When gambling gets out of control it is a challenging and deeply isolating struggle.  However, it is absolutely possible to get through this with shifting your mindset and accessing support and tools.  One of the most crucial steps in overcoming this challenge is acceptance - acknowledging the realities of your situation and taking responsibility for change. 

In this episode of Fold em, we provide practical tips and an inspiring personal story about how acceptance can help you get unstuck from problem gambling.

You get to benefit from the experience and wisdom of two guests.  Jen Gregg has been a counsellor with Gambling Support BC for more than twenty years and has great insight into what is needed to overcome gambling problems.  She's joined by Adam, a former poker player, who knows first hand how gambling can get out of hand when you least expect it to happen to you.  He tells us about the bumpy road of fully accepting he had a gambling problem and how he was able to rebuild his life after being honest with himself and others. 

Listen now and hear:

• That it's common to be struggling with gambling, and despite this, not want to let it go
• That facing the facts about your gambling is a crucial steps towards changing it
• Practical tips for getting unstuck from gambling problems through acceptance

To read a summary of this episode, visit the blog for episode 88 at www.problemgamblinghelp.ca.

If you live in British Columbia and would like help for gambling concerns, reach out to our free, confidential counselling and outreach services.  Connect with us online at Gambling Support BC or call 1-888-795-6111.

To connect with gambling problem help outside of British Columbia:

Canada:  click here

United States:  National Council on Problem Gambling

United Kingdom:  GamCare

Australia:  Gamblers' Help

If you live outside of these areas, search online for "Gambling Problem Help" in your country.

To connect with online groups and supports, here's some options:

Gamblers Anonymous

Gam-Anon

GamTalk (online chat forum)

Recovery Road Online

Gamblers, Families and Friends in Recovery

The Broke Girl Society

Reach out to us at Fold em through Facebook or Instagram. Find us at Foldem Podcast.  You can also send us an email to [email protected].  We welcome feedback and topics for upcoming episodes.

Fold em is funded by Gambling Support BC.

With easy access to sports betting, many people are finding it has become a daily habit.  Over time, it can take up more time, focus and money and stall your life.  

In this episode of Fold em, hear from James, a passionate traveller and podcaster, who was swept into this world but has since reclaimed his life.   We delve into the impact of sports betting on him, his decision to step back from it, and how he has rediscovered other passions.

Listen to episode 87 and hear about:

• Taking an honest look at the time, energy and money going into sports betting
• Strategies for pulling back
• What to say to friends, when you decrease or stop betting
• How to handle free time and boredom when you're gambling less

To read a summary of this episode, go to the blog for episode 87 at www.problemgamblinghelp.ca.  Reach out to James at the Winging it Travel Podcast.

If you live in British Columbia and would like help for gambling concerns, reach out to our free, confidential counselling and outreach services.  Connect with us online at Gambling Support BC or call 1-888-795-6111.

To connect with gambling problem help outside of British Columbia:

Canada:  click here

United States:  National Council on Problem Gambling

United Kingdom:  GamCare

Australia:  Gamblers' Help

If you live outside of these areas, search online for "Gambling Problem Help" in your country.

To connect with online groups and supports, here's some options:

Gamblers Anonymous

Gam-Anon

GamTalk (online chat forum)

Recovery Road Online

Gamblers, Families and Friends in Recovery

The Broke Girl Society

Reach out to us at Fold em through Facebook or Instagram. Find us at Foldem Podcast.  You can also send us an email to [email protected].  We welcome feedback and topics for upcoming episodes.

Fold em is funded by Gambling Support BC.

In this insightful episode, Regina, a seasoned member of Gam-Anon with nearly 50 years of experience, discusses three vital themes for those impacted by a loved one's gambling problem.  Regina talks about the difference between support and enabling, and how to detach with love.  She also helps listeners recognize common emotional games that show up with gambling problems.

Listen to episode 86 and learn:

• How gambling problems impact those closest to the gambler
• How to support rather than enable
• How to pull away from the emotional games that come up in relationships impacted by gambling problems
• How to keep yourself grounded, even if the gambler isn't ready to stop

To read a summary of this episode, go to the blog at www.gamblingproblemhelp.ca.  You can also learn more from reading the literature written by members of Gam-Anon.  It is available in print or e-book format and can be purchased on the Gam-Anon website or through Amazon.  

If you live in British Columbia and would like help for gambling concerns, reach out to our free, confidential counselling and outreach services.  Connect with us online at Gambling Support BC or call 1-888-795-6111.

