With gambling, it's probably easier to quit cold turkey

[Gozie51]

Addiction is a strong phenomenon that doesn't take a gradual step to stop, like it has to just stopped sometimes unplanned because an occurrence that will cause that person to stop such act. For example people who eventually get physically incapacitated have stopped so many addictions both hidden addictions and open addiction.

To stop an addiction gradually will amount to procrastinating and with that nothing is done at the point in such addiction.

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[robelneo]

With other things it can sometimes be recommended that the addict slowly winds down their consumption of the addictive activity or substance, but that doesn't sound very realistic with gambling, does it?

Quitting cold turkey, contemplating on your mistakes and talking about it with a group and some experts sounds like the best path. What are your thoughts? Could a problem gambler quit slowly and expect realistic improvements?

It is the best path, every gambler is different and every approach is different, some want it slow, and some want to take it immediately the work of the professional is to create a plan to get the symptom out of the system of the gambler, professional and help group are the best people to approach for gamblers, once he opened up to this kind of people expect a positive outcome that he is really serious to get cured.
But if he's talking to his fellow gamblers or people who have no idea about the cure then is just talk and there's no seriousness, cure can only come from dealing with the right people to help you address your issue.

[Orpichukwu]

Quitting cold turkey, contemplating on your mistakes and talking about it with a group and some experts sounds like the best path. What are your thoughts? Could a problem gambler quit slowly and expect realistic improvements?

Gambling addiction is not just something that starts when someone just jumps into gambling; it is something that they gradually get themselves into, and most times they don't even realise when they have gotten to that point.
 
When you talk about slowing down and quitting gambling, which could lead to a reduction in gambling addiction, it's easier said than done. As long as the person is still in contact with a gambling platform, they will still not gamble above their limit, which is still no different from what they were doing before.
 
In my opinion, the best thing they can do to stop gambling addiction is to stop gambling completely for the main time, and when they notice they are no longer attracted to gambling anymore, you will completely know that they are off it. If by any chance they still want to gamble, they will have to undergo some self-training in controlling their own aspects of their gambling habits and staying within their bankroll.

[KTChampions]

If someone is a problem gambler and has repeatedly relapsed to problematic behavior related to gambling, I have come to the conclusion that it's best to quit cold turkey.

With other things it can sometimes be recommended that the addict slowly winds down their consumption of the addictive activity or substance, but that doesn't sound very realistic with gambling, does it?

Quitting cold turkey, contemplating on your mistakes and talking about it with a group and some experts sounds like the best path. What are your thoughts? Could a problem gambler quit slowly and expect realistic improvements?

Taking into account the fact that gambling addiction is not chemical (as is the case with some drugs) but purely psychological, it is obvious that it is necessary to get rid of it immediately. What's the point of prolonging the process? Another thing is that for an inveterate gambler it is very difficult to dramatically change his lifestyle, but this can be done by finding another hobby that will completely absorb him, we can say that this is something like replacement therapy.

[Weawant]

If someone is a problem gambler and has repeatedly relapsed to problematic behavior related to gambling, I have come to the conclusion that it's best to quit cold turkey.

With other things it can sometimes be recommended that the addict slowly winds down their consumption of the addictive activity or substance, but that doesn't sound very realistic with gambling, does it?

Quitting cold turkey, contemplating on your mistakes and talking about it with a group and some experts sounds like the best path. What are your thoughts? Could a problem gambler quit slowly and expect realistic improvements?

I don't think it's any easier quiting intake of substances, it may be relatively easier with food consumption probably due to availability, if there's a time when that food becomes scares or not readily available, it makes it easier for the addict to gradually quite but then whenever anything gets to the level of addiction, quitting becomes difficult.

Same applies to gambling if the person runs out of funds and probably no possible source or means of funding their gambling habits, they gradually tens to quit but if they get funds again it triggers their addiction again and they go back to it. It's much better to  voluntary want to quit and that will make it easier to quit same applies to food and substances intake as it's common amongst all gamblers.

[Docnaster]

Addiction is a strong phenomenon that doesn't take a gradual step to stop, like it has to just stopped sometimes unplanned because an occurrence that will cause that person to stop such act. For example people who eventually get physically incapacitated have stopped so many addictions both hidden addictions and open addiction.

To stop an addiction gradually will amount to procrastinating and with that nothing is done at the point in such addiction.

