How to Stop Gambling

My £50 000 gambling debt journey to debt-free living in under five years.

I believe it’s very important to understand the problem of gambling addiction, but without a doubt – dealing with gambling debt will play important role in gambling recovery. Stop Gambling now.

About the site

This website is my £50 000 gambling debt journey to debt-free living in under five years.

I believe people are gambling because government takes the opportunity to make money instead of helping people with their addiction.

stop-gambling.co.uk

launched in 2008

People are gambling because government takes the opportunity to make money instead of helping people with their addiction. Click To Tweet

So, how do we stop gambling? That’s a great question, but how do we know which is the best way to quit gambling?

“Gambling is about feelings – and you struggled in the past to control your actions because those feelings took over. The solution to your gambling woes is to work on those feelings. As with any addiction, a psychological approach is needed.”
– SelfHypnosis.com

When I quit gambling, I didn’t see myself as a non-gambler I visualized myself as a free person. It’s important to see yourself as an investor, or an entrepreneur, or whatever it is that fills you with passion.

You should stop gambling as soon as you realize that might have a problem. Take your time to prepare yourself mentally to gambling recovery., it’s a long but fascinating journey to the debt-free living life.

I. Self Hypnosis for Gamblers

self hypnosis hypnotherapy for gamblers — hypnotherapy vs gambling addiction

Can hypnosis really help?

Many with a gambling addiction would do almost anything to stop gambling. People have tried all kinds of things to free themselves from addiction – from chemical therapies to acupuncture. The success of any therapy, however, depends greatly on the circumstances and mindset of the individual in question. It is perhaps no surprise, therefore, that a therapy which potentially promises to change that mindset is popular with recovering gambling addicts. Hypnotherapy has made bold claims to be able to ‘switch off’ addictive behaviors within the brain itself. How accurate are these claims? And could hypnotherapy work for you?

What scientists say about hypnotherapy?

Scientists believe that all of us are susceptible to some degree to hypnosis. The ‘Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scale’ posits that only around 5% of us are completely ‘immune’ to hypnosis, and this tends to be because around 5% of us have difficulty concentrating to the extent required by hypnosis. The idea that ‘strong-willed’ people are impossible to hypnotise is a myth – it is all a matter of concentration. One thing that does make a difference is the wish of the patient themselves. If you do not wish to be hypnotised, then you won’t be – simple as that.

How to stop gambling with Self Hypnosis

People have successfully used hypnotherapy or self hypnosis for treating a variety of problems, from chronic pain (which has a strong psychological component), to anger management issues. This would appear to suggest that, if entered into with the right kind of attitude, hypnotherapy really could help gambling addicts seeking a way out of their compulsive lives.

In the case of addictions, hypnotherapists tend to work on the problem at a deep, psychological level. Taking the patient into the substratum of their minds, they attempt to alter cravings right at the root. They may do this by hypnotically suggesting that the craved-for behavior is translated into something more appropriate. Thus, a gambling addict under hypnotherapy may find their gambling cravings replaced with an urge to go for a walk, or a run, or indulge in a hobby.

This does not necessarily mean that the gambling issue is eradicated entirely – but it does make cravings much easier to resist, as they can be quelled via the replacement activity. Some hypnotherapists may also attempt to work on deep-seated psychological issues which could be contributing to the addiction.

Listening regularly to self hypnosis audio program you will be giving yourself a wonderful opportunity to develop the mindset needed to achieve success and to break free from gambling for good!

Try self hypnosis at home today.

Visit SelfHypnosis.com

II. Dealing with Debt Collectors

The hardest part of my gambling recovery was going through my never ending debts, bank interest fees as well as people trying to collect their money from me.

