A research-based guide to controlling the destructive urge to gamble From Howard Shaffer, PhD, a noted expert on gambling addiction, and Harvard Health Publications comes Change Your Gambling, Change your Life, a landmark new book which explains how gambling problems are related to other underlying issues: such as anxiety, mood fluctuation, difficulty with impulse control, and substance abuse problems. Dr. Shaffer offers a series of self-tests to help evaluate the degree of gambling problem and analyze the psychological and social context of the behavior, with specific strategies and approaches for ending the problems with simple tools that anyone can do. * Explains why many people have a problem controlling their urge to gamble and how that can be corrected * Includes a toolbox of resources for anyone who wants to stop the vicious cycle of gambling * Offers advice for avoiding slips and preventing backslides and how to deal with the consequences With candor and expert advice, Change Your Gambling, Change Your Life provides proven techniques for controlling the urge to gamble.
Preface ix Acknowledgments xv Introduction: How to Use Th is Book 1 PART ONE How to Begin 9 1 Assessing Your Problems 11 2 Connecting the Dots 23 3 Setting Goals to Help You Change 29 PART TWO How to Change 41 4 Getting Your Gambling Under Control 43 5 Anxiety and Gambling 69 6 Mood Disorders and Gambling 103 7 Impulse Control and Gambling 127 8 Substance Abuse and Gambling 155 PART THREE How to Stay the Course 187 9 Preventing Relapses 189 Resources and Further Reading 205 References 211 About the Authors 217 About Harvard Medical School 219 Index 221