The Paradox of the Addicted Gambler

[mcdouglasx]

If someone has already accepted their gambling addiction and managed to stop gambling, it is synonymous with willpower.

But the paradox is that if you have the strength and conviction to stop gambling, anyone could come to the conclusion: "Why not just control it and that's it, without needing to quit gambling completely?".

Which brings us to this questions:

Is it harder to control gambling or limit it without falling into excess than to stop gambling forever?

Why is the effective strategy not moderation but absolute abstinence?

[tabas]

Is it harder to control gambling or limit it without falling into excess than to stop gambling forever?

Depends on the gambler. If he's already in the process of stopping, there will be attempts that will stop that quitting. But when another experience adds up to the process and the gambler has lost more money again, that will power will come in for that gambler to quit entirely.

Why is the effective strategy not moderation but absolute abstinence?

Distracting ourselves by doing other things. This is very effective so that we can avoid looking at the bookies and try to fill those betting slips.

[Odusko]

Controlling gambling activities to stay above and away from all it negative impact, comes with alot of sacrifice and setting boundaries and goals all the time, making sure not to over step the boundaries and acting with all sense of accuracy with the lay down rules that guide and keep you away from failing into addiction. Know that gambling addictions is just a step away from gambling control, that is why is hard to see any active gambler that can survive staying above gambling addiction, it's hard but not impossible.

[Charles-Tim]

If you want to control gambling, you should also be able to stop gambling. If you still do not know how to stop gambling for a long time like a year or more, that means you can not control it and you are still addicted. The first thing you have to do to control gambling addiction is to stop gambling.

[freedomgo]

I was once addicted to gambling not in a very serious way, but I never really thought about quitting. That experience taught me a lot. It’s personal, and it made me realize that if I get careless again, I could end up regretting a major loss.

Gambling is called entertainment for a reason and that should be the goal when we do it.  Maybe if we’re no longer enjoying it, then that’s the moment we need to consider quitting.

As for me I still enjoy gambling, sometimes I lose control, but it hasn’t become a serious problem since I can still manage it. That’s why now, I set limits and I enjoy it within those boundaries.

[Davidvictorson]

But the paradox is that if you have the strength and conviction to stop gambling, anyone could come to the conclusion: "Why not just control it and that's it, without needing to quit gambling completely?".

Anyone who makes this comment has never been in the shoes of an addict. If the person has been, they'll know that once you are addicted to gambling or anything else controlling it is not a solution the safest and best solution is to completely quit it. You can only practice self control when you are not addicted to it. But once it becomes an addiction there is no other option than to quit it.

[mirakal]

Mostly, if you want to stop gambling, you don’t have to make it abrupt. Just do it one step at a time, by putting some limits into gambling exposure, and diverting some of your time into other entertaining activities that could make you forget gambling temporarily.

Otherwise, your decision to stop gambling quickly may even lead you to wanting gambling more. I’ve heard a lot of stories that gamblers just want to leave gambling finally, but when they hit a big win, eventually their minds instantly changed and continue gambling even more.

[Hispo]

If you want to control gambling, you should also be able to stop gambling. If you still do not know how to stop gambling for a long time like a year or more, that means you can not control it and you are still addicted. The first thing you have to do to control gambling addiction is to stop gambling.

That is the very why casinos do not opt for offering tools for gamblers to "regulate" their wager or restrict their deposits into their accounts, because if someone knows they are struggling with gambling problems the first step to take is getting time off online and out physical casinos completely, hence the existence of self-exclusion programs.
There are no greys in the issue of gambling problem in the eyes of casinos and in the eyes of law, either one is capable of gambling responsibly or one is not, it is a binary way to see the problem and even though it may not consider the personal willpower or psyche of each gambler, it is the right approach to take if one is dealing with millions of gamblers/bettors.

[Odusko]

If you want to control gambling, you should also be able to stop gambling. If you still do not know how to stop gambling for a long time like a year or more, that means you can not control it and you are still addicted. The first thing you have to do to control gambling addiction is to stop gambling.

Stopping and getting back could be a bit backfiring for some people, although you may be stronge enough to come out from the brake with a strong determinations to keep a distance and approach game with skeptical mindset, so for sure we should accept that not everyone can do that, some after a long time of brake, when they make a return, the turn out to become worst than how the left previously,, for me, creating a limit to follow and staying low key gambling is ok to reduce my losses and stress that come from that that could push me into addictions.

[Hazink]

Is it harder to control gambling or limit it without falling into excess than to stop gambling forever?

Why is the effective strategy not moderation but absolute abstinence?

Controlling something – the pattern in which you can do it – is all based on the individual. If you have tried one way and it's not working, try the other way.

If trying to control it can't help your addiction, then total abstaining from it will be the best advice. Since you can't control it, forgetting about that which you can't control is the only way because once you are in contact, you can lose focus.

And while they advise you to totally abstain from it, it is for the addicted gambler to watch his history and activities from afar and see what really was the problem, and if after a long absence they can now control it, the person can go back to gambling, but if they can't, then staying off gambling will still remain the best remedy.

