Life after gambling, and the hole it leaves
Flat, bored and wondering what the point is, months in. That is the stimulation gap, and it has to be filled deliberately rather than waited out.
Gambling debt: what to do first
Block first, then free advice, then pay the quiet debts before the loud ones. Rent and council tax come before the credit card that is emailing you.
Gamblers Anonymous, GamCare or the NHS clinic
Three different things behind three similar-sounding names. A 24 hour helpline, a fellowship you can walk into, and an NHS clinic with a catchment. What each one asks of you.
Loss chasing and the near miss
Two features of the products you use keep the session going: the almost-win, and the fact that nothing ever ends. Neither of them is a flaw in you.
You placed a bet. What now?
Close the session, protect what money is left, tell one person, and do not chase. NICE's own guidance says relapse does not indicate individual failure.
Your gambling triggers and danger zones
Gambling has a geography and a calendar. Map the hours, the places, the paydays and the feelings that come before a bet, then change the route rather than the resolve.
The first week without a bet
Restless, irritable and bored is the expected week, not a sign it is going badly. Fill the specific hours you used to bet in, and expect Saturday to be the hard one.
Telling someone about the money
Write the real total down before you open your mouth, pick one person, and say it in one sentence. The secret is doing more damage than the number is.
Self-exclusion, bank blocks and blockers, in order
Every layer that can stop a gambling transaction, the order to set them up, and the exact gap each one leaves. Gamstop, bank blocks, betting shops, software.
Getting through the urge to bet
Twenty minutes and three obstacles. Move the phone, ring someone, and put your money out of reach, in that order. You do not have to stop wanting it.
Is my gambling a problem?
The threshold clinicians use is four or more of nine questions inside twelve months. Here are the nine in plain English, and what each range actually points to.
How to stop gambling today
Register with Gamstop and switch on your bank's gambling block before you close this tab. Both take ten minutes. Then ring 0808 8020 133.