Strategies to tackle gambling

Strategies to tackle gambling

Category:Advice,Advice for Gamblers

Money Management

• Find a trustworthy relative or friend to help you manage your finance, acting as your financial manager (YFM). Let YFM allot your daily / weekly basic expenditure.
• Avoid carrying cash, except for necessities.
• Surrender your bank cards and/or chequebook to YFM for safekeeping.
• If you receive your wages in cash, give it to YFM as soon as possible or authorise YFM to receive the salary instead of you.
• Make arrangement with your bank to allow withdrawals by two signatures.

• Discuss with YFM when you need extra money.
• Seek out professional organisations to help with debt management.

Time Management

• Arrange a structured timetable to avoid having long periods of idleness.
• Report your whereabouts to a family member regularly when you are on your own.
• Arrange beneficial and wholesome activities in your spare time, preferably accompanied by a family member or a friend.

Dealing with emotions

• Listen to hymns, songs of praise or your favourite music.
• Engage in healthy leisure activities.

• Read the Bible, meditate and pray.
• Talk things over and communicate with with a trusted relative or friend.
• If necessary, seek help from your pastor or counsellor.

Stay away from triggers

• Avoid things that attract you to gamble, such as gambling establishments, race betting tips, TV programmes and so on.
• Decline invitations from friends to gamble; if necessary, break off the friendship.
• Declare to your friends and colleagues that you have made up your mind to give up gambling.
• Hand in “self exclusion” applications to gambling establishments.

The power of faith

• Pray and seek help from God;
• Pursue the biblical truth, carry around key verses to remind you to avoid gambling ;

• Participate actively in church.
• Participate in the Centre’s fellowships on Monday and Tuesday.  Being an active member of a church and fellowship will give you access to support and care.

• Read Christian-themed books and watch Christian-themed CDs, DVDs etc.
• Volunteer at the Centre.

A Final Note

• Alcohol and drugs may weaken your vigilance and easily drag you back to gambling again, so you should not engage in substance abuse.