If you pursue gambling to the exclusion of everything else, and the only time you are content is when you are gambling, you may be addicted to online casinos. You're not alone, though. Almost seven million people in the United States and Canada gamble so much at online casino websites that they often neglect their job, their friends and their family.
Facing this fact and deciding that you want to quit online poker and other types of gambling, you are taking the first step in a courageous process that may see you reclaim your pre-addiction life. When you seek help for your online gambling addiction, you'll see setbacks on the way, but you can still reach your goal.
The majority of people who play poker online and other online games are not addicted to them. But some reach a point where the lure of winning seduces them to return to casino games again and again, to the detriment of their family, friends and career.
Betting high amounts in various online casinos and engaging in football betting and other sports betting, is often a sign that you have a problem with gambling online. Spending more time in online casinos than you spend with your family may be a clear warning sign, as well. You will likely also experience depression, especially during the periods when you are losing a lot of money and not winning many of your bets.
If you experience any of these trends in your life, it's a good idea to bring them out into the open, so that people can help you. Instead of spending time in a casino online, you can reclaim your family. You'll need the support network that your family and friends can provide, to overcome gambling. Admitting that you are certainly not perfect allows other people to feel more willing to help you. Select someone you trust that you can call whenever you feel the need to return to poker games or other online gambling games.
It's not easy to avoid gambling urges, and lures like sports betting will always be there. But you can develop coping mechanisms that will help you to get past the difficult times. The best way to avoid the tendency is to stay off online gambling sites, and resist the urge to use sportsbooks to compete and make money.
Spend more time with family members and friends who don't gamble. Keep only the cash you need for daily needs, and leave most of your credit cards in a safe place, where you can't easily get to them if the urge to gamble becomes too strong. Give yourself a reward whenever you successfully avoid a chance to gamble online. Even something as small as a gift or a DVD you've wanted can help to reward yourself.
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