Gambling Addiction Relapse Prevention

Programs that help compulsive gamblers in recovery develop a relapse prevention plan that will help them avoid reverting to their previous addictive behavior and maintain their recovery. Most plans include the recommendations that people in recovery avoid association with acquaintances who gamble and steer clear of gambling establishments. Other important elements include learning to recognize the triggers that might cause a person to return to excessive gambling and the warning signs that the urge to gamble is reasserting itself (irregular attendance at support group meetings, defensiveness, impulsive behavior, progressive loss of daily structure, periods of depression, self pity, lying); developing coping skills to deal with the urges and cravings when they surface (focusing on the value of recovery in contrast to the negative consequences of gambling, using distractions such as deep breathing or exercise until the cravings subside, and for the long term, developing new skills and a lifestyle that promotes positive patterns of behavior and a willingness to reach out to people who have helped in the past). While the highest risk of relapse is often within the first 3 months of recovery a relapse can happen to anyone whether they have been in recovery for a week or for 30 years.