getting irreversible losses to their bad luck.

it is better to seek professional help and slowly get the control of one's money. Instead of gambling everyday and during entire hours, one can switch to gambling one or twice a week and only for a couple of hours, it is more realistic and curves losses.

Also, one can also decrease liquidity of ones money by turning it into assets which are harder to gamble away.

It probably depends on how a gambler understands their situation, but for most, it can definitely help them reduce their addiction to online casinos. This is especially true if the addict truly wants to recover from the addiction they've developed.

However, for those with an addiction that has become uncontrollable, I think it's highly unlikely that they will be able to resist.
They've reached a point where they can no longer control themselves due to their addiction.

Yeah, refusing to play is honestly one of the strongest first steps, but it does not automatically cure gambling addiction.. Addiction works deeper than just the act itself,  it is about the emotions and triggers behind it. When someone stops playing, they are basically starving the habit, and over time it loses some of its grip. But if the person does not deal with the reasons why they gamble in the first place, the cravings might just creep back in one way or another..

What I have noticed is that the ones who really make progress are those who not only cut themselves off from gambling but also replace it with something else that keeps their mind and time busy. Could be fitness, learning a skill, or even just surrounding themselves with people who do not gamble. That refusal, mixed with building new routines, slowly rewires the brain. So yeah, deprivation helps a lot, but the real cure is in staying consistent and creating a life that does not give gambling room to sneak back in…

After quitting gambling for a while, the brain adapts to the situation and the addiction fades. However the person needs to replace this addiction with other activities. If they start playing again, they may fall back into the same cycle, so they should never play again.

That’s the challenge on gambling abstinence. It’s very hard to resist gambling if you saw a trigger that will rekindle your gambling urges.

This is why gambler should not use their personal info such as email and mobile phone when they register to the casino to avoid opening a casino promotional mail or message that usually offer attractive bonus.

You need a total offline life if you want to get away with gambling addiction.

I don't know how gambling addiction treatment works in other countries, but here in my country, it works like this: the person addicted to gambling is admitted to the appropriate hospital for addiction treatment. They are not allowed to leave the hospital and cannot access anything that can be accessed online, nor can they gamble. Relatives have visiting days, and they stay for at least a year.

From what I've seen, doctors keep assigning them to other activities. The goal is to get the addict to look for other forms of entertainment and forget about gambling. Over time, without gambling, the person loses the intense desire they felt to gamble and is cured. By this, I mean that refusing to gamble helps a lot in curing addiction.

Of course, when you deprive yourself from playing gambling it will make you to recover from addiction for sure because when a gambler has fallen into addiction it is always difficult to abstain from it but if when gambler manages to gather enough courage and stay away from gambling it will make him to start losing that addiction urge to gamble even if he may not stay for a long time but within those periods, it will be clear to him that he went too far while gambling. Addiction is not intentional as no gambler would like to fall into addiction, it is something that just comes naturally when you give so much time and attention to gambling with the hope of making huge amount from it.

Refusal to play by yourself? It's going to help if you decide it. Why? Because that means you are still thinking, and you are ready to give up gambling for the purpose of getting better now and in the future.

There are circumstances when a gambling addict is reliant on gambling because they have just gotten used to it. If one person deprives them of gambling, they will do worse, and they might even gamble more in the process. Not different from a smoker who was deprived by gambling, and in the process, he or she smokes more than he or she naturally does.

in short Yes. weaning (abstinence) is beneficial because it reduces the chance of relapse & gives you time to reestablish your habits.   Although their longterm durability varies, skill building programs & motivational work consistently lower gambling & increase coping & self efficacy.  Some people can gamble under control however impulsive or severe cases typically require complete abstinence; just set goals use harm reduction techniques & dont shame to seek therapy if needed.

Well said. Deprivation therapy do really work for many addictions and is not limited to gambling addiction alone. When you are addicted to a particular thing that is negative or posses some kind of danger to you, the most likely best solutions to such kinds of addiction would be to stop or at least take a chill pill. The advantage of taking a break from any form of addiction is to allow your brain to relax and be able to reconfigure itself because it is really something that greatly works with your brain and affects the feelings. This makes Deprivation your first line of thought.

