Article managing slips[1]
Series: Managing lapses and relapse

Reducing the likelihood of a lapse

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How can you reduce the likelihood of a lapse?

Reducing the likelihood of a lapse is an important aspect of recovery for people trying to change their gambling. Lapses or slips are common when people are trying to quit or cut down, but you can take some proactive steps to reduce the likelihood of a lapse so you can keep up your progress.

One effective way to reduce the likelihood of a lapse is to create a plan in advance. This plan should include identifying situations in which you are at risk for gambling and developing healthy strategies to cope with these situations. This can include avoiding these situations when you can, or managing them effectively when you can’t avoid them. By taking these steps, you can reduce the chances that you’ll lapse so that you can keep moving towards your goals.
 

How can your family member or friend reduce the likelihood of a lapse?

Reducing the likelihood of a lapse is an important aspect of recovery for people trying to change their gambling. Lapses or slips are common when people are trying to quit or cut down, but you can help your family member or friend take some proactive steps to reduce the likelihood of a lapse so they can keep up their progress.

One effective way to reduce the likelihood of a lapse is to create a plan in advance. By helping them create this plan, you can provide your family member or friend with valuable support and encouragement. Together, you can identify situations in which they are at risk for gambling and come up with healthy strategies to cope with these situations. This can include helping them avoid these situations when they can or managing them effectively when they can’t avoid them. By actively participating in this process and offering your support, you can help them reduce their chances of a lapse so they can keep moving towards their goals.
 

How can people reduce the likelihood of a lapse?

Reducing the likelihood of a lapse is an important part of helping people in their recovery. Lapses or slips are common when people are trying to quit or cut down, but you can help the person you’re working with take some proactive steps to reduce the likelihood of a lapse so they can keep up their progress.

One effective way to reduce the likelihood of a lapse is to create a plan in advance. You can work with them to identify situations in which they are at risk for gambling and develop healthy strategies to cope with these situations. This can include helping them avoid these situations when they can or managing them effectively when they can’t avoid them. By actively participating in this process and offering your guidance and support, you can help them reduce their chances of a lapse so they can keep moving towards their goals. You can also provide resources and referrals to professional help, if necessary.

How can people prevent lapses?

High-risk situations have the potential to trigger people to gamble, even if they hadn’t intended to. This is because the brain of the person has connected particular situations with gambling over time. Whenever the person is in a similar situation, they can often have an urge to gamble. The more the person gambles when they feel an urge, the stronger and faster their brain learns to associate that urge with gambling. It becomes almost like a reflex, which can be automatic and difficult to resist.

Even if a person hasn’t gambled for a while, these situations can still trigger an urge to gamble. For example, returning to their local pub or going to the footy after a long period away may signal their brain to react and reactivate this pattern of behaviour.

High-risk situations are usually situations, emotions, or thoughts. Take a look at some of the high-risk situations in the Inventory of Gambling Situations:

  • Having difficulties with other people
  • Worrying about debts
  • Having unpleasant feelings
  • Having urges to gamble
  • Being pressured to gamble
  • Being in situations involving winning
  • Feeling a need for excitement
  • Using alcohol or drugs

“I caught up with an old girlfriend and after lunch, she suggested that we put some money into the pokies. I didn’t want to be rude and say no, so I went with her and we spent $15 each. After she had left, I went back there and spent much more by myself.” – Sarah, Gamblers Help client

 

What can you do?

Which of these are your high-risk situations? Identifying these situations can help you keep up any progress you’ve made in changing your gambling.

Avoiding these situations is the easiest way to stay on track. But sometimes, that’s not possible. In those cases, it’s important to anticipate and prepare for them in advance, so you’re not caught off-guard.
 

Having difficulties with other people.

You can create a plan to handle situations involving conflict, such as developing strategies to manage these situations or remove yourself from them. You can refer to our self-help activities like Finding Ways to Relax and Keeping Busy for assistance. If you frequently experience conflict with specific people, it may be helpful to contact a relationship counsellor, your doctor or a mental health care professional to learn new skills related to communication or managing anger. 

