Fold em: Help for Gambling Problems

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!

As you get pulled into gambling, your thinking changes. Your mind finds ways of convincing you to keep gambling, even when there are signs to stop. To an outsider, ideas such as "a win is just around the corner" or "I have a system that's guaranteed to win" seem irrational. But when you're in it, it feels real and true.

In this episode, I'm joined by John Woods. After struggling with gambling for over thirty years, he placed his last bet in January 2017 and went on to write a book called Gambling Addiction Explained: How to Stop Gambling and Regain Control of Your Life.

Listen in and learn about:

• Five common mind traps of problem gambling
• How to recognize and resist gambling's mind traps
• Why seeking help and guidance can free your mind from problem gambling

To find out more about problem gambling's mind traps, read the blog for this episode at www.problemgamblinghelp.ca. You can also download John's free report on Mind Traps at www.gamblingaddictionexplained.com. Purchase his book Gambling Addiction Explained on Amazon or through his website.

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.

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.

Experiencing grief and loss is hard enough. But, when grief leads to gambling problems, it gets harder.

Grief (like other big stressors) can create risk for gambling getting out of control. It can also set the stage for a relapse if you previously stopped gambling.

In this episode of Fold em, we hear from Sam about her experiences with grief and problem gambling and what has helped her with both issues. Heidi Furrer, a counsellor with Gambling Support BC who facilitates a workshop on grief and gambling, offers ideas for getting on solid footing again.

Listen to episode 77 and hear about:

• Why grief and loss can trigger gambling problems
• How to cope with both grief and problem gambling
• The benefits of continuing to stay connected to a loved one who has died

To learn more, read the blog for this episode at www.gamblingproblemhelp.ca. Inspiration for this episode came from Lorraine Hedtke's work on Re-membering Practices. Find out more at www.rememberingpractices.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.

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 in Recovery

The Broke Girl Society

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.

One of the most distressing effects of problem gambling is the way is breaks down trust in relationships. In this episode, we offer guidance on how to rebuild that trust- emotionally and financially.

You hear from Regina, who brings much experience on this topic. Seven years into her marriage, Regina's husband revealed he had a gambling addiction. She shares how they rebuilt emotional and financial trust. Regina has also been an active member of Gam-Anon for 48 years and shares what she and others have learned and guidance that is offered in meetings and through their literature. Spouses, parents and family as well as those who have had a gambling problem will all find this episode helpful.

Listen now to episode 76 and learn:

• How to rebuild emotional and financial trust in relationships impacted by gambling
• What to do if the person you care about isn't ready to stop gambling or get help
• How spouses and family can decrease their own guilt and anxiety as well as learn to trust themselves again

If you would like to learn more about rebuilding trust, read the blog for this episode at www.gamblingproblemhelp.ca. You can purchase Gam-Anon's literature at www.gam-anon.org or find an e-format on Amazon.

Gam-Anon meetings are available in person and virtually throughout the world. Visit their meeting directory at www.gam-anon.org.

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. Our outreach and counselling services are available to anyone struggling with their own or a loved one's gambling.

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.

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

If you would like 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.

In this episode, you hear from someone whose career has focused on better understanding gambling problems. Dr. Marc Potenza is a psychiatrist and professor at Yale University and Director of the Centre of Excellence in Gambling Research.

Since he's very familiar with the research on gambling addiction, I asked him questions that I commonly hear in the counselling room and from listeners.

Listen in and hear about:

• Why is it that some people become compulsive gamblers and others don't?
• What's happening in the brain when gambling gets out of control?
• Are there medications that can help with cravings?
• Does treatment work?

We cover a lot of ground in this conversation, so if you would like to read a summary, visit the blog 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.

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.

When you gamble, it affects your brain and body. It's common to experience an urge to gamble. This involves thinking a lot about gambling or winning, having a strong desire to gamble, and feeling restless, anxious, excited and/or irritable. Urges can also continue after you stop gambling and create risk for relapse.

In this episode of Fold em, we return to the topic of urges. This time, with a focus on what brain science tells us about urges and how to handle them. I'm joined again by the team from Brain Connections - Dr. Iris Balodis from the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences at McMaster University and Deirdre Querney, MSW, a counsellor specializing in gambling problems for the past twenty three years. Brain Connections is an online resource about gambling addiction and the brain.

Listen to episode 74 and hear about:

• How to recognize triggers and urges
• What is going on in the brain with gambling urges
• What to THINK and DO when experiencing urges to gamble

To read a summary of this episode, visit the blog at www.gamblingproblemhelp.ca. You can also learn more about urges at www.brainconnections.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.

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

If you would like 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.

You may have heard this before ... gambling problems lead to isolation and the way forward is through connection. Maybe you're thinking, "That sounds nice, but connection is not on my agenda because I'm working all the time to pay off debt and the people in my life don't trust me." Well hang in with us, keep an open mind, and listen to this episode.

Bryce reflects upon the past three years since his last bet. He shares about how attending a residential treatment program was an important turning point for him and how the friendships made there have been crucial to his recovery. You also hear him talk about making amends with his wife and family and the bumpy road of re-building trust. And, what has helped him to let go of the heavy guilt and regret due to gambling.

Whether you are a gambler or have someone in your life with a gambling problem, you'll find inspiration in this conversation.

Listen to hear about:

• What helped Bryce to stay away from gambling for more than three years
• How he has been reconnecting with his wife and family and rebuilding trust
• Tips for letting go of guilt and regret arising from problem gambling

If you would like to read a summary of this episode, go to the blog at www.gamblingproblemhelp.ca. To hear an earlier conversation with Bryce when he was eleven months away from his last bet, listen to episode 19 of Fold em.

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.

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

If you would like 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.