Gambling problems are awful for everyone involved. If you suspect or know that someone you love is struggling, it's important to know how you can support friends with gambling problems.
We're not going to lie. It's not going to be easy for anyone to navigate. But we're going to try to give you an outline of things you can do with answers to these frequently asked questions.
No question is too big or small when it comes to how to support friends with gambling problems. So we're going to do our best to cover as many bases as possible.
There are some extremely common signs you can watch out for. These include:
These are all very worrying signs. They are similar to the signs people may identify in themselves too. If you notice any of these signs in your loved one, it's a sign you need to get help.
Identifying them is the first step in your journey to support friends with gambling problems.
Depending on your jurisdiction, people under the age of 18 or 21 should not ever gamble. However, as we all know, young people don't always do what they're told. For that reason, it's scarily easy for a young person can develop a gambling addiction.
Here's some more information on how to prevent underage people from gambling. If they don't start gambling in the first place, they won't develop an addiction. Prevention is always better than the cure.
And your help to support friends with gambling problems is even more crucial if the person in question is underage.
This is a pretty difficult task, if we're being honest. People need to decide to stop themselves. To support friends with gambling problems, they need to reach the conclusion to stop themselves. However, you can encourage them to stop online gambling by self-excluding or at the very least taking a time out.
Self-exclusion is a long term break from online gambling, whereas a time out is only short term. During both, you can't place wagers and they can't be reversed. However, it's still possible to bet elsewhere online and offline, so your friend needs to deal with the problem head-on.
There are also various software options you can install that block gambling sites. And you can also encourage them to take some steps so they limit the amount of gambling content that pops up on their online lives.
There are organisations all over the world that can help people and their loved ones navigate problem gambling.
For those in the United Kingdom, you can find online resources at Be Gamble Aware and they have a phone line at 0808 8020 133.
If you're in the United States, the equivalent organisation is the National Council on Problem Gambling or call them on 1800 522 4700.
And if you're based elsewhere, there are lots of international organisations that can help.
This is a really tricky question to answer. When you support friends with gambling problems, sometimes offering financial support can actually have an enabling effect. But of course, this isn't a one size fits all rule.
Encourage them to gain control of their financial stability. They can come up with a plan to pay off their gambling debts and manage their money better in the future. It can be more beneficial for them in the long run if they pay back these debts by themselves. It can help with confidence and so much more.
However, if you do decide you want to give them some money to help they pay off their debts, consult a professional. Talk to a financial professional and also someone who works with gambling addicts. In doing so, you can come up with an agreement and try to avoid common pitfalls.
When you take it upon yourself to support friends with gambling problems, it can be a huge mental and emotional toll on you too.
You have to remember that to stay strong for your friend, you need to stay strong yourself. They might lash out at you, they could call you at all hours of the day and night asking for support, they might cut contact with you all together.
All of those things can be incredibly difficult to deal with. So make sure you have a network of resources that you can call on if you need it. If you're feeling down, talk to someone close to you. Or if you think it's affecting your day to day life, talk to a professional.
If your friend has left you in a financially vulnerable place due to their gambling problem, seek financial help and deal with your problems as soon as possible.
You need to look out for yourself, as well as for your loved one as you support friends with gambling problems.
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