Article seeking support
Series: Self-help activities

Seeking support

7 min read

This article is being personalised for someone supporting someone else with a lived experience of gambling. If that is not you, can always change the audience type below:

I am here because:
Of my own gambling I am supporting others I am a professional

Do you need some support? 

If you’re ready to make a change with your gambling, it’s important to know where to start. If you need help to get back on track, you don’t have to do it alone. Managing your gambling can be much easier if you’ve got someone to help you.

It can help to talk to someone. Your family members and friends can provide support, advice, and a different perspective on the situation. Professional counsellors can help you from a point of experience, research and knowledge. Having professional support can improve your chances of taking control of your gambling.

Our counselling and support services are free, confidential and available to anyone affected by gambling. You don’t have to wait until things get serious. The earlier you get support, the better.

Does your family member or friend need some support?

If your family member or friend is ready to make a change to their gambling, it’s important they know where to start. If they need help to get back on track, they don't have to do it alone. Managing their gambling can be much easier if they've got someone to support them.

It can help to talk to someone. Family members and friends like yourself can provide support, advice, and a different perspective on the situation. Professional counsellors can help them from a point of experience, research and knowledge. Having professional support improves a person’s chances of taking control of their gambling.

Our counselling and support services are free, confidential and available to anyone affected by gambling. Your family member or friend doesn’t have to wait until things get serious. The earlier they get support, the better.

Does someone need some support?

If you want to support someone with their gambling, it’s important to discuss treatment and management options. If someone you’re working with is ready to make a change to their gambling, it’s important they know where to start and that they don’t have to do it alone. Managing their gambling can be much easier if they've got someone to support them.

Family members and friends can provide support, advice, and a different perspective on the situation. Professional gambling counsellors can help them from a point of experience, research and knowledge. Having professional support improves a person’s chances of taking control of their gambling.

Our counselling and support services are free, confidential and available to anyone affected by gambling. People don’t have to wait until things get serious. The earlier they get support, the better.

How can family members or friends help?

People often tell us that telling someone about their gambling feels like a first step towards change. It’s something they can do to help them stick to their decision to change their gambling and stop things from getting worse. People tell us they felt relieved once they told someone about their gambling and that they felt more hopeful about the future.

Family and friends are a great place to start. They can lend a sympathetic ear and provide practical assistance. People are more likely to feel that they deserve to be supported if people around them are supportive. But bear in mind that well-intentioned advice from family members and friends may not necessarily be the most appropriate for each person’s situation.

Talking about gambling to someone else can be difficult and people may worry about being able to tell the whole story. They may often feel tempted to hold back details and the extent of debts or losses. They may fear the response from other people and be embarrassed about how much they have gambled. People thinking about sharing their situation with other people in their lives should therefore think about who they should tell. Balancing their desire to be honest and open about their situation with the need for privacy might be difficult. It’s best to talk to people they trust and who won’t judge them. People should also plan how they will tell their story.

What stops people from seeking support from a counsellor?

Reaching out for help from a counsellor for the first time is a big step that often takes a lot of courage. It’s not unusual for us to hear that people are ambivalent or nervous about seeing a counsellor for the first time. People are often reluctant to seek help when it comes to gambling. Common reasons people don’t ask for help include the following:

  • They may not feel they have an issue
  • They feel shame about getting help
  • They want to find solutions on their own
  • They’re worried about other people finding out
  • They don’t want to quit gambling completely
  • They don’t want to be told what to do
  • Counselling hasn’t worked for them in the past
  • They may not realise help is available
  • They don’t know where to get help

Everybody needs help sometimes. We all seek help from other people for all sorts of issues – overcoming issues with gambling should be no different. There’s no shame in seeking help for gambling-related harm. Many people struggle with gambling at some point in their lives, and seeking support is a courageous and positive step towards a healthier and happier life. Talking to someone is easier than you think.

 “It takes an enormous amount of bravery to accept that you have a problem that you’ve been struggling with for years, and taking that first step to getting help should be celebrated.” — Professor Dan Lubman, Executive Clinical Director – Turning Point

How can counselling help?

Making any change in life is difficult. For people trying to make a change to their gambling, it can be helpful to talk confidentially with a trained counsellor. Some people find that it’s easier to be open and honest with their counsellor because they don’t personally know them. Counselling allows people to discuss their issues or concerns in a safe and non-judgmental environment.

Gambling counsellors are professionals who can provide excellent support for people affected by gambling. They will listen to them and understand what they’re going through. They are experienced in helping people with their gambling.

Counsellors can provide advice on what to do and work out the best course of action for each person. They can offer information, encouragement, and support. Counsellors work with the person affected by gambling to set some goals and develop a plan that can help the person achieve those goals.

They can help people manage their gambling, quit gambling, or come back from a lapse. Or, if they’ve already made some changes, they can help them maintain their motivation and manage any urges to gamble that will almost inevitably come. But gambling counselling is often about much more than gambling itself, and it can help people build a meaningful, satisfying and fulfilling life.

Each person will have unique challenges and concerns, so what happens in counselling will vary from person to person. Counselling can help people:

  • understand why they gamble
  • identify their triggers to gamble
  • learn skills and strategies to quit or cut down their gambling
  • manage urges to gamble
  • work out what changes they might like to make
  • work out what might be getting in the way of making these changes
  • get motivated to change
  • think about how gambling affects them and their family
  • manage risky situations
  • find other things to do with their time
  • identify and change negative or unhelpful patterns of thinking
  • build healthy ways to manage feelings of stress, anxiety, sadness and loneliness
  • improve their quality of life and wellbeing
  • brainstorm solutions to problems
  • work on relationship issues
  • build a support network and
  • maintain their recovery.

 “I am ready to change now, I just need the tools to help me do it,” – Mike

Gambling counsellors can also provide referrals to other professionals. Services are available to assist with more in-depth relationship counselling, depression and anxiety, alcohol or substance use, and legal problems.

Counselling services can also support people who want to ban themselves from gambling venues or websites. See Gambling Self-Exclusion for more information.

How can different types of support help?

There are many ways to get help. Everyone’s different, so it’s really important for each person to find the right support for them. Different approaches may work better for different people. We’re here to help people choose the type of support that suits them best.

Are you seeking help for the first time? It can be confusing trying to find the right support among the different options that are available. We can help people work out which type of support is best for them.

Has getting help not worked in the past? It’s normal for people to try a few types of support until they find something that works for them. The important thing is that they keep trying.

Getting help was the hardest step for me and I dare say it is the hardest for a hell of a lot of others… I would just find excuses to why I did not believe it would work. The most important step you can take for yourself is to show up – as many times as you need to. – Lucas

Take a look at the different types of support and counselling that are available:

If you are seeking help for a medical emergency or a crisis involving personal safety, such as suicidal feelings or domestic violence, you can contact any of the below services for urgent help 24 hours a day, 7 days a week:

  • Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467 – a nationwide service for people affected by suicide
  • Lifeline: 13 11 14 – support and advice for anyone experiencing a personal crisis or thinking about suicide
  • Beyond Blue: 1300 224 636 – mental health support
  • Mensline: 1300 789 978 – support for men
  • Kids Help Line: 1800 551 800 – support for young people between 5 and 25 years’ old
  • 13 YARN: 13 92 76 – national crisis support line for mob who are feeling overwhelmed or having difficulty coping

Call 000 in an emergency.

Do you want more help?

To find out more about how seeking support can help, 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 find out more about how seeking support can help, 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 find out more about how seeking support can help, 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.

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