Do you need motivation to change?
Making the decision to change can be difficult, especially if gambling has become a big part of your life. You can motivate yourself to stick to your goals by thinking about the benefits of quitting or reducing your gambling.
One way to do this is to think about how your life would be different if you were to stop or reduce your gambling. Take a moment to imagine your life where you no longer gamble. How do your finances look? Are your relationships better or worse? How is your mental health? How is your overall wellbeing? By imagining this life without gambling, you can start to get an idea of the true impact of your gambling and create the motivation for change.
What are the benefits of change?
To help you get started, here are some examples of potential benefits of change to consider. Keep in mind that your list will be unique to your personal experiences.
Does your family member or friend need motivation to change?
Making the decision to change can be difficult, especially if gambling has become a big part of your family member or friend’s life. One approach that can help them stay motivated is for them is for them to think about the benefits of quitting or reducing their gambling.
To do this, you can encourage your family member or friend to think about how their life would be different if they were to stop or reduce their gambling. You could encourage them to take a moment to imagine how their life would be where they no longer gamble. How do their finances look? Are their relationships better or worse? How is their mental health? How is their overall wellbeing? By imagining this life without gambling, they can start to get an idea of the true impact of their gambling and create the motivation for change.
However, it’s important to do this in a way that doesn’t make them defensive. The best approach is to ask open-ended questions that encourage them to talk about their feelings and acknowledge their efforts towards change. By doing this, you can help them feel supported and motivated to make positive changes in their life.
What are the benefits of change?
To help your family member or friend get started, here are some examples of potential benefits of change for them to consider. Keep in mind that their list will be unique to their personal experiences.
Does someone need motivation to change?
As a professional working with someone with gambling harm, it’s important to understand that making the decision to change can be difficult, especially if gambling has become a big part of someone’s life. One approach that can help someone to stay motivated is for them to think about the benefits of quitting or reducing their gambling.
To do this, you can encourage the person you’re working with to think about how their life would be different if they were to stop or reduce their gambling. You could ask open-ended questions that encourage them to talk about their feelings. For example, you could ask them how they think their finances, relationships, mental health, and overall wellbeing would be if they stopped or reduced their gambling. By imagining this life without gambling, they can start to get an idea of the true impact of their gambling and create the motivation for change.
It’s also important to reduce the likelihood that the person you’re working with becomes defensive. To do this, you can use a non-judgmental and empathic approach that emphasises the importance of their experiences and acknowledges their efforts to change. This can help them feel supported and motivated to make positive changes in their life.
What are the benefits of change?
To help the person you’re working with get started, here are some examples of potential benefits of change for them to consider. Keep in mind that their list will be unique to their personal experiences.
Here are some examples of the potential benefits of change:
- Have money to spend on other things
- Start saving some money
- Start paying off debts
- Increase concentration
- Feel better
- Feel less stressed
- Improved relationships with family members, friend and workmates
- Have more time for other enjoyable activities
- Feel more confident
- Feel better about oneself
- Feel less guilty
- Feel better physically
- Be more productive at work
- Have more control over gambling
- Have more control over one’s life
When we ask questions about the potential benefits of change, we’re helping people to focus on possibilities rather than problems. This shift in focus can improve their motivation to change. By imagining how they can change their gambling behaviour, people can begin to envision a different future where many of the problems that they currently face no longer exist. This vision of a more hopeful future can help keep them motivated and focused, especially during challenging times. By keeping their sights set on the benefits of change, they can better manage the difficulties and obstacles that may arise.
Many people find it useful to carry their personalised list of the benefits of change with them as a reminder when they feel the urge to gamble. Some people take it a step further and create statements that reflect the benefits they’ve identified, which can help reinforce their motivation to change. Essentially, this approach helps people focus on the bigger picture, rather than just the short-term consequences of gambling. Some examples are:
“This urge will end on its own if I don’t give in to it. I’m not going to act on it because I want to feel better about myself.”
“Acing on this urge will only provide me with temporary relief. If I don’t act on this urge, I will be able to have money to spend on other things.”
“This urge is like a wave that will break and flow away. I’m going to ride this wave because I want to improve my relationship with my partner.”
Do you want more help?
To learn more about the benefits of change, you can start an online chat with us or call the Gambling Helpline on 1800 858 858 – free, confidential, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. These services are available to support anyone affected by gambling harm, including family members or friends.
Do you want more help?
To learn more about the benefits of change, you or your family member or friend can start an online chat with us or call the Gambling Helpline on 1800 858 858 – free, confidential, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
These services are available to support anyone affected by gambling harm, including family members or friends like you. It’s not only the person who gambles that can be affected, but the people close to them too. It’s important to take care of yourself when you’re supporting someone else. Check out the family and friends section in our peer support community to connect with people who understand.
Do you want more help?
To learn more about the benefits of change, you or the person you’re working with can start an online chat with us or call the Gambling Helpline on 1800 858 858 – free, confidential, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
These services are available to support anyone affected by gambling harm, including family members, friends, and professionals like you. It can be hard for professionals to support people with gambling issues. To learn more about how you can help, go to our section on How Professionals Can Help.