To stop one's gambling addiction automatically is one of the most difficult things to do as gambler and that's why we get to see many gamblers today who are still gambling despite their initial actions to stop gambling. But likely you rightly said, it's takes great determination and resilience for one to break free from gambling addiction.

I was once a gambling addict but decided one faithful evening, that I'm not gonna continue with the addiction after I realized that I've lost most of my fortunes to gambling and that's been one of my proudest moments as an adult. It takes a lot go stop gambling addiction but stopping it is the best thing for an addicted gambler

[Accardo]

Quitting cold turkey, contemplating on your mistakes and talking about it with a group and some experts sounds like the best path. What are your thoughts? Could a problem gambler quit slowly and expect realistic improvements?

Gambling addiction is not just something that starts when someone just jumps into gambling; it is something that they gradually get themselves into, and most times they don't even realise when they have gotten to that point.
 
When you talk about slowing down and quitting gambling, which could lead to a reduction in gambling addiction, it's easier said than done. As long as the person is still in contact with a gambling platform, they will still not gamble above their limit, which is still no different from what they were doing before.
 
In my opinion, the best thing they can do to stop gambling addiction is to stop gambling completely for the main time, and when they notice they are no longer attracted to gambling anymore, you will completely know that they are off it. If by any chance they still want to gamble, they will have to undergo some self-training in controlling their own aspects of their gambling habits and staying within their bankroll.

That will be before they get addicted to gambling. When addicted the gambler can't stay without gambling. It all depends on the lifestyle of the gambler, where and who he spends his time with can help the player to change. But, it's wrong to say that an addict will instantly stop being addicted to gambling. If he's not getting help, the addiction will improve every single day. Especially, when he's alone and doesn't communicate with anybody about his problem. He'll be able to quit slowly if he's sincere enough to change, and controls his urge to gamble. Which is not simple to achieve. It has to do with mental health, not physical ability. Sometimes he thinks his friends will laugh at him for getting addicted, and won't open up to them. Many factors have made addicted players remain addicted, some try to claim all is fine when with other people. Friends who struggle with addiction and don't feel like sharing their problems can be detected by his recent livelihood. Does he cancel evening hangouts, stay broke often, and feel stress and anxiety all the time?

We must visit the person and have a close conversation with them, asking them questions about what's taking up their time. Although, the questions should be asked the right way, or he won't share any reasonable answer.

If he opens up, our contributions should be effective in changing the person. The gambler wants to change, but can't on his own, so if we show him that it's possible to change, he'll confide in us as a friend. Introducing them to a therapist works fine, yet can be stressful. If the client and therapist relationship doesn't seem strong. The therapist needs to act like the addict's closest friend to be able to attract him to therapy. Or he'd rather remain an addict than attend those sessions. We can also be a therapist to a gambler if he's our close friend and listens to our instructions. Limiting his bank account's daily expenses also helps in controlling the gambler's habit of spending much money on gambling. With all the processes required to cure an addict, especially in gambling, it's not an easy thing to go cold turkey in gambling.

[Davidvictorson]

Could a problem gambler quit slowly and expect realistic improvements?

Yes. They can quit slowly
*move out of the environment where gambling thrives
*change gambling friends and replace them with friends of a new hobby
*self-exclusion from gambling sites. And going off the internet if possible.
*activating disabling gambling ads or censoring keywords related to gambling.
*Join a help group or seeking therapy.
* Do not stay alone. Alway try to be in the company of others.

They are in no particular order. But are steps that can be take slowly.

These are some gradual steps to quitting gambling. But the person cannot do it alone without an accountability partner.

[danherbias07]

If someone is a problem gambler and has repeatedly relapsed to problematic behavior related to gambling, I have come to the conclusion that it's best to quit cold turkey.

With other things it can sometimes be recommended that the addict slowly winds down their consumption of the addictive activity or substance, but that doesn't sound very realistic with gambling, does it?

Quitting cold turkey, contemplating on your mistakes and talking about it with a group and some experts sounds like the best path. What are your thoughts? Could a problem gambler quit slowly and expect realistic improvements?

I am optimistic that gambling addicts could stop it.
A group would help but relatives and friends should be the first he should run to. Every help he could get will add to the change that he needs. It is true that unlike addictive substances it cannot be done by just cutting consumption, there's no way that would help because there's always the revengeful heart that wants to get back what he lost or the greedy part where a gambler feels lucky and wants to continue playing.
The best choice is to completely stop it one day. Just like how I did it with my smoking habit. Stopped it without even consuming one more the next day although I could finish 1 pack per day when I was still doing it.
Anything can be done, the battle is mental and we should try to fight the urge even if we see it in movies and advertisements. It will test how strong we are mentally but I do believe it's how we can overcome it.

