Health and Wellbeing

Looking after yourself is important to your wellbeing and is an important step towards changing your gambling. When thinking about making long-term change, it can be helpful to look at life broadly and to focus attention on health and wellbeing.

Top 30 most helpful Self-help actions

Here are some tips for actions that people who changed their gambling found helpful.

Think about how your money could be better spent.
Accept that gambling needs to change.
Remind yourself of negative consequences of gambling.
Compare costs and benefits of continuing to gamble.
Remind yourself of the positive consequences of not gambling.
Remind yourself that sometimes people win…but the system is designed for you to lose.
Avoid chasing losses.
Eat a healthy balanced diet.
Engage in an activity that gives you a feeling of achievement.
Calculate the money and time spent gambling.
Remind yourself that you don't need to gamble.
Engage in regular exercise.
Identify inaccurate thoughts about gambling or winning.
Re-establish trust and belief in yourself.
Plan ahead and limit the amount of money you carry.
Make a resolution to change your gambling.
Monitor how your emotions relate to gambling.
Engage in a new form of entertainment.
Concentrate on being strong or using will power.
Keep busy to avoid thinking about or engaging in gambling.
Plan ahead and leave credit cards and non-essential cash at home.
Keep track of money by setting up a budget and tracking spending.
Distract yourself or do something else until the urge to gamble passes.
Monitor for signs that gambling is becoming a problem.
Ensure your physical health needs are met.
Stick with your strategy - don't increase or change the bet amount.
Remain hopeful about your future.
Avoid gambling when feeling down, depressed or otherwise vulnerable to gambling.
Take it easy on yourself or take it slow.
Read information on how gambling works.

Source:

Lubman, Rodda, Hing, Cheetham, Cartmill, Nuske, Hodgins & Cunningham (2015). Gambler Self-Help Strategies: A Comprehensive Assessment of Self-Help Strategies and Actions. Gambling Research Australia. Melbourne (p229).