To connect with gambling problem help outside of British Columbia:

Canada:  click here

United States:  National Council on Problem Gambling

United Kingdom:  GamCare

Australia:  Gamblers' Help

If you live outside of these areas, search online for "Gambling Problem Help" in your country.

To connect with online groups and supports, here's some options:

Gamblers Anonymous

Gam-Anon

GamTalk (online chat forum)

Recovery Road Online

Gamblers, Families and Friends in Recovery

The Broke Girl Society

Reach out to us at Fold em through Facebook or Instagram.  Find us at Foldem Podcast.  You can send us an email to [email protected].  We welcome feedback and topics for upcoming episodes.

Fold em is funded by Gambling Support BC.

Has gambling got you down?  You're not the only one.  Tune in to this episode and learn what you can do about it.  

Hear from Chris about how gambling was the norm with his group of friends during their twenties.  When he started online gambling, it became more and more consuming.  He started gambling by himself, the bets came faster, and he gambled for longer periods of time.  

Chris talks about the bumpy road of stopping gambling.  He had been able to stop drinking and drugs cold turkey and on his own.  This didn't work with gambling.  He shares what helped him to stop and turn his life around.  Chris brings a lot of wisdom to this conversation - from his four years of being bet free, as a long-time participant and host of online meetings, and from doing his own research and studies on addiction and the brain.

Listen now and learn:

• Why gambling gets out of control
• What helped Chris to pull back from gambling and stay away
• How to connect with Chris and others who understand gambling problems and are willing to help

To read a summary of this episode, go to the blog at www.gamblingproblemhelp.ca.

Chris says he has connected with many compulsive gamblers around the world via email.  He shared his email address for anyone who would like to write him - [email protected]

If you live in British Columbia and would like help for gambling concerns, reach out to our free, confidential counselling and outreach services.  Connect with us online at Gambling Support BC or call 1-888-795-6111.

To connect with gambling problem help outside of British Columbia:

Canada:  click here

United States:  National Council on Problem Gambling

United Kingdom:  GamCare

Australia:  Gamblers' Help

If you live outside of these areas, search online for "Gambling Problem Help" in your country.

To connect with online groups and supports, here's some options:

Gamblers Anonymous

Gam-Anon

GamTalk (online chat forum)

Recovery Road Online

Gamblers, Families and Friends in Recovery

The Broke Girl Society

To connect with Fold em through Facebook or Instagram, find us at Foldem Podcast.  You can also reach out through [email protected].  We welcome feedback and topics for upcoming episodes.

Fold em is funded by Gambling Support BC.

With cigarettes and alcohol, we take steps to protect those who use these products AND society in general from related harms.  For example, there are age requirements to buy alcohol.  We also see images and warnings of disease caused by smoking on a pack of cigarettes.

Many say that more needs to be done to limit gambling-related harms, particularly for people who are most vulnerable to this.

In this episode, you get to hear from Dr. Nigel Turner, a Scientist with the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health and the University of Toronto.  He has a talent for speaking in a really simple, clear and engaging way about gambling issues.  It's a great interview.

Listen now to hear about:

• What do we know about gambling harms? Who is most vulnerable?
• To protect myself from gambling harms, what do I need to know about the house edge and gambling odds?
• What is being done around the world to reduce gambling harms?
• What more could be done by the gambling industry, public health and individual gamblers to reduce gambling harms?

To read a summary of this episode, visit the blog for episode 84 at www.gamblingproblemhelp.ca  You can also read the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health's recent Gambling Policy Framework.

If you live in British Columbia and would like help for gambling concerns, reach out to our free, confidential counselling and outreach services.  Connect with us online at Gambling Support BC or call 1-888-795-6111.

To connect with gambling problem help outside of British Columbia:

Canada:  click here

United States:  National Council on Problem Gambling

United Kingdom:  GamCare

Australia:  Gamblers' Help

If you live outside of these areas, search online for "Gambling Problem Help" in your country

To connect with online groups and supports, here's some options:

Gamblers Anonymous

Gam-Anon

GamTalk (online chat forum)

Recovery Road Online

Gamblers, Families and Friends in Recovery

The Broke Girl Society

Reach out to us through Facebook or Instagram  Find us at Foldem Podcast.  You can also email at [email protected].  We welcome feedback and topics for upcoming episodes.

Fold em is funded by Gambling Support BC.

Hear a personal story of working through the Twelve Steps of Recovery and how it helped Georgete break free of a recurring and destructive gambling problem.  Learn what's involved with each step and how you can access this recovery program.  