The process of healing starts from refusal to keep playing,  there's a lot that deprivation can help you achieve if you are consistent with it. In order to cure addiction there are two things you can do, one is to cut down the time you spend gambling and the other is to avoid the game totally but the second one is tht best option for some people because they find it tempting to relapse when they engage in gambling even for a minute

It will be very difficult to get over addiction if they rely on deprivation to quit addiction. They may not do it constantly, but they stay around those who do it, they see Ads and make use of applications that supports gambling adverts. I will suggest total abstinence to anything that has to do with gambling. Even if it means by a new device with a restriction any gambling apps or website. Once the gambler dont see any gambling Ads, his mind wont go into gambling at any time, that way they will forget about gambling for a while.

I think it is useful. Once, my father was a addicted smoker and a gambling addict. Since his doctor advised him to quit smoking, he managed to do so, albeit by reducing the intensity, then He finally succeed to quit smoking addiction, He might still smoke once a week or once a month, but that indicates he has recovered from his cigarette addiction. As for his gambling addiction, my father did it out of commitment to my mother when they married, and he did it the same way he did with his cigarette addiction. Well, I think deprivation is useful for recovering from addiction.

However, it all depends on each person intention, ff it is applied with strong intention, determination, and effort, then I believe it will be realized, and ultimately we can do anything comfortably without addiction, especially for those who are addicted to gambling, so they could do gambling safely or without a big risk.

It should, you're telling yourself no when you refuse to play and that should help you regain your authority over gambling. When people get addicted is when they can't control themselves when they want to gamble but as you start refusing, things should begin to return to normal. To cure gambling, there are different methods that can be used but the more effective has to do with you reducing your time used for gambling as this will make you more detached from gambling.

You can then used that time you gain to be doing other things. Most preferably you do things that'll keep you busy and making you some income because the main driving force that makes people gamble is to get money so when you're making money from something different then you'll have more reason to stop gambling.

Definitely someone who is addicted to gambling and is undergoing treatment must wean or stop gambling totally so that they can heal from the addiction, continueing to gamble as an addict even when undergoing treatment for the addiction is like doing exactly the same thing you did that made you sick of headache even while taking drugs to cure the headache, this makes absolutely no sense if you ask me.

So for sure, refusal, or stopping or not gambling while undergoing gambling addiction treatment will for sure contribute positively to the recovery of the victim from the addiction, this is how the brain which is the center of everything gets to get focus on other activities that is not gambling, so as to loose the grip gambling has on it which resulted to addiction.

Kind of. If you are able to stay away from gambling for some time, it is possible to find a solution to addiction because one may not find gambling that interesting. That is why when you go for counseling to fight addiction, you will be wise not to gamble, because staying away from gambling plays a very important role when it comes to gambling addiction.

Apart from gambling, even when you are addicted to substances, you will be advised to stay away from them. So the same principle applies to gambling addiction: staying away from gambling can be a cure for gambling addiction.

It can definitely go a long way because you are giving it less attention...what grows gambling addiction is constant engagement in it, you are definitely going to get results when you refuse to play but this is not something that can be done easily especially if you are already addicted to gambling...If you can endure for the first few months and keep on avoiding it you are definitely going to come out of it

Once you’ve employed a method to make you not to feel you want to gamble again, that method will have its effect on you based on how you’ve made up your mind to relieve yourself from that addiction. Weaning is a very important method to drive away the sensation in you about anything you feel the need not to engage with any longer, it doesn’t only limit its use to gambling addicts. If I’m refusing myself from playing a game even if I’m well addicted to it, it is just a matter of time before my body gets use to depriving it and not feel the need to engage with it again. Having a substitute thing to do when depriving yourself from an addiction is the best, gradually that will replace your addiction and you’ll learn to live better and normal like it has always been for you.

Consistency matters at all and if the gambler is eager to do that I guess it contributes for possibilities that they could really stop or cure their addiction.

But it would be more better for them to distance theirselves on devices that can make them remember about gambling. This is long journey to go but if the affected person really want to get out in miserable condition I guess its possible to get out on current problems they are facing on.

