The gambling crisis is getting worse during covid. Lockdown number three is in full swing and for most of us, this means staying indoors for prolonged periods of time, attempting to work from home where we can and enjoying the TV for company.
With many glued to their screens, from televisions to smart devices, more and more are now seeing gambling ads pop up and as a result, more people than ever are trying their luck online; in a bid to win some money and for some, simply eliminate the boredom they’re experiencing.
While the increased frequency of these adverts has been hugely criticised by the government and associated charities, it hasn’t necessarily stopped them and as a result, gambling has become a more serious problem than ever before. What may just begin as a harmless ‘bit of fun’, but with more people using online gambling sites, this can very easily turn into something far more unhealthy, serious and sinister over time.
Gambling Addictions Explained
Gambling disorders can also be described as process addictions. With so many people now stuck indoors, either on their own or even isolated with a limited number of immediate family, the need to seek a simple ‘something to do’ becomes even more of a necessity and therefore process addictions like gambling can become amplified. There is driving the gambling crisis during covid.
Life is very hard at the moment, for everyone. Whether you’re a frontline key worker or someone who’s been stuck inside the same four walls since March on furlough; life is anything but easy, which leads to many seeking something that will soothe them and occupy their mind during the extended downtime we’re experiencing and unfortunately, that’s where gambling can become a rather problematic distraction.
Our Top Tips For Avoiding The Gambling Crisis During Covid
If you’re at home and becoming concerned with the amount of gambling and online games you’re spending money on, then you may want to take a look at a few of our top tips to help you overcome that urge as much as possible:
- Take A Breath – sit back and simply take a breath. Think about why you’re gambling? Are you stressed? Are you bored? Why do you want to bet?
- Understand Your Triggers – write down when you feel the urge to bet? Are there patterns? What were you doing? Scrolling social media? Feeling like you had nothing to do? Fill your time with something else instead. Talk to friends, read a book.
- Control Your Access To Money – do you have someone you trust that could handle your money? By making it harder to access your money, you make it harder to gamble. Remove all saved credit and debit cards from your devices too. You can also ask your bank to stop certain companies from debiting money.
- Avoid Social Media – by avoiding social media, you’ll likely avoid the adverts for gambling. If you’re on there however and see an advert, make sure you select the ‘hide ad’ option to prevent you from seeing them in future.
- Seek Help – ask for help. Talk to someone you trust or better yet, contact us at Infinity Addiction Solutions.
Contact Us Today
If you’d like help with your gambling addiction, please don’t hesitate to contact us today at Infinity Addiction Solutions. Our team of experts will be on hand to provide you with the help you need at any time, night or day. Call today on 0800 334 5541.
