How to Manage Gambling Triggers and Urges

A trigger is something that sets off a negative emotion. An urge is a feeling or an “itch” to do something.

In the case of gambling, certain things might trigger the urge to gamble. For example, your mate inviting you to the pub may put you in an environment that makes you want to gamble.

Urges may feel uncontrollable – our counsellors have provided some strategies below that can help you “ride the wave” until the urge passes.

By identifying your triggers and urges, you can learn to avoid them. Many of our clients say that recognising triggers and urges was the most effective self-help strategy they used to change their behaviours or reduce or stop gambling.

Learning to recognise your gambling triggers and urges

The first step to managing triggers and urges is to understand what yours are.
What makes you feel like you want to or have to gamble?
Examples of triggers might include:

Pay day
Feeling bored
Feeling lonely
Gambling adverts
Being at a sports event
Adverts about gambling
Consuming alcohol or drugs
Your peers or those around you gambling
Offers and promotions from gaming room and casinos
Stress about money, relationships, family, or work/studies
Being at the pub, casino, or any place with a gaming room.

Avoiding your triggers

Once you’ve identified what triggers your urge to gamble, it’s wise to avoid these triggers while you’re still in the early stages of changing your gambling.
How to avoid triggers:

Limit drinking and drug use
Ban yourself from online gambling
Remove gambling apps from your phone
Spend time off of or away from your phone
Block gambling websites from your devices
Remove bank card information from your phone
Spend time at other locations, like venues without pokies
Take alternate routes to avoid passing the casino or other venues when you’re out.

Coping with your triggers

Sometimes, completely avoiding triggers isn’t possible.
Or maybe you’re feeling comfortable enough on your healing journey to face your triggers and manage the urges that may follow.
Try the “6 D Approach”

Delay
Put off the urge for five minutes, then 20 minutes, then one hour and so on. Urges are like waves – they build to a peak, but subside and fade. Each urge you beat is a step in reducing future urges.
Distract

Think about something that makes you happy. Find an alternate activity to busy yourself with, like writing down your feelings in a journal or in your phone, stepping outdoors for a walk and some fresh air, going to the gym, or cooking a healthy meal.
Detour

Take alternate routes around the gaming venue or seek new ways home that don’t pass the pub.
Discuss

Ring a trusted loved one to talk through your urge, or ring Gambling Help to speak to a counsellor any time at 1800 858 858.
Deep breathing

Take three deep breaths. Concentrate on how you feel as you breathe in and out. What emotions are you experiencing?
Decide

Once the urge to gamble has passed and your mind is clear, making a pros and cons list (such as the advantages and disadvantages of gambling) can help you decide what to do next.