This is not easy but at least they are doing good initiative to fight those things currently bothering them.

One thing I am certain, the more you play in gambling, the higher the losses you will obtained, and the fact that you allow yourself to chase those losses, that may lead to develop gambling addiction one way or another. My advice is, manage your time in gambling. Set some limits on your time and your expenses, that way addiction will be prevented.

On the other hand, consistent treatment will create a positive outcome if you are beating gambling addiction. Don’t go with your urges, but limit them. And gamble only when you have spare money to spend, not using your savings or money that will be used to pay the bills.

It is believed that the more people engage in something that has an addictive nature, the more chances of them getting addicted, and the more they continued in that activity, the harder it gets for them to break out of that addiction. So yeah I guess abstinence could actually help an addicted person heal from the addiction. Not just abstaining, but also looking for something else that'll distract you from engaging in that thing again.

It is not useless and I think that it does help, a LOT. Because if someone wants to get out from addiction and desires to recover.

An initiative of depriving himself is a good start. And that's for sure going to give some huge help on how that gambler sees the perspective outside gambling.

They might do other things than gambling and will find another way to enjoy what they are up to with their times. So, they will see that aside from gambling, there are also other things that they can do with their space and time.

Definitely, it will stop the addiction if the person himself is doing the abstinence of that activity. Same with any vice. If you abstain, definitely, you will cure your addiction to that vice. However, it is quite easy to say to abstain or stop, but the actuality of it is very challenging and difficult for the person. He needs a very good motivation why he needs to have like a 90-degree turn of his life. If he has no strong motivation, would be easy for him to go back to his old lifestyle. Based from what I've seen and read, the change should be gradual and not abrupt. This change is more sustainable as you lessen your addiction each day up until you are not looking for it anymore. If it is abrupt, the chance to go back is high as the desire is still high.

Weaning doesn’t mean stopping instantly, it’s a gradual process and in this case I think mixing gambling with other forms of entertainment- so instead of spending the entire hour gambling you’d share it between two different things and keep doing like that and each time you’d keep reducing the time you spend on gambling until you can now free stay without gambling and just focus on whatever it was that you used initially to allocate the gambling time.

I think this method would work effectively for some people if it’s properly handled and also if they are able to identify something that can take their mind off of gambling while they are engaged in the activity. Unless they are able to identify something like that then weaning or depriving yourself would just create more cravings.

Stopping it at a go could be very risky to the person living in addiction. It's better they from time to time engage in the act, then quietly move away from gambling. Avoiding a habit by force could affect the person mentally, and it'll be a heavy task to the gamer, and difficult to withstand. The player has to grow naturally over whatever troubles them to be able to let go entirely.

You have to re-wire your brain to get out of your habits. The more you reject the urge the easier it will get to turn it down. Ive been reading Atomic Habits (incredible book) and it's been talking about how to get rid of your old bad habits. A helpful trick is to convince yourself that gambling is nothing to you and remind yourself of all the positives that not gambling brings into your life. For example by not gambling you are practicing self control which feels good to be in control, you save money, make your family proud, are being responsible, you will be more focused and keep yourself from other temptations such as drinking and smoking as a result. You may even eat better food amd get more sleep! The other way is to convince yourself how bad gambling is for you and remind yourself of how painful and damaging it can be to you. This helps a lot of people.

I think the way to overcome gambling addiction is to stop gambling altogether. Trying to find a balance can be even more dangerous. If a person can't control their emotions and impulses, it's unlikely they'll be able to control their money while continuing to gamble.

I think the best way to stop a bad habit is to actually replace it with a good habit.

If you simply try to stop the bad habit without anything to replace it, then the mind will constantly try to get it back.

The mind can only have one thought at a time, so if you keep it busy with something else, you have better chances of stopping a bad habit.

Directly distancing oneself can be very risky. I don't know what the risks are, but for me, when I felt addicted, the steps I took were to gradually distance myself from it, such as setting firm limits and restraining myself as much as possible when gambling, and it worked. As long as we have strong intentions and determination, direct withdrawal can also be successful.
Someone who is already addicted might be better off in a rehabilitation center, if even if their condition is already dire, they still haven't realized it.

