Online casinos, poker websites, the betting lines on the latest sports games. Turn on any television channel and the flood of gambling advertisements is incessant.
To many people, gambling is a bit of fun or a momentary distraction, but to some, it is far more insidious.
“It’s really out of control. The number of people suffering from a gambling addiction has increased dramatically since the pandemic,” says Randy Robb, the facilitator of the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA)’s gambling addictions virtual support group. “Ads for casinos are now front and center, and if you’re watching sports on television they give you live betting updates as the games go on.”
Robb is an instructor with the Addictions Program at Georgian College, an author and a recovering addict who has been sober for 33 years. He hosts the CMHA Muskoka-Parry Sound gambling support group, which begins on April 13 and runs for six weeks. It’s a virtual support group that is completely free and anonymous and designed to help people struggling to reduce or stop their gambling entirely.
“Doing group work is hugely beneficial, ” says Robb. “It’s similar to AA or Al-Anon. Clients don’t feel so isolated and there’s someone there to give them a hug or handshake and let them know that they’ve been there and they’ve done it too.’
Robb said what constitutes problem gambling is specific to the individual. However, there are some indicators that the situation is getting out of hand. Gambling is a problem when it interferes with work, school or other activities, leads to emotional or physical health problems, causes financial issues or harms the family or other relationships.
“Individuals struggling with gambling tend to downplay situations – ‘I can win it back,’ ‘I didn’t really spend that much’,” says Robb. “Studies have shown that the process of gambling is similar to the addiction of cocaine. It doesn’t even matter if they’re winning or losing, it’s the process that’s addictive.”
Robb says the program focuses on a different area every week. Topics include setting goals, building healthy relationships, tracking thoughts and preparing for the future.
Getting a problem gambler to seek help can be a slow process, he says, so it’s important to plant the seeds at every opportunity.
“It’s a family disease, so even if a spouse or another loved one reads it, they can begin to get the process started,” he says. “It’s a nefarious disease and everyone has their own rock bottom but there is hope. I’ve seen the success stories but you need to be willing to submit to change and getting help is the first step.”
For more information call Addiction Services 705-384-5392 or visit the CMHA MPS website at www.mps.cmha.ca.
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