Georgete shares how working through the Twelve Steps with a sponsor and attending online meetings through Recovery Road Online helped her to reach one year gambling free.  She shares how the Twelve Steps taught her important skills for living a better life.

Listen now and get answers to these questions:

• What are the Twelve Steps?  How can this program help someone who has struggled with gambling?
• What's involved with each of the Twelve Steps?
• Will working through the Twelve Steps benefit me if I'm unsure about connecting with a Higher Power?

Share this episode with someone who will find it helpful.  Our hope at Fold em is to help people struggling with gambling to connect with support.

If you live in British Columbia and would like help for gambling concerns, reach out to our free, confidential counselling and outreach services.  Connect with us online at Gambling Support BC or call 1-888-795-6111.

To connect with gambling problem help outside of British Columbia:

Canada:  click here

United States:  National Council on Problem Gambling

United Kingdom:  GamCare

Australia:  Gamblers' Help

If you live outside of these areas, search online for "Gambling Problem Help" in your country.

 To connect with a Twelve Step Recovery program, here's some options:

Gamblers Anonymous

Gam-Anon

Recovery Road Online

Gamblers, Families and Friends in Recovery

To connect with other supports for gambling problems, here's more options:

The Broke Girl Society

 GamTalk

SMART Recovery

To read a summary of this podcast, check out the blog at www.problemgamblinghelp.ca

Fold em is funded by Gambling Support BC.

To connect with Fold em through Facebook or Instagram, find us at Foldem Podcast.  You can also email us at [email protected].  We welcome feedback and topics for upcoming episodes.

It can be done.  You can admit to yourself and others that gambling is causing problems for you.  You can stop gambling, deal with the financial impact, and rebuild trust with important people.  You can also put things in place to prevent a relapse.  Laura joins us in this episode and shares how she did all of this.

Listen to episode 82 and hear about:

• Why it can be hard to admit to yourself that your gambling is out of control
• Laura's story of getting help, facing hard stuff, and getting through it
• How Laura stopped gambling and has stayed away for more than year

Laura dedicates this episode to her doctor, Catherine Textor - "An amazing human who showed me compassion and zero judgment and provided a safe place to admit I needed help."

To read a summary of this episode, visit the blog at gamblingproblemhelp.ca

If you live in British Columbia and would like help for gambling concerns, reach out to our free, confidential counselling and outreach services.  Connect with us online at Gambling Support BC or call 1-888-795-6111.

To connect with gambling problem help outside of British Columbia:

Canada:  click here

United States:  National Council on Problem Gambling

United Kingdom:  GamCare

Australia:  Gamblers' Help

If you live outside of these areas, search online for "Gambling Problem Help" in your country.

To connect with online groups and supports, here's some options:

Gamblers Anonymous

Gam-Anon

GamTalk (online chat forum)

Recovery Road Online

Gamblers, Families and Friends in Recovery

The Broke Girl Society

To connect with Fold em through Facebook or Instagram, find us at Foldem Podcast.  You can also reach out through [email protected].  We welcome feedback and topics for upcoming episodes.

Fold em is funded by Gambling Support BC.

If you live with chronic pain and gamble, you're more at risk for developing a gambling problem.  If you've had a gambling problem and live with chronic pain and/or health conditions, it's important to get help for both issues to prevent a relapse.

In this episode of Fold em, hear Patty's personal story.  She tells us that when she was gambling, both physical pain as well as stress and worry decreased.  However, over time as gambling got out of control, it made life much more difficult for her.  Patty shares how recovery provided her with the patience and support needed to steadily pursue treatment for her health conditions.  And, although these haven't gone away, she's feeling much better.

You also hear from Kuldip Gill, a Registered Clinical Counsellor in Vancouver who is a clinician with Gambling Support BC.  She explains why chronic pain creates risk for gambling addiction and offers guidance on how to address both pain and gambling issues successfully.

Listen to episode 81 and hear:

• Why it is important to be cautious if you gamble and experience chronic pain or health issues
• A personal story of stopping gambling and getting help for pain and health issues
• How to help yourself feel better as you pull back from gambling

If you want to learn more, read the blog for this episode at www.problemgamblinghelp.ca

To connect with Fold em through Facebook or Instagram, find us at Foldem Podcast.  You can also reach out through [email protected].  We welcome feedback and topics for upcoming episodes.