Yeah, an addicted gambler can even find a way of rehabilitating him or her self, that is, he or she can try to keep aside all smart devices and also cut him or her self off from access to the internet, this is if the person in question is majorly addicted to online gambling, because I believe that online and physical gambling addiction are not exactly the same, someone who is addicted to online gambling may not enjoy paying same gambling physically due to obvious reasons, whole someone who is addicted to offline or physical gambling may find it absolutely uninteresting to play or gamble online.

But the good news is that both of this two can be rehabilitated in the same place, online gambling addict can be put in a place where he will no longer have access to smart devices and internet connection.
While the one who is addicted to physical or offline gambling can also be put in the same place where he or she will not longer have access to go play in any physical casino outlets or gambling/betting shops.

Refusal to play contributes to recovery from gambling addiction but that is only if that person really wants to cure his addiction. Without having the intention to cure, he will just return to casinos someday because he sees that he cured his addiction so he can playing gambling again. It needs a strong mind to refuse to play gambling and have strong self-control.

He should have positive activities that can distract his mind from gambling. That is the important thing he can do so he will slowly refuse to playing gambling because that is just a waste his money. He should realize the bad effects he gets from gambling so he will say no to playing gambling.

I agree with everything you mentioned, but the only thing I would like to add is that gamblers are not always attracted by the naive desire to get rich quickly, but also by the desire to simply escape from reality in gambling and eventually money ceases to excite them completely.
They like this state, similar to a trance, in a world where there are no worries. This world of gambling is colorful and welcoming, and of course they like it when the lines on the screen line up to form a profitable match, indicating that this gambler is lucky.

Yes, that's absolutely true. Technically, I believe weaning, or limiting access to games, is designed to cut off exposure to addictive stimuli that trigger dopamine pathways in the brain. This will reduce the risk of relapse and allow for other therapies, such as cognitive therapy. I once read a study showing that voluntary self-exclusion is indeed effective, and the results showed that participants who participated in this program gambled less frequently and spent less money. You can see the discussion in this article: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214782920301202 (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214782920301202)

However, this system isn't perfect in my opinion—for example, I've seen data and news from Sweden that showed that up to 49% of participants in the national Spelpaus program were still able to gamble through foreign websites. The research paper can be read here: https://harmreductionjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12954-023-00822-w (https://harmreductionjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12954-023-00822-w)
Furthermore, global data shows that the use of self-exclusion is much higher among problem gamblers (15%) than among the general population (0.26%). https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40429-023-00510-6
So, in my opinion, weaning isn't the final solution, but it remains important as an "emergency brake" that greatly supports everyone's recovery process.

That's very true, there's no method of curing addiction that can work unless the addict (him or she) is willing to accept the change to happen with them, matter of fact, I have seen someone that was battling addiction and was being restrained from gambling for a long time, the purpose of doing that was to let him forget about gambling but immediately he was given the freedom again, he even became worse and we can believe that he didn't change because he was not ready for it.

Deprivation from gambling will seriously make you a better person. You don’t need to wait for the worst scenario to decide weaning from gambling, but as long as you’ve seen something unhealthy for yourself, then the best remedy is to immediately wean from gambling.

Gambling addiction is not new for gamblers. In fact, majority of the gamblers have turn addicted into it, some are just in denial even if they know deeply they are already battling with their gambling urges and high emotions. With this, weaning from gambling is always the best option. It’ll definitely work once you allow yourself to wean, but it won’t if you insist to continue gambling regardless of your personal reasons.

For me, it’s really hard to refuse playing because it has already become part of my routine, especially gambling on sports. I think the only time I’d actually stop is if I get discouraged like when I feel I’m not winning anymore, when my skills aren’t enough to stay profitable or if I ever suspect that the casinos are cheating me. But so far, I haven’t reached that point yet, sometimes the thought crosses my mind, but in the end I still end up playing.

I was addicted before, to the point that I really needed to stop gambling for a while.
Now, I still think I’m addicted, but not as bad as before since I have more control over myself compared to the past.

