In Recovery from Problem Gambling? Here’s Why You Should Have a Relapse Prevention Plan.

If you have begun recovery from gambling, or are considering taking your first step towards a life without gambling, understanding what a relapse prevention plan is – and how to use it – can be a powerful tool. It helps support both you and those around you by recognizing early warning signs that you may be at risk of returning to gambling.

The decision to stop gambling is a difficult one at best. The choices you make, and how you manage responsibility and accountability, will help you find recovery and a happier life. In order to stay in recovery, it is important you learn the cycle of addiction and the process of relapse (planned gamble) in order to stop the compulsive behavior. This includes new coping skills to fill in where the gambling left off, because gambling has been you way of coping all along. This means finding new ways of being with ourselves, family, and friends, while taking up new approaches to life’s pressures and situations.

Relapse isn’t failure. It’s information – a cue to adjust, not a reason to give up.

Developing Healthier Coping Strategies

When problems aren’t addressed in healthy ways, stress begins to build, and gambling can seem like the easiest escape. A relapse is often best understood as a “planned gamble,” because it usually is. You may consciously or unconsciously begin setting things in motion, such as setting aside money, making time, or even preparing excuses or lies. One of the most effective safeguards is to remove access to money altogether, reducing the opportunity to act on the urge to gamble. The 888-ADMIT-IT HelpLine offers Self-Exclusion Access to Cash resources to assist with this.

Stress is a major trigger for relapse, but it’s not the only one. The first 90 days of recovery are often the most challenging, as emotions that were long avoided or numbed by gambling begin to surface. Facing these feelings can be uncomfortable at first, but confidence grows as you develop healthier coping strategies. Change takes time and practice, so be patient with yourself, and don’t give up too soon.

By exploring FCCG’s website, you can learn more about common triggers, warning signs, and coping skills involved in the relapse cycle. This information can help you create a relapse prevention plan that fits your needs. The process may involve some trial and error. If you slip and gamble, don’t be hard on yourself – see it as a sign that a different coping skill may be needed for that situation. There are many different coping strategies, and what worked once may not work every time. If one doesn’t help, try another, combine strategies, or call or text the 888-ADMIT-IT HelpLine in the moment for support.

You Don’t Have to Face Gambling Addiction Alone

If possible, it’s important to share your triggers, warning signs, and coping strategies with trusted people in your life, so they can recognize them as they arise. It can also be helpful to make an agreement ahead of time: if they come to you with concerns, you commit to listening without anger. It’s a team effort! Instead, pause to review your relapse prevention plan and talk through the situation calmly. During a strong gambling urge, clear thinking can be difficult. The addictive drive often wants nothing more than to gamble and push aside anything or anyone that might stand in the way. Relapse prevention means making the commitment to do anything it takes to recover, and then not backing down from that fight. There will be many small battles to get through to make it to the other side of recovery.

Remember, the 888-ADMIT-IT HelpLine is always an option when difficult moments strike. Simply talking through the situation with a HelpLine Specialist can open the door to options that didn’t seem possible when you were trying to calm the urge on your own. Free resource referrals are available to help with every stage of recovery and every impact of a gambling problem.