Self-help tips for problem gamblers
Do:
- manage your money; pay important bills on payday before you gamble, set a time limit and a budget
- spend more time with family and friends who do not gamble
- deal with your debts rather than ignoring them – visit the National Debtline for tips
- find a hobby; if you find yourself gambling to escape from something else, try focus your mind on other activities
Don't:
- view gambling as a way to make money – try to see it as entertainment instead
- bottle up your worries about your gambling – talk to someone
- take credit cards with you when you go gambling
- chase your losses
- gamble when depressed or upset; decision-making can be more difficult
- drink or use drugs when gambling; drugs and alcohol cloud judgment, and good judgment stands as your main line of defence against letting gambling get out of control
For more self-help tips, see the Royal College of Psychiatrists website.