Do you need to think differently about gambling?
Have you ever felt like you can’t stop gambling, even though you’re continuing to lose money? This is because our brains sometimes play tricks on us and fail to learn from the information it gathers.
The brain is a powerful organ that collects information from our other sense organs to understand our environment and help us respond to it. However, because this uses a lot of energy, often our brains use something called heuristics, which are shortcuts that help us to make sense of things more quickly. These shortcuts can help us to arrive quickly at decisions, but they can also lead us to make errors in judgement and to draw inaccurate or unhelpful conclusions. We can think of these errors as thinking traps. When people gamble, they often fall into these thinking traps.
To avoid gambling when you don’t intend to, the goal is to identify the patterns in your thinking that lead to gambling and find ways to avoid these traps in the future.
Does your family member or friend need to think differently about gambling?
The brain is a powerful organ that collects information from our other sense organs to understand our environment and help us respond to it. However, because this uses a lot of energy, often our brains use something called heuristics, which are shortcuts that help us to make sense of things more quickly. These shortcuts can help us to arrive quickly at decisions, but they can also lead us to make errors in judgement and to draw inaccurate or unhelpful conclusions. We can think of these errors as thinking traps. When people gamble, they often fall into these thinking traps.
As part of your efforts to support a family member or friend experiencing gambling harm, working through some of these thinking traps may be helpful. The goal is for them to identify the patterns in their thinking that lead to gambling and find ways to avoid these traps in the future. By being supportive and informed, you can help your family member or friend on their path to recovery
Does someone need to think differently about gambling?
The brain is a powerful organ that collects information from our other sense organs to understand our environment and help us respond to it. However, because this uses a lot of energy, often our brains use something called heuristics, which are shortcuts that help us to make sense of things more quickly. These shortcuts can help us to arrive quickly at decisions, but they can also lead us to make errors in judgement and to draw inaccurate or unhelpful conclusions. We can think of these errors as thinking traps. When people gamble, they often fall into these thinking traps.
As part of your efforts to help someone who is experiencing gambling harm, working through some of these thinking traps may be helpful. The goal is for them to identify the patterns in their thinking that lead to gambling and find ways to avoid these traps in the future. Your support and guidance can help them on their path to recovery.
What are some gambling thinking traps?
There are several thinking traps that people commonly fall into when they’re gambling. Let’s take a look at some of these
The gambler’s fallacy is the erroneous belief that previous results can influence future random events. For example, someone playing roulette may observe the past five spins have landed on red, and therefore assume the next result must be black. In reality, the next spin is a random event that is not influenced at all by prior results. Some examples of thoughts associated with the gambler’s fallacy include:
“I haven’t won for a while so I’m due for a win”
“If I gamble long enough, eventually my numbers will come up”
This thinking trap can lead people to make poor decisions while gambling. Most forms of gambling are based solely on chance, not skill. The previous outcome of a bet has no bearing on the outcome of the next bet and the chances of winning remain the same.
The illusion of control is the belief that we have the power to influence the outcome of a game of chance through skill, strategies, practice, or superstitious behaviours. Some examples of thoughts associated with the illusion of control include:
“I have a system that works. If I stick to it, I can control the outcome of the game.”
“I’m on a winning streak so I must be doing something right.”
“If I rub the machine three times counter clockwise then I can’t lose”
This thinking trap can create a false sense of control and lead to poor decisions when gambling. It's important to recognise that most forms of gambling are determined by chance, and that no amount of skill or strategy can guarantee a win. By acknowledging that skill and strategy don’t lead to a win, we can make more informed decisions about when to continue gambling and when to stop.
Selective memory biases are common thinking traps in which people selectively remember their wins and forget their losses. They occur because, at times, the brain tends to more easily recall positive and exciting experiences, such as winning, and forget negative experiences, such as losing. Some examples of thoughts associated with selective memory biases include:
“I won last week. I can do it again.”
“I always win when I go to the Casino”
This thinking trap makes people remember their experiences inaccurately and can lead them to draw incorrect conclusions that encourage them to gamble and lose more. It’s important to keep track of both wins and losses to have a more accurate understanding of the true nature of gambling outcomes.
Chasing losses occurs when a person continues gambling, often in an increasingly risky manner, to win back money they have lost. This may involve making larger bets and/or gambling again. Some examples of thoughts associated with chasing losses include:
“I just need to win back what I’ve lost.”
