How do I overcome a slot machine addiction (on my own)?

This addiction does not discriminate. If the propensity is there, and the gambler crosses over that invisible line into problem gambling, addiction can occur in anyoneas life. It does not matter whether the person is rich or poor, educated or uneducated. An addiction like this can send people to jail, cause major social and occupational problems, mental instability, and financial devastation that can last for years.

It is important to get help as soon as possible. It isnat easy to quit gambling, but there are ways you can help yourself before you get to the point of no return. Here are twelve strategies to use to stop gambling and reclaim your life!

Remember the feeling when you lose a lot of money at the casino, online, or through sports betting. Allow yourself to feel that despondency when you are having thoughts about gambling again.

Find something to replace your gambling. Exercise, go shopping, go out with friends, or do some cooking. You can also rent a movie, listen to some music, or do some reading a do whatever it takes to keep yourself busy. You could pick up a new, exciting hobby, like bike racing or climbing or welding.

Your goal is to stop gambling, and it is not easy when you get such a high from it. Finding replacements, however, can help. Try and see how it goes.

Attend a Gamblers Anonymous meeting for group support. If you do not want to do a 12-Step program, there is an online program called Smart Recovery. Having support from other gamblers who also want to quit is an important piece of your recovery. Just talking about gambling with other people who understand what you’re going through can be really helpful.

Make a list about how your gambling problem has affected your life in a negative way. Write as much as you can. Make the list on the left side of a sheet of paper so you have room on the right side. On the right side, write about how your life will change for the better when you stop gambling.

See a counselor that specializes in addictions, especially gambling, and talk to this person about your problem. If your addiction is severe, you will need as much support as you can get to stop gambling now.

Surround yourself with people that you trust who want to see you recover and avoid any kind of environment where you might be tempted to gamble, which could be anything from a casino, to being at home alone with your smartphone. Delete gambling apps from your phone and tell casinos that you have a problem and that you want them to block you from entering.

Just because you have a problem with gambling does not mean you are a weak-willed, irresponsible person. Strong-willed or responsible people are just as likely to develop a gambling disorder as anyone else.

How to overcome slot machine addiction is for someone else to say. But I can tell you this.

A) I love the thrill of going to the casino and playing slot machines. B) I know over time I am going to lose money, I’ve proved to my own satisfaction its true and C) I hate to lose any amount of money that is painful to lose.

Solution? Remove any financial impact a trip to the casino had on me. That way I could have my cake (experience the thrill of playing) and eat it too (not have to lose any money that really matters).

How?

I found playing penny machines one penny at a time was exactly the best thing to do. I cant get rich doing it but that’s not the point (remember, I realized the odds were stacked against me). Hours of entertainment and fun and keeping a trip as inexpensive as possible are the point. This makes every little hit you get very exciting because each one makes the trip just that much cheaper. Keeping a trip to the casino as low cost as possible becomes the game, and it’s tons of fun. I can honestly say I win EVERY SINGLE TIME playing slot machines. What I pay for in losses is merely the cost of entertainment, and it’s way cheaper than the cost of the entertainment I get.

When you say “slot machine addiction” I automatically think “financial problems” and I understand how difficult it must be to break that addiction. I’m not saying not to try to break the addiction, but if you try to do it and it’s just far too difficult, then what I’m saying is, at least try to eliminate the financial problems your gambling causes. If you can do at least that much, then you can re-evaluate at that point how really bad the addiction is for you.

Realize how badly the odds are stacked against you and then turn the idea of “slot machine gambling” into one of “slot machine entertainment” and I’m confident, if you can’t break the addiction completely, you will have at least made a very valuable stride.

Ask yourself that if you are addicted to slot machine or gambling, if it is slot machine Peter’s advice should help, you may find it is really boring without money involved. If it is gambling, you may want to consult a psychologist.

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