Worrying about debts.

It’s possible to develop a financial plan by creating a budget and exploring alternative methods to manage your money and debts. You can refer to our resources on Managing Money and Overcoming Financial Challenges, and use our self-help activity on Creating a Budget. Additionally, seeking financial counselling could be beneficial, and you can learn more about this in our resource on How Financial Counselling Can Help.

Having unpleasant feelings.

Instead of gambling, it’s a good idea to come up with alternative ways to cope with negative emotions. These could include learning relaxation techniques and engaging in other enjoyable activities. You can visit our section on the connection between Gambling and Mental Health Issues to learn more. Additionally, our self-help activities such as Finding Ways to Relax and Keeping Busy could be helpful. If necessary, consider consulting your doctor or a mental health care professional for assistance.

Having urges to gamble.

It may be necessary to explore alternative approaches to cope with urges. Our resources on Understanding Urges and self-help activities such as The 5Ds: Delay, Distract, Deep breathe, Decide, Discuss and Urge Surfing could be helpful in achieving this goal.

Being peer pressured to gamble.

It could be helpful to learn how to say no when your friends pressure you to gamble. This may feel uncomfortable at first, but the more you practice, the easier it will become. There are different ways to refuse, such as directly saying you don't want to gamble anymore, giving a reason for your decision, acknowledging the invitation but declining, or suggesting an alternative activity. You could also ask your family members or friends to support you in your efforts to quit or cut down your gambling. Consider proposing other activities to do with your friends or meeting new people who don't gamble. 

Being in situations involving winning.

To reduce the likelihood of a lapse, it may be helpful to gain a better understanding of the real likelihood of winning. You can do this by checking out our information on Learn About Gambling which provides details about the odds of gambling. Changing your thoughts and beliefs about gambling can also be useful, and you can find tips on how to do this in Changing Thoughts and Beliefs. Managing your finances is another key step, and you can find advice on taking control of your finances in Managing Money and dealing with debt in Resolving Financial Challenges. Additionally, Creating a Budget can help you set a budget, while our gambling calculator can help you calculate the total cost of your gambling activities.

Feeling a need for excitement.

You might benefit from exploring new and stimulating activities and questioning whether you still get enjoyment from gambling. Take a look at our resource, Keeping Busy, to discover some ideas for new activities to try.

Using alcohol or drugs.

Combining drugs or alcohol with gambling can be dangerous because gambling is harder to control when you’re under the influence. For more information on this, see our resource on the link between Gambling and Substance Use. Consulting with a counsellor can help you develop a plan to change these habits.

What can you do?

Which of these are high-risk situations for your family member or friend? Supporting them to identify these situations can help them keep up any progress they’ve made in changing their gambling.

Encourage them to avoid these situations if they can because this is the easiest way for them to stay on track. But sometimes, that’s not possible. In those cases, it’s important for you to help them anticipate and prepare for them in advance, so they’re not caught off-guard.

Having difficulties with other people.

You can help your family member or friend create a plan to handle situations involving conflict, such as developing strategies to manage these situations or remove themselves from them. You can refer them to our self-help activities like Finding Ways to Relax and Keeping Busy for assistance. If they frequently experience conflict with specific people, it may be helpful for you to support them to contact a relationship counsellor, their doctor or a mental health care professional to learn new skills related to communication or managing anger. 

Worrying about debts.

It’s possible for you and your family member or friend to work together to develop a financial plan by creating a budget and exploring alternative methods to manage their money and debts. You can refer them to our resources on Managing Money and Overcoming Financial Challenges, as well as our self-help activity on Creating a Budget. Additionally, seeking financial counselling could be beneficial, and both of you can learn more about it in our resource on How Financial Counselling Can Help.

Having uncomfortable feelings.

