The first step to stopping gambling on online slots is admitting you have a problem. Then you can take action to change your unhealthy patterns and start feeling better. Here are some ways to do it:
Identify triggers: Look for situations, emotions, or thoughts that lead to the urge to gamble. This can help you develop coping strategies to deal with those feelings when they arise. For example, if you often feel the urge to gamble when you’re driving home, try taking new routes or finding social support in your area.
Avoid gambling websites: Remove temptation by deleting your gambling apps, putting a block on dangerous gambling sites on your computer, and using blocking software to prevent access. You can even ask your internet service provider to limit or block certain types of content.
Use a behavioural addiction treatment programme: If you think you have a gambling addiction, it’s important to seek professional help and get on a personalised behavioural addiction treatment plan. Treatment programs address the underlying issues that contribute to addictive behaviour, and can be combined with behavioural interventions like self-exclusion, which is available at many gambling sites and can be enabled via your account settings.
Replace risky behaviour with healthy activities: Gambling changes our brain chemistry, and the urge to gamble can be hard to overcome without other psychologically stimulating activities to occupy your mind. Changing your environment, seeking new hobbies, and practicing mindfulness can help you break the cycle of addiction and replace it with healthier coping mechanisms.
Seek support: Find a local gambling support group or check out the resources on GamCare’s website. This UK-based charity offers a range of free services, from a symptom assessment to online support chats and 24/7 helplines. You can also talk to a counsellor, which can be particularly useful if you have underlying mental health problems such as anxiety or depression.
Using the Freedom App to stop gambling online is a simple and effective way to put more barriers between yourself and your harmful behaviour. The app’s recurring block sessions allow you to schedule when you won’t be able to visit a gambling site, so you can apply the blocks across all devices and browsers on your computer. This is much more effective than relying on willpower to resist the urge, which is unsustainable and exhausting. The more you use the Freedom App to break your old habits, the easier it will be to build a more positive, healthy lifestyle for yourself. Learn more about how to quit gambling on online slots, and use the Freedom app to get started today!