Know your priority and stick to it. You don’t have to leave gambling in an abrupt way, but take one step at a time until you get used to it and find yourself not fond anymore of gambling, and you can peacefully live already even without gambling in a week. Once you made it happen, rest assured that you can recover from gambling addiction if you consistently avoid gambling.

Find another productive hobby and spend your time on it which you usually spend in gambling. It will be effective if you are determined to leave from gambling for good.

I have same experience before. It’s hard to resist if you are also active on discussion here in the forum related to gambling because we frequently casino promotion and other user profit that can encourage us to play.

I manage to snap out of my gambling habits when I become busy at work that gives me a lot of break on gambling. I do prioritize my responsibility at work that helps me forgot gambling.

Until now, I don’t gamble frequently because I always consider a stop and schedule my game on weekends only.

I also think that new hobbies help to get rid of addiction and gambling. At least it helped me once, because I began to devote more time to sports. By the way, I just do not believe that a player will not be able to find a suitable sport for himself, because there are team sports, tennis, water sports and many more. Even if a person has contraindications to physical sports, he can do chess, billiards and others. I want to say that you do not need to concentrate only on gambling, there are a lot of interesting and exciting things, players just might not have tried something that can captivate them with more pleasure than gambling.

Of course, if a person who is addicted to gambling stays away from gambling for a long time and does not play, then gradually his mind and mentality will change a lot. When a person is addicted to winning, the feeling of gambling awakens in him and if he does not do it, he does not like it at all, just as we often do not like it when we are immersed in games, we do not like it if we do not play games, just as they do not like it if we do not buy gambling.
Although it will be very difficult for a person addicted to gambling to quit, if he does not enter gambling platforms for a long time, hang out with friends and socialize with people, then he will gradually return to mental balance. A family is always at risk with a person addicted to gambling, so if the addicted person is to be returned from gambling, he must be enrolled in various types of encouraging activities, only then will it be possible.

Specialists in the rehabilitation center also recommend that addicts take the withdrawal slowly. Mental disorder requires step by step approach at quitting it entirely. Stopping it all at once, might end up healing the person for a moment, after sometimes when tempted they'll fall back to the habit. They is a famous saying that 'you're only tempted by what you think about'. It's also true for compulsive gamers who wish to stop, it's of no essence quitting when the addict go ahead thinking about gambling. But, if taken gradually, they'll be able to lower the rate at which they see gaming, and begin to adjust towards limiting the activity.

If you want you quit gambling addiction and recover quickly you will have to separate yourself from the object that triggers the addiction. This separate could be physical or mental. It could also be both. And it is helpful because once the triggering stimuli is weakened so does the addiction urge. There will be strong withdrawal syndrome for the first few days and weeks but once the person can stay strong with good emotional and physical support around them, they'll overcome it.

Useless. I am not fan of resisting anything, it makes no sense with desire to do the act is still burning in your head. Imo you are better off doing things that makes you completely immersed in them, so you forget to gamble naturally (don't quote me on this though).

I want to say that everyone is aware that they can loose beyond their expectations if they're not in control of their anxieties and bank roll managements. Those who falls victim are strictly those who're of greeds hoping they'd be richein gambling despites the risks. So they just ignores the threats behind the urge of gambling for fun and profits.
So in fight of addiction, those who intentionally ignores these fact (threats) and are already addicted victims will find It more difficult to consider fighting their addiction out because, their minds has been made up desperately that they must be rich on gambling. So, these set of people if after trying the weaning method and didn't work out, I think depriving them from gambling will be best solution. As the case maybe, some addiction has surged deep to their veins that they can't just gamble responsibly.

Addiction is not always about the financial crisis, it's is one of the important factor but there other things involved too like mental health of the addicted ones, they are still rich but probably lost custody to their kids because of their addiction or lost his wife due to misunderstanding, domestic violence and much more. Recovery is not cheap either so only a few can afford it but if they hit their rock bottom then it's obvious that they have no other choice than give up their gambling but the fact is it's better to make them while they are in a better financial position.

Giving up games will only contribute to recovery if the game is replaced by a new hobby, job, or sport. But considering that gambling attracts players by giving them a surge of dopamine, I think that at the first stage it can be replaced by roller coasters or, as a last resort, skydiving.

