How to Quit a Gambling Addiction in Finland
If you live in Finland and are struggling with gambling addiction, are seeing the early signs of it, or someone you know and love is struggling, this page is your first step towards healing your condition or helping someone who has it.
Here, we will help you correctly identify the condition, find the reason that’s driving you to gamble, and help you eliminate the reason and stop the gambling addiction.
What is Gambling Addiction
Problem gambling, or gambling addiction, is a condition where you feel a compulsive need to gamble.
As a general rule, if you feel like you might have a problem, then you are most likely right – you do have a problem. This is a checklist of known signs of a problem gambler. If any of these are true, you are already a problem gambler:
- gambling is not enjoyable for you anymore
- you lied about gambling to a friend or to a family member
- you borrowed money to gamble
- you used money you needed for something important such as utility bills to gamble
- you sold things to be able to gamble some more
- you’re chasing losses
- you’re making progressively larger deposits to recoup the previous losses
- you’re gambling with a firm intent to win money
- you believe you’re entitled to a win
- you know you should stop, but can’t
- you tried to stop gambling before, but failed
- you can’t think of anything other than gambling
Stages of a Problem Gambler
Problem gambling behaviour has stages, ranging from someone who is in latent danger of becoming a problem gambler all the way to a person who has been ruined by his gambling addiction.
Stage 0 – Uneducated Gambler
This person is not yet a problem gambler and may never become one, but is generally uneducated about gambling. In the wrong situation, this person can start chasing losses, unaware that it is a strategy that leads the person to the next stage.
Stage 1 – Developing Problem
This person is, unknowingly, chasing losses in order to try to win back the money he lost. Gambling is not enjoyable anymore. This person may go in and out of this stage – when he wins, he goes back to being a person in danger of having a problem.
Stage 2 – Problem Gambler
This person invests more and more money into gambling, and is at a stage where his financial fortunes depend on whether he won or lost on gambling that day. This person is chasing losses, and is likely borrowing money and using money he needs for other things.
Stage 3 – The Point of No Return
After investing more and more money into gambling, this person lost the key bets and has likely lost one or all of the following: car, relationship, house, kids, family. This person has bankrupted and has ruined the relationships with everyone around him. A lot of people who find themselves in this situation attempt suicide.
Tips to Quit Gambling
People who have successfully quit gambling all report that they have found the underlying cause of gambling and when they’ve eliminated the cause, the need to gamble disappeared.
For most problem gamblers who have already lost money, the need to gamble further comes from the desire to win back the money. Here are some tips and tricks that you can use to possibly quit gambling.
Can’t win back the money
Truth is, you can’t win back the money you’ve lost. It’s gone.
Gambling is an activity that is designed to lose people’s money, and if you’ve already lost a lot of money then you’re obviously particularly bad at it. Otherwise you wouldn’t be in this same situation. Gambling, for you, is a poor choice financially. Accept that you’ve lost money and that you can’t win it back.
If you never gamble again, you’ll never lose again
There is a simple way to never lose money on gambling again and therefore never experience those awful emotions again. Don’t gamble ever again. This way, your net income from gambling will be +0 forever. You won’t lose another cent. It’s super easy – just don’t do it anymore.
Focus on things that make money
If gambling has been unsuccessful for you, then it would be wise to turn to any other activity in which you can certainly make money. Such as, getting a side job or doing any kind of freelance work. Or getting a job in the first place. Anything that can positively affect your bank statement is better than something that has caused you losses.
Imagine – you could spend today gambling and losing €500 or you could spend the day working on something that will certainly make you €100, no chance involved. What’s better?
Focus on something other than money
For many people who are problem gamblers, their world revolves around money. Take it from me – there’s nature out there, with nice hiking trails, and you might even see a deer. That’s life on this planet for you. It doesn’t have to revolve around money. There are people, relationships, hopes and dreams, education, children, having a laugh with your friends, exercising, perfecting yourself. These things can be super constructive – you can get a PhD or win something in sports – it’s not all about the money. Learn to live without paying for stuff.
Admit your problem to people who love you
A huge weight will be lifted from your shoulders if you tell people you love and who love you that you have a gambling problem, that you’ve lost xxxx euros, and that you need help. They will 100% definitely help you and won’t judge you. Their support can be taking you to some pleasurable activity whenever you feel like gambling. You need to be able to call someone when you’re feeling bad.
Conclusion
Gambling addiction is a psychological downward spiral from which many people can’t find an exit, because they’re fixated on winning back the money. It becomes a battle for survival, where it’s you against the casino or the sportsbook, and you’re investing the money you need for other things into gambling.
If you feel like you have a problem, you have a problem. If the fun stops, stop.
Links to Finnish Organisations That Can Help You With Your Addiction
Written by Matti Slotte