Instead of gambling, it’s a good idea to work with your family member or friend to come up with alternative ways to cope with negative emotions. These could include learning relaxation techniques and engaging in other enjoyable activities. They can visit our resource on the connection between Gambling and Mental Health Issues to learn more. Additionally, our self-help activities such as Finding Ways to Relax and Keeping Busy could be helpful. If necessary, encourage them to consider consulting their doctor or a mental health care professional for assistance.

Having urges to gamble.

It may be necessary for you and your family member or friend to explore alternative approaches to cope with urges. They could find our resources on Understanding Urges and self-help activities such as The 5Ds: Delay, Distract, Deep breathe, Decide, Discuss and Urge Surfing helpful in achieving this goal.

Being pressured to gamble.

It could be helpful for your family member or friend to learn how to say no when their friends pressure them to gamble. Emphasise to them that this may feel uncomfortable at first, but the more they practice, the easier it will become. You can work with them to practice different ways of refusing, such as directly saying they don't want to gamble anymore, giving a reason for their decision, acknowledging the invitation but declining, or suggesting an alternative activity. You could also ask other family members or friends to support them in their efforts to quit or cut down their gambling. Encourage them to consider proposing other activities to do with their friends or meeting new people who don't gamble. 

Being in situations involving winning.

To reduce the likelihood of a lapse, it may be helpful for your family member or friend to gain a better understanding of the real likelihood of winning. They can do this by checking out our information on Learn About Gambling which provides details about the odds of gambling. Changing their thoughts and beliefs about gambling can also be useful, and they can find tips on how to do this in Changing Thoughts and Beliefs. Managing their finances is another key step, and they can find advice on taking control of their finances in Managing Money and dealing with debt in Resolving Financial Challenges. Additionally, you could encourage them to take a look at Creating a Budget to help them set a budget or our gambling calculator to help them calculate the total cost of their gambling activities.

Feeling a need for excitement.

Your family member or friend might benefit from your support in exploring new and stimulating activities. You could also gently query whether they still get enjoyment from gambling. Get them to take a look at our resource, Keeping Busy, to discover some ideas for new activities to try.

Using alcohol or drugs.

Combining drugs or alcohol with gambling can be dangerous because gambling is harder to control when people are under the influence. For more information on this, ask your family member or friend to see our resource on the link between Gambling and Substance Use. You could also encourage them to consult with a counsellor, who can help them develop a plan to change these habits.

What can you do?

Which of these are high-risk situations for the person you’re working with? Supporting them to identify these situations can help them keep up any progress they’ve made in changing their gambling.

Encourage them to avoid these situations if they can because this is the easiest way for them to stay on track. But sometimes, that’s not possible. In those cases, it’s important for you to help them anticipate and prepare for them in advance, so they’re not caught off-guard.

Having difficulties with other people.

You can help them create a plan to handle situations involving conflict, such as developing strategies to manage these situations or remove themselves from them. You can refer them to our self-help activities like Finding Ways to Relax and Keeping Busy or assistance. If they frequently experience conflict with specific people, it may be helpful for you to refer them to a relationship counsellor, their doctor or a mental health care professional to learn new skills related to communication or managing anger. 

Worrying about debts.

It’s possible for you to work together to develop a financial plan by creating a budget and exploring alternative methods to manage their money and debts. You can refer them to our resources on Managing Money and Overcoming Financial Challenges, as well as our self-help activity on Creating a Budget. Additionally, seeking financial counselling could be beneficial, and they can learn more about this in our resource on How Financial Counselling Can Help.

Having uncomfortable feelings.

Instead of gambling, it’s a good idea to work with them to develop alternative ways to cope with negative emotions. This could include learning relaxation techniques and engaging in other enjoyable activities. They can visit our resource on the connection between Gambling and Mental Health Issues to learn more. Additionally, our self-help activities such as Finding Ways to Relax and Keeping Busy could be helpful. If necessary, you could refer them to their doctor or a mental health care professional for assistance.

Having urges to gamble.