[Casdinyard]

There’s no winding down when you’re quitting/recovering from gambling addiction. What you’d do if you “wind down” is just add more fuel to the fire and aggravate the situation. Maybe even put the problem gambler in a much worse loop cause all this is to him is more chances to take the win.

Cold turkey’s the way to go. The gambler wouldn’t have any chance to “reclaim” his losses, and at the same time further damage is avoided with less worries.

If you’re seeing someone slowly descending into gambling addiction, don’t let them have another game, do what you can to stop them from ever gambling right then and there.

[Wexnident]

~

That would simply lead them to other types of activities no? Such as cigarettes or alcohol even since they inhibit the mind from thinking too much. If it was guided instead with them being able to pick an activity or a hobby that they would enjoy without damage to their minds or living, wouldn't that be better instead as an alternative compared to outright stopping gambling immediately?

Sure I guess quitting immediately may be effective for some but it's not without reason why research recommends slowly getting out of an addictive mindset instead of trying to remove it completely. Majority of the time relapse occurs in those cases and they inevitably go back to an even worse state than they were before stopping after all.

[STT]

Problem is too short a word to describe why its a problem for that person, to fix the ailment you are going to have to self define how it became a problem especially.  I would not expect someone to walk away from problem behavior without underlying all the reasons and factors, doing that all by yourself might be too much.   A book talking to people or just hearing the situation of others might help alot more then the attitude of never again.    Also if there was a habit or problem presumably it took up alot of time, the easiest observation is you will need a new hobby or be left nothing much left to do.  Trying to resist repeating yourself while replacing it with nothing would be a mistake.

[len01]

a cigarette addict can stop when he experiences something that has a bad impact, for example a cigarette addict suddenly stops smoking after feeling pain in his chest and this is the same as a gambling addict who will stop immediately when something happens such as losing all valuables and money lost in gambling and that when he will stop suddenly and have the thought of stopping not to gamble anymore and only by stopping immediately can a gambling addict really get rid of his addiction because if it is done slowly, people mindset usually changes quickly and they can start gambling again.

[Solosanz]

The reason why someone become a gambling addict is money, they want to earn money quickly without any effort. So the best solution is give them money by doing a small task, is there anyone willing do that? nope.

It's not possible for them to quit gambling completely when they haven't yet find another way to earn money, they can only change after they realize making money needs process.

[EluguHcman]

Could a problem gambler quit slowly and expect realistic improvements?

Oh yes. A chronic or relapsing disorderly characteristics of a gambler is a habitual behavior that is mere adopted and not an inheritance.
So, letting go off the negative enforcement as an addicted gambler is not something magical of a sudden occurances neither is it a permanent undoable.
If must be overcomed with a realistic expectations, then it must be challenged with a mean full momentum that is gradually enhanced to a certain levels to another while the striving to do away of the gambling addiction becomes an opposing challenge of your aims to limit gambling or to quit gambling.
Basically an unrelenting efforts to the realistic achievement is not limited to gradual process.

[kotajikikox]

slowly quitting is not the best idea for every addiction , I once an chainsmoker and yes I tried many times to less my smoking but ending ? i comes back to taking more again .
But when i finally have the guts and dedication, I stopped it right away and completely , throwing all my remaining cigarettes and all my lighters and ashtrays to make me out of the system , same as I keep distance to people that smokes so I will not smell the cigarettes again and its successful after couple of months? and now for more than 7 years that I never have even a single stick.

This can be apply also in gambling that we should not slowly but to quit gambling all the way but the process is really hard and tough but that is the task to make it happen.

[Accardo]

a cigarette addict can stop when he experiences something that has a bad impact, for example a cigarette addict suddenly stops smoking after feeling pain in his chest and this is the same as a gambling addict who will stop immediately when something happens such as losing all valuables and money lost in gambling and that when he will stop suddenly and have the thought of stopping not to gamble anymore and only by stopping immediately can a gambling addict really get rid of his addiction because if it is done slowly, people mindset usually changes quickly and they can start gambling again.

