Fold em: Help for Gambling Problems

There are lots of options for free slots, poker and sports betting online. Seems innocent enough at first glance. However, there can be unexpected risks and costs of "free" online play, particularly if you've previously struggled with keeping gambling in check.

In this episode, hear from two people who continued to play free online gambling games after stopping gambling. They talk about their reasons for doing so, the challenges this created, and why they ultimately decided to stop.

Listen now and hear about:

• Why free online gambling games can be risky to play, particularly if gambling has previously created problems for you.
• How to figure out where to draw a line in the sand for yourself with free gambling games.
• What to do if free gambling games are taking up too much of your money and time and/or creating tension with your support people.

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

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.

When you've already taken those hard steps to pull back from gambling and face the fall out, you want to keep the momentum going, right? This is the final episode of four that provides guidance on how to stop gambling and stay on track long-term. In this one, we walk you through how to make a Recovery Plan for yourself. This plan outlines what is needed to keep gambling and other addictions out of your life and (most importantly) to keep growing the best version of yourself.

Our Recovery Plan has four parts, which were introduced in the previous three episodes. In the blog for this episode, we describe these four parts and provide questions to help you build your personal plan and keep revising it over time. Find the blog at www.problemgamblinghelp.ca.

Allison Rice, who works as a counsellor with Gambling Support BC and brings twenty years of experience with helping people overcome addiction, guides you through making a Recovery Plan. You also hear from Georgete, Shane and Abe who joined us in the previous three episodes.

Listen now and learn:

• How to put together your personal Recovery Plan
• Why having a personal Recovery Plan will make staying away from gambling easier
• That there is a path out from gambling problems

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.

There's an important step that often gets missed when stopping gambling. This involves asking someone who knows about gambling issues or addiction to help watch out for signs that you're at risk to gamble again. Why is this important? Because you may not be aware it's happening or will downplay it in your own mind.

This is our third of four episodes that focus on how to stop gambling and have it stick long-term. Hear how Abe got really honest with a friend about what triggers him to gamble. They have been working together to come up with plans to protect him from relapse. You also get guidance from Allison Rice who works as a counsellor with Gambling Support BC and brings twenty years of experience with helping people overcome addiction.

Listen now and learn about:

• Key ingredients for staying away from gambling for good
• The importance of having an accountability partner and how to arrange this for yourself
• Why having a personal recovery plan will make staying away from gambling easier

To read a summary of this episode, go to the blog 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.

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.

Want to make sure that you or a loved one doesn't get pulled back into a gambling problem? Then know what to watch out for. In this episode, learn about common and predictable ways that people get pulled into a relapse. And, how to identify signs that you are at risk to gamble again. Be prepared in order to protect yourself.

We hear from Shane who started gambling again after one year away. This led to him struggling with gambling for the next twelve years. He is now eight months gambling free and shares what he now knows and is doing differently to make it stick long-term.

We also hear from Allison Rice, who works as a counsellor with Gambling Support BC and brings twenty years of experience with helping people overcome addiction.

Listen now to episode 69 and learn about:

• Common and predictable ways people get pulled back into gambling again after deciding to stop
• How to identify the particular signs that you are vulnerable to relapse
• How to notice all the tricky thoughts that keep you hooked into gambling, even after you stop

To read a summary of this episode, go to the blog 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.

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.

What does it take to stop gambling and stay stopped? We're answering this question for you over the next four episodes. In this first one, we focus on the importance of being honest with yourself about the impact of gambling - on you and your life, as well as on those around you. If what you have been doing to address a gambling problem hasn't been working, we encourage you to take a risk and try something different. In particular, be willing to reach out for help and get guidance from those who know something about gambling issues.

Listen now and hear:

• Georgete's story of getting 4-months away from gambling and how online recovery groups, working with a sponsor, and writing about GA's 20 Questions has helped her to get there.
• Why more is needed than just saying, "I'm done" to prevent a relapse.
• What to do when you reach that point of "enough is enough" (so you don't get pulled back into gambling again).

To read a summary of this episode, go to the blog 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.

In this and upcoming episodes, we talk about groups and supports that are available online. Here's some options to check-out:

Recovery Road Online

Gamblers in Recovery

Gamblers Anonymous

Gam-Anon

GamTalk

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.

Most of us encounter gambling daily in our communities. There's scratch and lottery tickets at the gas station, sports pools at work, and bingo down the road. In addition, there's all the gambling we encounter in fundraising - the 50/50 draws at local sporting events as well as raffles and community bingo. Do you think of all of these as gambling? Do you ever have conversations with family, friends or the groups you're involved with about the risks of gambling or how to support people in your community who have been impacted negatively by gambling?

In this episode, we hear from Sheri Pringle who works with Gambling Support BC and IS regularly out in the community talking about gambling. She's passionate about the issue. Her message is for all of us to give gambling the same attention as we do to alcohol, drugs and smoking.