1. Debt Collection Agencies

Phone calls from debt collectors can be stressful and depressing, especially if you’re receiving calls from more than one company. Most creditors will prefer to call you as it’s easier for them to put pressure on you to make payment this way.
Debt collection agencies will work in one of two ways:
The original company sells your debt to a collection agency because they don’t want to continue dealing with your account. They sell this debt for less than the amount you actually owe and then the debt collection agency will collect the full amount back from you. This is how they make their money. Or, your debt is still owned by the original creditor but they get a debt collection agency to collect the money back from you and in return the collection agency keep a percentage of the money they collect.
You can usually tell which of these applies by checking where the letters tell you to send payments. If they ask you to pay the debt collection agency, the debt has been sold. If they ask you to pay the original creditor, they still own the debt.

2. Telephone calls

Debt collection agencies are companies that specialises in dealing with accounts that are in long term arrears (where payments haven’t been made or the person is making a reduced payment).

Should I ever ignore my creditors?

You should never ignore your creditors, but you don’t need to take calls if you find them threatening or you’re repeating yourself each time. All the important informations that your creditors need to tell you, they should send to you in writing. Creditors can contact you if you aren’t making your agreed monthly payments. But they must keep to the rules set out by Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

How to make a complaint?

If your creditors are treating you unfairly and don’t keep the rules set out by FCA you can make a complaint. If you plan to do this, you’ll need to keep a record of all the calls you get. The best way to do this is to keep a notebook by your phone and write down each call or voicemail you get. Record the date and time, who called you and what was said. This information can then be used as a basis for your complaint.

If your creditors are treating you unfairly and don't keep the rules set out by FCA you can make a complaint. Click To Tweet

3. WHAT DEBT COLLECTORS CAN DO ?

Creditors are entitled to contact you to collect unpaid debts. They can contact you by letter, phone call or home visit. But they have to act within the law and obey a number of rules that are set down by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

Unfair debt collection

The FCA have set out rules on what they consider to be unfair debt collection practices. These include:

Calling you at work without permission
Discussing your debts with an employer or family member
Refusing to deal with advice agencies
Pressuring you to borrow more money to pay off debts
Pretending to have legal powers they do not have
Adding unreasonable charges
Continuing to contact you when the debt is being disputed

If a creditor repeatedly fails to follow these rules, the FCA can issue a warning, impose a fine or withdraw their credit licence.

4. Letters from creditors

When you miss payments your creditors will send you letters that threaten further action such as court action or sheriff officers. These letters will usually refer to the ‘possible’ action they could take rather than what they are actually going to do. If you read these letters carefully, you’ll usually find they refer to actions they ‘could’ or ‘may’ take.

OPENING YOUR LETTERS

You should always open and read the letters you get from creditors. Some of them you won’t need to act on but others are important – so you need to know what you’re getting. The ones you don’t need to act on will be regular statements or reminders. Others, such as default notices or letters from collection agencies, are more important. In some cases, your creditors might take court action and send important paperwork to you through the post. It’s important you open these letters as you need to respond to them within a set timescale.

GUIDANCE

While some letters are designed to put pressure on you, some are more serious. But, whatever the letter, creditors must follow rules set by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) on fair debt collection when they write to you.

If you recieve letters that don’t follow these rules you can make a complaint to the creditor.

III. Books worth reading.

View More Books

IV. Gambling blocking software

What is blocking software?

Blocking software is a computer programm that limits access to websites, apps or other services available over the internet.

There are two kinds of blocking software available:

General blocking software, which is designed to block any sites you want and set access permissions or parental controls;
Gambling-specific blocking software, which is designed to block gambling websites.

Below is an example of gambling-specific blocking software. Visit my gambling addict directory to find more gambling blocking softwares.

Please note there may be fees for this software:

www.gamblock.com (Windows computers and Android phones)

Will this stop me gambling?

Adding blocking software is a great start, but you may find that you need additional support.

Gambling Addict Directory

Books worth reading

Are you looking to dig deeper into topics like making money, dealing with debt and gambling addiction?

Reading, like exercise, offers a safe, healthy and productive replacement for negative thinking. It gives your mind a safe place to rest until you regain the strength you need to overcome your obstacles.

Click here to search for more books on Amazon!

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