Gambling Addiction

This is one game you will not beat on your own.

Do you have a Gambling Addiction?

Person gambling at a casino

The definition of the word “gamble” is “take risky action in the hope of a desired result”. Gambling is wishful thinking, expectation, hope and a lot of luck. Addictive gamblers only remember their wins and will do anything to get back that feeling of euphoria just like a drug addict craves his fix. The odds are always stacked against a gambler, the more they lose, the more panicky they feel and gamble more to re-coup their losses. All common sense and rationale disappear as they become more and more obsessed, stakes become higher and higher as the desperation to win becomes overwhelming.

One MORE win and I’ll quit and walk away……

Adrenalin pumping, palms getting sweaty, heart rate faster, excitement growing….the gamble or bet is made, the addictive rush is as powerful as any illegal drug, expectation is sky high, yes, I’ve won, euphoria kicks in! All the nice things I could buy, but hey, how about if I chance this lucky streak and double or triple my money, what could I buy then?

Just one more win and I’ll quit and walk away……

When you finally walk away from losing, stomach churning, the realisation that you could not stop, you have lost it all. Gambling is in control of you, the feeling of powerlessness and guilt sinks deeper into your core of despair.

Sound familiar?

Gambling becomes an addiction, when you feel compelled to continue, irrespective of the odds and it is now no longer enjoyable. As you gamble more than you can afford, the gambling “fix” becomes more than an obsession, it becomes a craving, a craving you cannot satisfy. Eventually the craving will cost you your home, your friends and family, your job…..everything.

No pills or potions are available to cure gambling – not even to help reduce the severity of the gambling craving.

I will, in treatment, help you to remove these cravings, to retrain your neuro pathways to think differently. Your subconscious mind will learn new positive behaviours and make lasting changes. You will subconsciously change and modify into your new behaviour and leave that world of misery, false hope and desperation behind you.

Rapid change will happen and I will equip you with all the tools and techniques for you to regain and rebuild your life, free of this devastating addiction. Gambling will be something you used to do, you will not miss it and you will look back with new insight and learning. I will empower you so that relapse to this parasitic addiction, which steals everything you have, will never be an option again.

Anxious man in a meeting

Conventional 12-Step
Treatment programmes

In conventional 12-step treatment programmes you are taught that you will always be an alcoholic, and that you will be in an ongoing battle against relapse. 
How does a person become “relapse proof” and not live in constant fear of relapse?

Weakness of a 12 Step Programme

When a person conquers an addiction, they need to be something other than an “addict in recovery” for the rest of their life. The major weakness of 12-step programmes is that they actually force you to keep the “addict” or “alcoholic” identity for life. Seeing oneself as powerless is a mind-bogglingly misguided concept. This belief is exactly the opposite of what the mind needs to end a habit, addiction or compulsive behaviour.

Addict for life?

Are you an addict for life? Calling yourself an alcoholic is a constant reinforcement of your weakness. I believe that the repetition of the statement increases one’s susceptibility to relapse.

When somebody says, “I’m John and I am an alcoholic”, it forces his mind to find all of the weakness and fear involved in identifying himself as an “addict.” The repetition over the years reinforces this belief. The negative memories and connections in his brain are constantly ignited by the repetition.

My Techniques

I use techniques that are specifically created to change the triggers in the brain, stop self-sabotage issues, release trauma and redirect the neural networks in the brain. When applying these same processes to clients who need alcohol addiction help, their addictive behaviours frequently stop and their fear of relapse disappears.

Why wait to reach rock bottom?

You don’t have to lose everything and everybody in pursuit of a false dream

– Stuart Downing
Gambling with cards
ACT NOW – Take Back Control of your Life!
– Stuart Downing