Tune in and hear about:

• How gambling is normalized in our day-to-day lives and communities (despite it causing harm for some of us)
• How to talk about gambling, including the risks and how to keep it in balance
• How organization and groups that use gambling to fundraise can be more attentive to community members who have been negatively impacted by gambling

If you would like to read a summary of this episode, find the blog at www.gamblingproblemhelp.ca.

We're taking a holiday break in August 2023 and the next episode will be released in early September 2023. However, we are busy planning for the fall. If there is a question or topic that you would like us to address, please reach out through [email protected]. You can also connect through Facebook or Instagram, find us at Foldem 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.

Fold em is funded by Gambling Support BC.

After finding out that your spouse has a gambling problem or has had a relapse, it's understandable that you feel like your life has been turned upside down. You likely are feeling shock, anger and hurt because of the secrecy that typically comes with gambling problems. Stress and anxiety are also high because your financial security and trust with your spouse is on shaky ground.

In this episode, I'm joined by Neena Keram, a counsellor with Gambling Support BC who specializes in helping spouses, families and couples with gambling concerns. She tells us that discovering a spouse's gambling problem is a "betrayal trauma." She encourages spouses and family to get help for themselves - even if you think it's not your problem to fix. It helps to have space for you, to assist with making sense of it all and coping with the impacts.

This episode is geared to spouses and family members impacted by gambling issues, but is also helpful for those who gamble. Listening will help you to better understand what your loved ones are going through.

Listen now and learn about:

• Common reactions after learning a loved one has a gambling problem
• Why coping and moving on can feel so difficult
• How to feel grounded again - for your own benefit but also to move forward with addressing the gambling issue

If you would like to read a summary of the conversation, go to 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.

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.

When you have concerns about someone's gambling, it's not easy to talk about. It's often challenging to prevent these conversations from going off the rails.

In this episode, we offer guidance for these tricky conversations. Spouses, family members and friends will hear strategies to use when first talking about gambling or if you suspect there has been a relapse. If you are someone who gambles, there is lots in this episode you'll find helpful too.

I'm joined by Saul Malek who is four-years away from his last bet. From the perspective of someone who gambled, he shares ideas for parents and spouses on how to reach out and talk about gambling problems. You also hear from Neena Keram who is a counsellor specializing in working with couples when addiction shows up in a relationship.

Listen in and hear about:

• How to talk to a loved one about their gambling, even when they don't think it is a problem OR want to do anything about it
• How to approach someone when you suspect they have relapsed
• How to encourage someone to get help, but not take over with managing the problem and "fixing" things
• How family members and spouses can cope when feeling overwhelmed and stressed by gambling problems

To read a summary of the tips and strategies covered in this episode, read the blog at www.gamblingproblemhelp.ca.

To reach out to Saul Malek, go to his website at www.saulmalek.com. If you live in British Columbia and would like to connect with Neena Keram's services through Gambling Support BC, visit www.najtherapies.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.

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.

When dealing with gambling problems, many people worry about switching to another bad habit or addiction. It's important to pay attention to this because switching or substituting addictions (also called cross addiction) can be frustrating, de-moralizing and really dammaging to a person's life.

In this episode of Fold em, we tell you what you need to know about switching addictions so you are more informed and better able to prevent it from happening to you.

We're joined again by our experts on gambling and the brain - Dr. Iris Balodis and Deirdre Querney, MSW - from Brain Connections.

Listen now and learn about:

• Can someone have an addictive personality?
• What research tells us about why some people switch addictions
• How to create real and long-lasting wellness for yourself and freedom from addiction (Yes, it is possible!)

If you would like to read a summary of the episode and learn more about how to protect yourself from switching addictions, read the blog for this episode at www.gamblingproblemhelp.ca and check out the handout on this 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 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.

Saul grew up betting on fantasy baseball. He says it was "a part of my life" and "what tied my group of friends together." In college, when a friend suggested they bet on sports with a bookie he didn't think much about it before saying "I'm in."

Saul's experience is pretty typical. According to the National Council on Problem Gambling, about 67% of college students bet on sports. They also tell us that youth rates of being at-risk for problem gambling are 2 to 3 times higher than adult rates. Saul is one of those students who developed a gambling problem.

Saul Malek joins us in this episode to talk about his experiences with sports betting.

Listen in and hear:

• How Saul's betting increased in less than a year from wagering on a couple of games to 150 bets a week.
• How gambling problems stay hidden - from yourself, from others, and on campuses
• What helped Saul to recognize and accept that sports betting was out of control for him (and what he did about it)

To learn more about why sports betting problems often stay hidden and what you can do about this if you or someone you care about is struggling, read the blog for this episode at www.gamblingproblemhelp.ca

If you would like to connect with Saul Malek, visit his website at www.saulmalek.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.

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.