Some gamblers knows about their addiction, willing to quit but don't know what to do to quit. There are many things that comes with quitting addiction, determining mindset, channeling time and resource into something else, the process has to be both mentally and physical.

All these methods are what to be applied together, determination can correct addiction but what happens to an idle gambler, the urge must return, why not be determined, deprive oneself from gambling and then make use of the time to carry out other entertaining activity. The mind alone can't cure addiction.

I've read several articles in the past about weaning addicts from things that they are addicted to, I'd assume it works almost the same with gambling addicts. Anyway, I think the logic of "weaning from gambling" is to slowly reduce the gambler's gambling activity. From what I have read, it could help them cope and get used to not being able to gamble and have a better reaction when they completely stop gambling.

Most things that makes addicted gamblers not stop gambling is because sometimes they go to a particular place, so because they normally go around bthe environment were they gamble, they still see themselves gambling when they have said to stop gambling. Another thing is friends, when a gambler keeps friends that can't help him stop gamble it becomes worse for the person to stop gambling, so you are right some reason why people find it difficult to stop gambling is physically and mentally issues.

You are not addicted if you think you can stop gambling if you feel you are not winning anymore or get discouraged, because an addicted gambler wouldn't be able to do that. Someone who is addicted to gambling won't stop only because they are losing, it's because the urge to gamble for them is too strong that they can't control themselves, and everytime they lose, their mind tells them that they are going to win this time if they gamble again, and they do it, because they are unable to say no to the urge.

Also, you say that you were addicted but then you had to stop gambling for a while, that is also another thing that says that you weren't really too addicted, because someone who is addicted to the point that they gamble too much recklessly, they can't stop gambling themselves, and they will need some help with it, and one can only get help if they acknowledge the fact that they are addicted and ask people around them to help them get rid of the addiction. Without doing that, you will just keep getting away for a couple of days, and then get back again because there is no one to stop you.

Addiction means not being able to do without something. In the case of gambling, an addict will not be able to control his gambling habits. At this point where there is a total loss of  control, voluntarily depriving oneself could be a good step to healing. If he can eventually stay without it, it is a good one. His comeback into gambling will be different; this time he would be more careful not to make thesame mistakes he made the first first time.

I am still wondering how it is possible for one to heal from addiction without trying to distance himself from that thing he cannot control. If anyone has successfully defeated addiction without weaning, I would love to know how the journey went.

This is actually the least thing they could do since somehow doing such thing can slowly make them go away with those current challenges they are facing.

But if it happens that they find difficulties on executing this since there urge to gamble still there I guess they need to find other ways to get out in that situation. Maybe going in total hiatus might be the solution rather than slowly decreasing their activity since maybe with this they can slowly forget gambling. But still nothing happens since the situation became worse I think the best solution is to seek professional help just like what other people said here.

Deprivation is a strange word to use. You would normally say someone is deprived of oxygen, or food or water. These are things that people need to continue living, people don't need gambling and go for their first 15+ years of life without it. A better word to use is abstaining, as in making an active decision not to spend money on this activity. For people to reach the point of quitting it usually requires hitting rock bottom and in many cases losing a lot of money in the process. It also requires the person to accept that all money spent so far is lost and will not be recovered in the same way it was spent. That is a hard reality to face for many people and they refuse to quit for that reason.

It is possible to defeat addiction by decreasing the amount of hours and sessions we have in a determined period of time, that is true, but if someone is able to easily decide not to gamble anymore and manages to quit gambling relatively fast, then I would not say such person was addicted to gambling, to begin with.

Someone who is actually addicted to gambling would not be able to pull something like that off and take attention off gambling without professional help or intervention.

But after thinking about it, those addicted to online gambling seem to be more difficult to recover from than those addicted to physical gambling. Now, for those addicted to offline gambling, they have to be able to restrain themselves from going to physical casinos where they gamble, and there are still many other places to escape. I think this can still be done consistently, especially if their own home and the physical casino are quite far away. Meanwhile, those addicted to online gambling must avoid gadgets and the internet. But the problem is that nowadays gadgets and the internet have become like necessities of life, so it may be more difficult to recover unless they have a strong determination.

