Gambling Counsellor
If a friend has reached out to ask you to help them manage their money, you may be confused about why and don’t quite know what to do. Asking a trusted friend or family member for help to handle money is a common strategy that many people use to stop or reduce their gambling. It’s … Continue reading You’ve been asked to manage someone’s money: Now what?
Sit down and take a moment. This is important. Don’t just read through this, rather, take the time to make a mental image of your answers to some of these questions, because you CAN get better and you DESERVE to. Ask yourself. How might life look different if you stopped gambling? What would you do … Continue reading A minute of your time please
Are you trying to stop gambling but finding it hard because you keeping having cravings to gamble? Don’t worry, this is very common! Experiencing cravings or urges to gamble is completely normal among people trying to give up gambling. Sometimes it may feel like your urge is so powerful that you have to give in. … Continue reading Have you learnt the art of urge surfing?
Once you have made a lifestyle change, how do you maintain it? If you’ve recently stopped gambling, you might be worried about relapsing. But it can be helpful to remember that a lapse can be part of the journey as you learn new skills and transition out of old habits.
You have all probably heard about poker machines operating randomly, though what exactly does that mean? In gambling, random means that we are unable to accurately control or predict the outcomes that will occur next. Randomness also means that each outcome is independent of one another. That is, the outcome of each spin on a … Continue reading What randomness really means in poker machines
It’s been months since a win, your partner fights daily with you over it, you struggle to have enough money to fill the car with petrol and the red letters are now coming weekly threatening to take away your beloved car. As you leave another session empty handed, broke and filthy with yourself you might … Continue reading Why is gambling so hard to kick?
People that struggle with problem gambling often ask themselves “Why me? Why can’t I stop?”. Many view it as an addiction, while others view it as something they’ve inherited in their genes especially when parents or other family members have been heavy gamblers. Others again berate themselves as being ‘so stupid’ and just unable to … Continue reading The role of positive early experiences
Did you know that it takes on average $330,000 to win the $10,000 prize on the pokies? This translates to odds of over 9 million to one. In case you’re wondering, the chances of getting hit by a bolt of lightning are 1.6 million to one. So, next time you’re playing the pokies hoping you … Continue reading House Edge
How many times have you tried to stop gambling, only to go back to it when the cravings get too much? If you’ve ever experienced this, then you’ll know that will power alone is rarely enough to stop gambling. The good news however, is that is it possible to reduce your motivation to gamble in the … Continue reading Reach Out
Problem gambling does not discriminate and can be found in all age groups, income groups, jobs, and cultural backgrounds. Some may have developed gambling problems suddenly, while others may have struggled for many years. Problem gambling is not only about losing money, but is also harmful because of its potential devastating impact on the emotional, … Continue reading What does harmful gambling look like?
Counsellor Sam's Blog 