Pathological gambling is part of behavioral addictions; subjects who present it feel an irrational need to engage in gambling. It is important to provide support to these people, beyond the psychotherapy sessions, with the intention that they can regain control of their actions.

In this article we will see several tips on how to help a person with pathological gambling , taking into account that in most cases the symptoms of addictions do not disappear completely, but they can be controlled so that those who present them have a good quality of life.

What is gambling?

To understand how to help a person with pathological gambling, it is necessary to know what this psychological disorder consists of. It is a behavioural addiction in which the person loses control of his acts, and has an irrepressible need to participate in any type of game of chance or to place bets.

In these cases it is not a matter of a behavior motivated by the consumption of some addictive substance; what happens is that the subject’s natural system of rewards is altered in such a way that by participating in any playful activity of chance he feels an irrational gratification that leads him to want to go through that experience more times.

The fact of participating in the game, and the anticipation of this feeling, generates a need so powerful that a great deal of time and resources are invested in satisfying it. The pleasure increases when the subject wins something in the game or in the bets , making him start to justify the fact of participating more in those activities.

As in all cases of addiction, it is difficult for the subject to notice for himself that he has a problem and needs help . Generally, before seeking or accepting psychological assistance, a profoundly harmful experience must occur in which the person feels that he has hit rock bottom and cannot continue to maintain his lifestyle.

Tips to help a gambler

In the following list of tips we will review some strategic tools to help a person with gambling, useful for friends and family of those who go through this behavioral disorder linked to addictions.

1. Accompany him to therapy

Psychological therapy has good results in the subject of behavioural addictions , and if the subject attends in the company of a person who is interested in his improvement the process can be much faster and more effective, taking into account that the patient will feel in a context of greater security from the beginning.

One of the therapies that gives best results regarding the subject of pathological gambling is cognitive-behavioral therapy, which seeks to change the subject’s maladaptive thoughts and replace them with adaptive ones, and to do the same with their behavior patterns when interacting with the environment.

On the other hand, the previous step of convincing the person that he or she needs to go to psychotherapy sessions is also very important; for this, it is necessary to recommend and inform about the advantages of assistance by professionals . If the psychologist is not consulted, the chances of recovery are minimal.

2. Assume you have a problem

Another first step in providing help to someone with a gambling addiction is to understand that the person has a problem and is not being rational in his actions, especially when it comes to activities involving gambling, betting and money management.

Understanding will be important to put ourselves in that person’s place and feel their frustration in an empathetic way, without making value judgments that will only make them feel worse than they probably already do thanks to their lack of control over their life.

3. Ask questions without judging

A good way to help the subject to let off steam is to ask him questions about his feelings and his situation with regard to the game , but without making him feel like a bad person or an irresponsible one. The idea is that he can come to the conclusion that getting help could improve his quality of life.

Furthermore, asking will help us to obtain detailed information about the personal reasons why the subject seeks refuge in gambling or betting; it is important to note that not all gamblers present their addiction in the same way.

4. Make him relate the game to his problems

As we have read before, it is complicated for a person with pathological gambling to be rational and relate his behavior to problems in other areas of his life. What we must do is give clear and daily examples where gambling is the main responsible for his bad times and his moments of discomfort or economic problems.

For example, quote him anecdotes of moments that have been unpleasant for him and where his gambling behaviour has been the cause of his ills, making him see that if he starts to avoid gambling, his problems will start to diminish in the mass in the very short term . It is important to emphasize the latter: overcoming addiction must be based on concrete and easily recognizable motivations right after embracing a healthier and more adaptive lifestyle.

5. Give him information about his addiction

The more information a person has about what is affecting him or her, the more likely it is that he or she will choose to let go of what is hurting him or her. It is important to provide this information in an appropriate way, without making the subject feel like a sick person to whom we are giving a cure.

What we are looking for is to make the person understand the most fundamental aspects of their addiction, so that they can understand more clearly why some of their behaviors occur, and be willing to seek the necessary solutions. In the case that pathological gambling arises along with other addictions , which is very common, it is also necessary to inform about the adverse effects of these substances, and about the possible solutions given by mental health professionals.

6. Help him to find new interests

This implies changing the focus of the subject’s attention, so that he does not feel that his only objective is to abandon the game in a forced or necessary way, but that he is motivated to achieve new things for himself, so that he can feel gratified without the need to constantly play or bet .

For example, help him find new hobbies that don’t involve gambling, such as reading or movies, among others. We can also find out if the person is interested in taking courses or other studies, and encourage them to do so.

Bibliographic references:

  • American Psychiatric Association (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Publishing.
  • Black, D.; Shaw, M. (2008). Psychiatric Comorbidity Associated With Pathological Gambling. Psychiatric Times. 25 (12).