 If you live in British Columbia and would like help for gambling concerns, reach out to our free, confidential counselling and outreach services.  Connect with us online at Gambling Support BC or call 1-888-795-6111.

To connect with gambling problem help outside of British Columbia:

Canada:  click here

United States:  National Council on Problem Gambling

United Kingdom:  GamCare

Australia:  Gamblers' Help

If you live outside of these areas, search online for "Gambling Problem Help" in your country.

 To connect with online groups and supports, here's some options:

Gamblers Anonymous

Gam-Anon

GamTalk (online chat forum)

Recovery Road Online

Gamblers, Families and Friends in Recovery

The Broke Girl Society

Fold em is funded by Gambling Support BC.

Many people deal with gambling problems on their own.  They think, "I'm not as bad as others.  I can fix this."  For some, they just want to move on and avoid or delay getting help.  Others can't stop thinking about the harms gambling has brought into their life, but feel too embarrassed to open up about it. 

This is our 80th episode of Fold em: Help for Gambling Problems.  The one suggestion we've heard from every guest is - don't deal with it on your own.  Open up and connect with people who know about gambling issues.

In this episode, we tell you how easy it is to get help, support and guidance from people who have been through it.  You hear from Frank, with Gamblers, Family and Friends in Recovery (GFFR) - an international notice board for people seeking recovery from a gambling problem.  You also hear from Bruce with Recovery Road Online (RRO) - an online fellowship that aims to connect individuals struggling with gambling with others in recovery. 

You'll learn how to find hundreds of meetings each week from around the world as well as a library of recorded speakers.  There's also help for spouses, family and friends.  Check out RRO and GFFR!

Listen to episode 80 and hear:

• What you will find at Recovery Road Online and Gamblers, Family and Friends in Recovery
• The variety of meetings available and how to access these
• How online meetings can help you

If you would like to learn more about RRO and GFFR as well as other online resources for gambling issues, read the blog for this episode at www.gamblingproblemhelp.ca.

If you live in British Columbia and would like help for gambling concerns, reach out to our free, confidential counselling and outreach services.  Connect with us online at Gambling Support BC or call 1-888-795-6111.

To connect with gambling problem help outside of British Columbia:

Canada:  click here

United States:  National Council on Problem Gambling

United Kingdom:  GamCare

Australia:  Gamblers' Help

If you live outside of these areas, search online for "Gambling Problem Help" in your country.

To connect with online groups and supports, here's some options:

Gamblers Anonymous

Gam-Anon

GamTalk (online chat forum)

Recovery Road Online

Gamblers, Families and Friends in Recovery

The Broke Girl Society

To connect with Fold em through Facebook or Instagram, find us at Foldem Podcast.  You can also reach out through [email protected].  We welcome feedback and topics for upcoming episodes.

Fold em is funded by Gambling Support BC.

Making changes isn't easy.  When gambling gets out of control, change is often more challenging.  It can be hard to get to that place where you're ready to pull back from gambling.  When you do stop, there are so many other issues to address (finances, relationships, your health) that it can feel overwhelming.  It's not unusual to find that gambling hooks you in again.

In this episode, we offer guidance on how to get a good start with making whatever changes you want to tackle.  We'll offer tips for staying on track and handling setbacks.  You hear Shane tell his personal story about stopping gambling and getting his life in balance.  Dr. Taslim Alani-Verjee, a Clinical Psychologist from Toronto, shares practical suggestions for being successful with change.

Listen to episode 79 to hear:

• A personal story of taking action to stop gambling and get life back in balance
• Strategies for getting a good start when making changes for yourself
• How to avoid setbacks and get back on track when they happen

To read a summary of this episode, go to the blog at www.gamblingproblemhelp.ca.  To hear an earlier conversation with Shane about preventing relapse, listen to episode 69 (Sept 22, 2023).  To connect with Dr. Taslim Alani-Verjee, visit her website at drtaslim.com.

If you live in British Columbia and would like help for gambling concerns, reach out to our free, confidential counselling and outreach services.  Connect with us online at Gambling Support BC or call 1-888-795-6111.

If you would like to connect with online groups and supports, here's some options:

Gamblers Anonymous

Gam-Anon

GamTalk (online chat forum)

Recovery Road Online

Gamblers in Recovery

The Broke Girl Society

To connect with Fold em through Facebook or Instagram, find us at Foldem Podcast.  You can also reach out through [email protected].  We welcome feedback and topics for upcoming episodes.

Fold em is funded by Gambling Support BC.

Thanks for listening!