If you’re worried you may be dealing with a gambling addiction, then our gambling addiction rehab can help you regain control. We’re here to help you.
Gambling addiction is on the rise in the UK. The NHS reported nearly 2,000 referrals to gambling clinics between August and September of 2024 – an increase from 800 the previous year.
Most people will gamble at least once in their lives, whether it be betting on football, purchasing a lottery ticket, or buying a scratch card – this isn’t an addiction.
However, if you find your enjoyment of gambling turning into an uncontrollable need to gamble, then you may be dealing with a gambling addiction.
But how can a simple bet potentially lead to a gambling addiction?
Gambling releases dopamine in your brain. This dopamine release is part of your brain’s reward system, which helps you form beneficial habits and behaviours. For example, you get this dopamine release when you tick off a task from your to-do list or go to the gym.
It’s this reward system that can lead to addiction in some cases.
When you win a bet or correctly predict the week’s winning lottery numbers, this same dopamine is released into your system, leading your brain to associate gambling with a good feeling. For some people, this can become a gambling addiction over time.
In other cases, people may turn to gambling as a coping mechanism during times of stress, anxiety, or depression. A family history of gambling may also leave you more susceptible to developing one yourself, especially if you were around gambling at a young age.
Identifying a gambling addiction within yourself isn’t always easy, but there are signs to look out for if you’re concerned you may have one:
You may also notice more physical symptoms with a gambling addiction, such as headaches or nausea. Additionally, it’s common to feel elevated stress levels or increased anxiety with a gambling addiction as well.
A gambling addiction may leave you feeling hopeless, but we’re here to remind you that recovery is possible with the right treatment.
There are several options to explore when it comes to treating a gambling addiction. Some of the most common treatments include:
The first step in gambling addiction rehab is to remove your body’s reliance on betting – this is known as detoxing.
To do this, we need to take gambling out of your everyday environment, both physically and mentally. Gambling addiction rehab does exactly that, as you’ll stay in a residential treatment facility, away from any connections you have with gambling in your home environment.
After the initial detox, it’s time to begin your gambling addiction rehab.
In this step, we’ll work together to understand your addiction, the cause, and any triggers you may have. Then, we can start to build long-lasting coping mechanisms to help you regain control of your life.
We believe the gambling addiction rehab process doesn’t end once you’ve left our treatment facility; that’s why we provide aftercare to help prevent a relapse.
This may come in the form of counselling, where you can speak with a trained professional about your worries. Support groups provide you with a community of people who are also on their own recovery journey.
You can find our main gambling addiction rehab site based in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset.
Should our main site have no spaces available at the time of your application, then we also have a couple of other locations – one in Truro, Cornwall, and another in Monmouth, South Wales. However, these are only used for overflow purposes if our Weston-super-Mare site is full.
We know that the location of our main site may not be convenient for everyone. However, distance is important for the recovery process. By removing yourself from your local surroundings, you leave behind any associations you may have with gambling in that environment.
To get in touch with our main site, you can contact the team via phone on 01934 311965 or by email at info@stonebridge.rehab. They’ll be happy to answer any questions you may have about our gambling addiction rehab.
If you’re ready to begin your recovery journey, then the dedicated team at our gambling addiction rehab facilities is here to help you.
At Stonebridge Communities, we pride ourselves on providing compassionate, judgment-free care that’s tailored to your own unique experience. In our rehab for gambling, you’ll benefit from expert help any time of the day or night.
Begin your journey to recovery with us. Reach out today to book your initial consultation on the form at the top of this page.