Gratitude To Avoid Problem Gambling Posted On

All holidays can act as a trigger for those in recovery from problem gambling.  The stress of the holidays and family relationships can be very difficult.  Additionally, during the Thanksgiving holiday, there may be a focus on professional sporting games taking place.  The trigger to gamble may be very difficult for those in recovery.  Focus on the holiday to avoid these gambling triggers.

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is about being grateful and showing gratitude towards loved ones.  Showing gratitude, can be as simple as holding a door, offering to help with the dinner, or listening to another persons struggles. Gratitude is simply devoting time and energy to someone else.  So, showing gratitude is a great way to start or continue a journey of recovery from problem gambling.

If you’re thinking about and devoting time and energy to others, it takes a little focus off of personal struggles.  Therefore, focusing on others is a great way to gain a little space to try to avoid the triggers and thoughts to gamble.

Showing Gratitude

There are many ways to show gratitude. 

Spend time listening. Many people spend so much time talking and expressing their own views that they don’t take the time to give someone else their full attention.  Active listening includes nodding, making eye contact and restating what’s been heard.  Truly listening to someone is a great way to show gratitude.  

Offer support. Offering time to help someone else is a great way to show gratitude for the support that others may have given you.  Support doesn’t need to be accepted, but simply the act of offering devoted time and energy to someone else is an expression of gratitude.  

Plan ahead. Thinking about what others like, or need, before they ask is a great way to show gratitude. This could include:

  • Showing up to someone’s home with a pie for the holiday;
  • Taking a spouse out to dinner after a stressful day;
  • Cleaning house for the family when relatives will be visiting;
  • Planning designated time to help kids with homework. 

There are so many ways to plan ahead and be supportive to loved ones.  The list is literally endless!

Showing gratitude is a great way to stay on track to recovery from problem gambling. Spending time listening, offering support, and planning ahead to take care of loved ones can take a little bit of time away from triggers and the thoughts of gambling.  That little bit of time focusing on others may be just enough to stay on the track of recovery from problem gambling.

Resources to Support Recovery

Although showing gratitude is a great way too move away from activities that can trigger problem gambling, there are additional resources out to help those in need. 

There are Problem Gambling Resource Centers opening across the state of New York.  To contact your local resource center, go to NYProblemGamblingHELP.org.  These resource centers are designed to help find local options for help that best suit the caller’s needs.  

To learn more about problem gambling, KnowTheOdds.org is a great resource filled with resources including eBooks, videos, and infographics.  The site is jam-packed with information to help anyone learn anything they need to know about problem gambling. 

We hope you and your family have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday, free from triggers and stress related to gambling.  Have a great holiday!

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