Not all cases requires medical or psychological intervention, there are people that just need to discipline their mind that's all...addiction starts is all mental the moment you decisively take charge over your actions you would start noticing a change...a lot of people give up during these phase because they relapse but that's part of the journey, you can't get it right in a short time, it takes consistent effort

Imho not every approach needs to be about "bigger root reasons" to explain your behavior. Even if psychotherapy-like treatment would work for you, it doesn't mean it's a best road for everyone.

There are other fields in psychology like occupational therapy that can help with concrete issues to help you get back your feet again. Creating positive habits can work as creating a new healthy baseline where you can start to fix your life.
 
You don't need always to reconstruct your psyche just to get rid of some bad habit and there's nothing wrong with some level of deprivation if you are doing it right. Because with addiction, it's literally doing something you are addicted to makes you lose control, because your addictive side takes over so why wouldn't you avoid it?

Deprivation doesn't work for everything, but it works with substances, or actions you take. It wouldn't work with something like intrusive thoughts, if you tried to not to think about something, because that's not how brain works. But you can find other things to fill your days and get meaningful life without something.

Some things are basic needs that everyone needs, but sometimes those needs are just filled with replacements, because wiring of your brain allows to use those replacements and re-route that wiring trough them, so you don't even know what you needed in the first place. Imho this is one of the deeper issues in addictions even though it's not consensus in psychology.

I can definitely say that a voluntary self-prohibition on gambling for oneself never works for any gambler. I have read so many times that many gamblers try to protect themselves from excessive addiction, but in the end, everyone comes to the conclusion that you should not ask someone to limit you from gambling, but rather understand the essence of the fact that gambling should no longer be a part of life.

I find it hard to answer if deprivation is a real cure from gambling addiction, or its a just a long pause from gambling. That is mostly because everyone are individuals, everyone are different, and the human brain is really not yet fully mastered. Scientists can not give 100% answer what makes a person to gamble, to return and at what point a person wants to gamble. A refusal to play can be a pause in gambling that lasts for many years, but not a cure from addiction.

First of all i think that the problem is that gambling addicts don`t know maths good. Also they don`t know hidden rules of the game(like RTP).
As for me the main help is to show their win chances of some simple examples. Something like "In this round of lottery there are 500.000 participants. In your city there 100.000 citizens. Your chances to win jackpot5 time  less to become a major". As the result they can understand that their goal is just a dream and stop the game themselves. Anyway the first step to stop is to understand that they break their life with such dreams.

PS. I`m not gambling man and don`t even understand what it means to be seriously addicted, so maybe i`m mistaken.

It may work based on the mindset and the decision that you want to make. For those who are tired of being addicted to gambling and are looking for a way to get rid of their gambling addiction, I'm sure that if one decides not to gamble and is willing to stop, it may really affect the person's interest in gambling after some time.

But someone who has an interest in gambling may not really change anything if they don't gamble for the long term because that interest has always been there. So, this is a matter of choice and what you really want from gambling. If you find something interesting and stop engaging in it, you will miss it so much that you can't wait to come back and continue with it.

Getting addicted is a habit, so I will agree with that you said that addicted people can actually help themselves by working in their mind, you know what, when someone gets addicted, the person mindset become very porous that he can't control it, self control now becomes zero, at this point anything he is doing will be influenced by his mindset, the urge keeps coming once he sees money in his possession, so I also think that such person working in his mind alone may not be able to solve his problem, he will be needing peoplea help, he needs advise, if possible, he should go for rehabilitation, during this period of rehab, he should be meant to stay without having access to money in his account because if do, be might likely deposit from their, so every possible means to help such person should be applied.

 Pretty interesting take, and I’d say you’re spot on...
I totally agree that many gambling addicts simply don’t understand the math behind the games, and showing them real probabilities can be eye-opening. Your lottery example is a good way to put it into perspective ,when people see just how small their chances really are, it might help them realize they’re chasing an illusion.
Obviously some people won’t listen, but giving them hard numbers at least plants the seed.... If they can internalize that they’re statistically guaranteed to lose in the long run, some of them might finally step back and take control.