Gambling addiction happens to be the worst kind of addiction with no other ways of redirecting the addiction. Unlike the physical feelings of pain in some parts of the body, gambling addiction requires mental stability to get hold and stop gradually. If a gambler isn't prepared to stop gambling, even when he's not addicted it'll take some time until he'll think about stopping gambling. The same applies to the addicts. Like I said, the addiction is mentally dealing with the gambler, and sometimes they don't feel the impact and how low in funds they've gone. Instead, they try to gamble more and engage in illicit activities, lying to family members, to raise money to gamble again. Running out of funds doesn't stop addicts from gambling. It can only stop a nonaddict. When a person is addicted to something, nothing stops them, they can't sleep or have fun without participating in gambling or whatever it is that led them to addiction. That's why we hear numerous stories of gamblers who hurt themself after taking loans to gamble.

A lot of addicted gamblers require lots of external help to change. There is nothing their self-control can do to help the mental problem addiction has caused the player. Do you know that sometimes the gambler gets to understand he's addicted, but feels confused about the gravity pushing him to gamble any time he's got money in his palms? Gambling addiction seems like the worst form of addiction, as the addict thinks he's doing something that could fetch him money. The other addictions don't promise money to their victims, hence they can restrict their emotions from repeating that same thing. Some drug addicts, wake up one money and decide to stop taking drugs. But, a gambling addict is unsure whether he's addicted or not. So, while the addicts work towards going cold turkey, the newbies should endeavor not to fall into the same trap, in their course of venturing into gambling.

[Z390]

For many, I will say don't bother starting what you can't finish, as some started like they can handle gambling and they end up getting addicted, been satisfied with what you have is the bigger thing that anyone can have in life, as this will keep you happy instead than trying to get it all, you can still get it all, but using the hard work and smartness rather than throwing money at luck, I mean, what kind of greed and addiction can make some use up to $300k on gambling? And they say they are broke?

Someone decided to calculate how much he have spent on gambling and the amount is up a million dollars, like isn't that the goal of millions of people, to reach $1 million dollars and retire? The thing is many people lacks the patience of making money very slow to reach their goals, if you understand how tricky luck is you will be very caution with gambling.
What I fear the most about gambling is getting addicted, that's why I don't want to get rich from.gambling, I believe it will mess my sentimental up, I would probably want to live the rest of my life in gambling, and that I don't want, so I manage to confuse myself that using a small amount is what I will stick with, there is no magic in gambling that will want the best for me, if you can't even control some things in life you should either learn to risk little on gambling or just stay away.

[Mauser]

If someone is a problem gambler and has repeatedly relapsed to problematic behavior related to gambling, I have come to the conclusion that it's best to quit cold turkey.

With other things it can sometimes be recommended that the addict slowly winds down their consumption of the addictive activity or substance, but that doesn't sound very realistic with gambling, does it?

Quitting cold turkey, contemplating on your mistakes and talking about it with a group and some experts sounds like the best path. What are your thoughts? Could a problem gambler quit slowly and expect realistic improvements?

This probably depends on the severity of the gambling addiction. For a serious case where someone has struggled quite a while to lower his gambling acitivties I would say that cold turkey is the best approach. Having failed several times before to stop gambling is a sign of a serious issue and that a new approach should be tried. In my opinion there is a difference between addictions from substances like alcohol or drugs and a gambling addiction. One type is something that our body got used to and there will be severe reactions when we don't take the substances anymore. That is why there are so many different type of drugs to try and reduce the effects of stop taking the serious addictive drugs. With gambling and other addictions that come from our brain, it's better to break the cycle we have going cold turkey. We need to find a way back to a daily life without gambling, maybe then after some time we could slowly start to gamble again without falling into our old patterns.

[piebeyb]

If someone is a problem gambler and has repeatedly relapsed to problematic behavior related to gambling, I have come to the conclusion that it's best to quit cold turkey.

I don't think that's the right way because I've tried to stop suddenly because something is forced, there will be resistance which makes it addictive and the habit will come back, believe in the process of gradually reducing it slowly to reduce bad habits that make the behavior become unhealthy. Well, when it comes to gambling, there are several of my friends who use this method and they really succeeded in stopping it completely by going through the process from time to time until they finally recovered completely.

I think we all know that getting rid of bad habits when gambling is very difficult, not as easy as people think, but I have felt that in a position like that, you can't stop suddenly, especially if you force it, it will only hurt yourself and make everything not okay. . try it slowly rather than trying to stop suddenly