“Eventually, one of my bets will pay off.”
This thinking trap keeps people gambling, regardless of whether people win or lose. If they win, they think they can keep winning so they continue to gamble to make more money. If they lose, they keep gambling to try to win back the money they’ve lost. This can significantly impair their control over their gambling and lead them into a vicious cycle that’s hard to beak.
These thinking traps can keep people gambling even when they continue to lose. In reality, the longer we play, the more we’re likely to lose. This is because the gambling industry takes a cut of the money we bet, which makes it almost impossible to win in the long run. Being aware of these traps is the first step in being able to change the way that we think about gambling and begin to make more informed decisions.
What are “permission-giving” thoughts?
Sometimes, people ignore the risks and give themselves reasons or excuses to gamble or continue to gamble when they had not planned to. Permission giving thoughts are rationalisations that give people ‘permission’ to gamble despite its possible harms. These thoughts can make gambling urges even stronger. Recognising these thoughts and finding ways to manage them is essential for people to gain control over their gambling.
Some examples of “permission-giving” thoughts are:
- “I’ll just spend $50”.
- “I’ll just have one more bet before I stop”.
- “If I get up $50, I’ll go home and then pay off my bill”
- “I’ll just drive by the venue to see if my friends are there.”
- “I’ll just have one drink with my friends but I won’t gamble.”
- “One bet won’t hurt.”
Most people who gamble fall into this thinking pattern at times, often without realising it. The good news is once someone knows what to look for, they can start to manage these thoughts better. Just becoming aware of them is a great first step.
How can we manage these thoughts?
The STOPP technique is a tool that can help address these patterns of thinking by and creating some space between these thoughts and the gambling that typically follows. It can also help in managing feelings of stress or distress.
The first step is stop what we’re doing and taking a moment to pause.
Taking a deep breath can help us to calm down and clear the mind. This can help us notice our breathing. Try to breathe slowly in through the nose and out through the mouth.
The next step is to observe our thoughts and emotions without judging them. We might notice thoughts or feelings about gambling. When we observe our thoughts and feelings, it can help us detach from them and this can weaken their hold on us. We can do this by asking ourselves the following questions:
- What thoughts are going through my mind right now?
- Where is my focus of attention?
- What am I reacting to?
- What sensations do I notice in my body?
The next step is to put our thoughts into perspective and learn to question our thoughts instead of blindly trusting them. When we step back emotionally, we can start to see the bigger picture. We can do this by asking ourselves the following questions:
- What’s the evidence for this thought?
- What’s the evidence against this thought?
- What are the consequences of having this thought?
- What happened last time I had this thought?
- What is another way of looking at this situation?
- What advice would I give a friend who told me that they were thinking this?
- What would a friend I trust say to me right now?
- Is this thought a fact or an opinion?
The final step requires us to use what we’ve learnt from the previous steps to change our behaviour. This might involve doing something healthy and positive instead of gambling. We can do this by asking ourselves the following questions:
- What is the best thing to do right now?
- What’s the most helpful thing for me, for others, for the situation?
- What can I do that aligns with my values?
The STOPP technique becomes more effective when people practice it regularly. It’s a good idea to review the steps frequently and keep reminders with you, like a written note or a note in your phone. Practicing this technique several times a day will make it easier to use over time. By practicing this technique regularly, you may find that you are better able to manage gambling thoughts and resist the urge to gamble.
Do you want more help?
To find out more about how to change your thoughts and beliefs, 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.
To make the most of the STOPP technique, encourage your family member or friend to practice it regularly. This can include reviewing the steps frequently and keeping reminders with them, such as a written note or a note in their phone. Encourage them to practice the technique several times a day to make it easier to use over time. Practicing this technique can help them better manage their gambling thoughts and resist the urge to gamble.
Do you want more help?
To find out more about how to change their thoughts and beliefs, 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.
As a professional working with someone who experiences gambling harm, the STOPP technique may be helpful. Encourage the person to practice it regularly by reviewing the steps frequently and keeping reminders with them, like a written note or a note in their phone. Encourage them to practice the technique several times a day to make it easier to use over time. Practicing this technique can help them better manage their gambling thoughts and resist the urge to gamble
Do you want more help?
To find out more about how to change their thoughts and beliefs, 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.