It may be necessary for you to support them to explore alternative approaches to cope with urges. They could find our resources on Understanding Urges and self-help activities such as The 5Ds: Delay, Distract, Deep breathe, Decide, Discuss and Urge Surfing helpful in achieving this goal.

Being pressured to gamble.

It could be helpful for them to learn how to say no when their friends pressure them to gamble. Emphasise to them that this may feel uncomfortable at first, but the more they practice, the easier it will become. You can work with them to practice different ways of refusing, such as directly saying they don't want to gamble anymore, giving a reason for their decision, acknowledging the invitation but declining, or suggesting an alternative activity. You could also ask them to request their family members or friends support them in their efforts to quit or cut down their gambling. Encourage them to consider proposing other activities to do with their friends or meeting new people who don't gamble. 

Being in situations involving winning.

To reduce the likelihood of a lapse, it may be helpful for them to gain a better understanding of the real likelihood of winning. They can do this by checking out our information on Learn About Gambling which provides details about the odds of gambling. Changing their thoughts and beliefs about gambling can also be useful, and they can find tips on how to do this in Changing Thoughts and Beliefs. Managing their finances is another key step, and they can find advice on taking control of their finances in Managing Money and dealing with debt in Resolving Financial Challenges. Additionally, you could encourage them to take a look at Creating a Budget to help them set a budget or our gambling calculator to help them calculate the total cost of their gambling activities.

Feeling a need for excitement.

They might benefit from your help in exploring new and stimulating activities. You could also gently query whether they still get enjoyment from gambling. Get them to take a look at our resource, Keeping Busy, to discover some ideas for new activities to try.

Using alcohol or drugs.

Combining drugs or alcohol with gambling can be dangerous because gambling is harder to control when people are under the influence. For more information on this, ask them to see our resource on the link between Gambling and Substance Use. You could also refer them to a counsellor, who can help them develop a plan to change these habits.

If you can easily get money, it can be particularly difficult to manage your high-risk situations. That’s why it’s important to limit your access to money. See Taking Control of Finances for some help with this.

High-risk situations are warning signs that you’re in danger of gambling. Think of them as forks in the road, where you can choose to use a specific and concrete strategy to avoid gambling. The goal is to be confident you can cope with these situations without gambling.

And remember, you don’t have to so this alone. There is always someone to talk to. It’s a great idea to seek out support from friends, family members, and professionals who can help. With the right tools and support, you can continue down your path to recovery.

Do you want more help?

To learn more about how to reduce the likelihood of a lapse, 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.
 

If your family member or friend can easily get money, it can be particularly difficult for them to manage their high-risk situations. That’s why it’s important to talk to them about how they could limit their access to money. Get them to go to Taking Control of Finances for some help with this.

High-risk situations are warning signs that your family member or friend is in danger of gambling. Ask them to think of them like forks in the road, where they can choose to use a specific and concrete strategy to avoid gambling. The goal is for them to be confident they can cope with these situations without gambling.

And remember, you and your family member or friend don’t have to do this alone. Encourage them to continue their discussions with you and seek out support from other friends or family members, as well as professionals who can help. With the right tools and support, they can continue down their path to recovery.

Do you want more help?

To find out more about how to reduce the likelihood of a lapse, 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.

If the person you’re working with can easily get money, it can be particularly difficult for them to manage their high-risk situations. That’s why it’s important to have a discussion with them about how they could limit their access to money. Get them to go to Taking Control of Finances for some help with this.

High-risk situations are warning signs that they’re in danger of gambling. Ask them to think of them like forks in the road, where they can choose to use a specific and concrete strategy to avoid gambling. By helping them identifying these high-risk situations and developing specific coping strategies, they can gain confidence in their ability to resist the urge to gamble.

And remember, planning for high-risk situations isn’t something that the person that you’re working with has to do alone. Encourage them to continue their discussions with you and seek out support from friends, family members, and other professionals who can help. With the right tools and support, they can continue down their path to recovery.

Do you want more help?

To find out more about how to reduce the likelihood of a lapse, 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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