If a gambling addict manages to refuse to play, it can certainly be utilized for the recovery process from addiction. However, the process for the gambler to refuse to play is not easy. It requires full awareness from the gambler, while in the case of gambling addicts, controlling oneself certainly requires assistance from others.
 I usually am willing to abstain from gambling for a while to stabilize my thoughts and emotions. I have been addicted to gambling before, and I decided not to quit gambling but to limit my gambling. The process is indeed difficult, but once I get used to it, gambling activities can be more controlled.

To be cured, a person must distance themselves from whatever is causing them harm, in this case, gambling and online casinos. After being cured, the person must never gamble again. For someone who was once addicted, there is no safe level, such as a former alcoholic drinking "socially," or a former drug addict using only a little. Triggers must be eliminated from the life of someone who has been "cured" of any addiction.

At first, deprivation feels like loss of excitement, boredom and emptiness.But it means staying away from triggers and cravings that'll likely cause harm and further sparks more indulgence.Therefore, deprivation usually contributes to healing from addiction because it resets the brain,reduces exposure and open room for more healthier habits and activities.

Yea, deprivation is a good tool for staying away from gambling addiction. It serves as a rehabilitation strategy which could be compulsory or intentional. When one is deprived of his chances of gambling when possibly he's already addicted to it, he initially gets nervous and keeps predicting games in his mind. If most of his predictions doesn't go his way when he had placed no bet, he begins to understand how important it is to avoid addiction. This continues until he becomes conscious of his activities and curtails his gambling involvement. Sometimes addiction to gambling is by chance and environment. When a gambler survives deprivation, he could be wiser or more addicted if it wasn't intentional.

I think that giving up the game for a while is always beneficial, because even from my own experience I can say that I did not play for years, but then returned as a completely different player. I even became interested in playing not for the money first of all, but for something else, for example, in order to understand the essence, try new strategies and be able to control myself like a pro. I love to follow the professionals in gambling, in particular in poker, because I try to understand how they act and what they do in order not to fall into tilt and save themselves. Although of course I understand that giving up the game will not help everyone, I would even dare to assume that a minority of the total number of players.

Yep. And it would be nice to give really simple examples from real life. Like example with a major. If we would give them numbers - it may be difficult to understand: 0,01% is something that is difficult to imagine. But comparing chances to win the election and chances to win jackpot can show how small such chance.

If we can adopt this as a measure to cure for gambling addiction, then its a perfect idea to take and also use, because addiction is not what can be left to handle with levity hands, we have to be more deliberate and serious in putting in place an effective measure to tackle it, such could be from what you have just suggested, deprivation, which is a means of having no access to gambling, if we can maintain our stand, we can achieve it.

Well if having positive habits to gambling means to gamble responsibly, play with the amount of money you can bear to lose, gamble less frequently then you are weaning yourself from your gambling habit . Because what I know of weaning is that it helps you to reduce the addiction of excessive video gaming and gambling. So it is beneficial for an addict to learn weaning if it means depriving yourself of habits that will make you to gamble even when you don't want to. Like if you reduce the amount of times you visit off line game houses or if you also reduce the number of times that you login to your gambling app, it can help you reduce addiction.

This is great point about addiction treatment. You are right that simply stopping is not enough especially because real reason for gambling is mostly naive hope of getting rich. And stopping behavior is necessary first step. Think of it like this you can not fix problem if you are still doing harmful thing. Quitting gambling breaks cycle of addiction which helps person think more clearly. This clarity will allow them to face real reasons and emotions which are back to their addiction. So quitting is not useless. It is important first step to recovery.

even without allowing yourself get to the point where others tries to isolate you from every form of gambling triggers, you can also wean yourself and sometimes deprive yourself of gambling so you at least become certain that you are in control of your gambling habits. self deprivation helps you know weather or not your are in charge of your gambling. if for instance you decide that you are going to abstain from gambling for a period of two weeks and then you find it difficult to do that, what that means is that you are obviously tilting towards becoming an addict if you do not watch how frequent you gamble. with that discovery, it becomes easy tame yourself from excessive gambling and work towards becoming a responsible gambler.

call it deprivation or even voluntary self denied, it goes a long way to reduce how exposed one is to gambling addiction.