[Shinpako09]

I’ve tried many times to stop. I did, but if I’m not mistaken, it lasted just a little over a year before I gambled again. Then I stopped for a few months, only to start again. Since I can’t completely cut it off, what I do now is limit myself. If I can limit my deposits and set lower goals, I can also reduce the time I spend playing online. So far, I’m doing well because I can control myself now.

But I think the past few months were the worst. Even though I’ve lost more in the past compared to past few months, I feel like I’ve been more addicted lately, more emotionally invested, even with smaller losses. That’s when I realized this isn’t good. I was getting in too deep. So I pushed myself harder to regain control, and so far, it’s working, and it’s all been worth it.

[SmartGold01]

There are still ways to control oneself in gambling or while gambling, addiction is a very bad issues that needs to tackle while gambling to avoid further damages and lose, mostly sees themselves as Pro in gambling forgetton that gambling doesn't work that. As a gambler it's good to allocate specific funds for gambling and it could be for a year or months and even days depending on your payment structure.
This all these are introduced it would help you gamble responsibly and you should be having target and period to gamble as well.

[EluguHcman]

Why not just control it and that's it, without needing to quit gambling completely?".

Which brings us to this questions:

For me specially I would assume such approaching to be misleading.
Two things are sighted in this scenario which is either such person (s) asking you not to stop but only control yourself and you will be good has not experienced gambling addiction before or does not understand the behavioral influence because if he/she does, would even appreciate that your decision of quitting entirely because controlling yourself as long you are on the table can be tempting once that habit of unconscious is in you.

Second could mean that such person (s) does not think good of you and not happy that you are out of the game after being addicted. So they just want to see your life and your bankrolls ruined over gambling.

[yahoo62278]

Most people that experience an addiction to something will try to distance themselves completely from the activity so as they do not fall back into the same habits. They know that 1 bet might drag them back into the life and they wanted out of that life for a reason. So IMO there is no controlling it if they get that far gone, best to just avoid and find other ways to use your time.

[maydna]

Both are hard because stop gambling forever means you will never touch gambling anymore. While control gambling or limit it means you need to control yourself from the wanting to playing gambling like before.

It need more power to control yourself and avoid the temptation from gambling. That will not for many people who can do that because many of them are fall to gambling again.

If you really want to control gambling or limit it, you must really serious with that. That is for your own good and not for others so you need to aware of the temptation and others. Gambling can make you back but with control over yourself, you will not playing gambling too often.

[DubemIfedigbo001]

If someone has already accepted their gambling addiction and managed to stop gambling, it is synonymous with willpower.

Yeah, surely you don't stop gambling by accident or lack of funds, it's all a testimony of your determination.

But the paradox is that if you have the strength and conviction to stop gambling, anyone could come to the conclusion: "Why not just control it and that's it, without needing to quit gambling completely?".

At the point that addiction has become the case, you need to take some time off to let off some steam, you can return later and practice controlling it, but at least momentarily, you need to quit.

Which brings us to this questions:

Is it harder to control gambling or limit it without falling into excess than to stop gambling forever?

If you have started off practicing some level of control, then you can continue amending your control strategies to ensure you end up gambling very responsibly with a reduced possibility of addiction, but if you are already addicted, chances of achieving an effective control strategy with an already messy state is slim, that is why you need some time off, not necessarily forever, few years off the casino is enough to heal and on returning, you can set principles which you would follow strictly to prevent a repeat of the former.

Why is the effective strategy not moderation but absolute abstinence?

Some time off is always good, especially when things are getting out of hand. Most gamblers who claim to be gone forever always returns after a few years. I am one of them.

[GreatArkansas]

I think it's much harder to control gambling than to stop it completely.
Because when you try to control it, you're still close to the danger, and it's easy to fall back.

But if you quit fully, you build a wall between you and the problem. That's why for many people, quitting all the way is the safest and strongest choice.

[Fundamentals Of]

Because it is obviously easier to avoid temptation if you completely avoid that which is tempting. If you keep on staying in front of that which is tempting, it must be much more challenging to keep yourself from being tempted. It might just be a matter of time before you will give in to the urge.

This is definitely the same with gambling. If you avoid it altogether, it is easier to stay away from becoming addicted. If you keep on gambling, it is more likely that you will give in to betting beyond the limit that you set.

[romero121]

To control gambling or to have self-control with gambling is pretty easy, but the difficulty increases when you've won big and all of a sudden you don't have anything left. This is where the mind gives hope of winning and the pain of losing. Both are contradictory, but you need the balance sheet to be neutral. This won't happen, and we run to make it happen. This is where the addiction turns stronger. The first day we try with $100 and we win, and the second day the mind thinks, Why don't we go with $200? And here also it wins. When the practice continues and some day you lose a small part, your mind won't accept it. By the time we just go for the small loss, we wager to recover those losses and end up losing. Later this becomes a daily routine, and at some point the reality will be understood. This is when one could've experienced a big loss. Some end up never gambling, and some find themselves good with the financial part and give a restart.

[viljy]

It is easier to completely give up gambling. This is the only way for drug addiction, alcoholism, or smoking. However, gambling is very different from these addictions in that it is amenable to volitional control (because the brain is not clouded by chemicals and there is no physical dependence). Therefore, you can continue to gamble, although it will be difficult because it will require constant monitoring. This will require strong-willed self-restraint, for example, when you want to violate your own bankroll management rules.