How can you help EMPLOYEES to QUIT-GAMBLING effectively?

It is common practice for companies to offer support for employees being distracted by substance addictions, such as alcohol abuse and smoking too much, but little exists for a problem that is often difficult to notice – and treat effectively - a gambling addiction.

It is not uncommon for people who are in danger of developing a gambling related affliction to spend in excess of 60 hours per week thinking about their next bet or how to create the stake to be able to place their next bet.

Gambling is often found out to be the root cause of many individual, workplace and family related hardships including financial distress, presenteeism, relationship difficulties, poor parenting, absenteeism, criminal behaviors, depression, suicide, poor eating habits, and isolationism.

With easy access to gambling such as through local casinos, scratch and win tickets, lotteries, and online betting the many adversities that result from gambling related aftermath are currently being noticed by all households, workplaces, businesses and communities, too some extent, today. 

When a troubled gambler, begins to realize that they have a problem it is important that the support measure they call upon as their source of help and assistance towards recovery does not further stymie the problem, or prolong the process of treatment and recovery oriented intervention.  

Unlike alcohol addictions, which often take years to drain a family’s financial security, gambling addictions can drain a family’s savings account and bankrupt credibility, in less than a week!

During recent years the EAP support infrastructure, has stepped up to offer help to employees and their family members who are being adversely affected by gambling with gambling cessation literature, call center help, and problem gambling assessment support.

So what happens next?   After the EAP client realizes, that they are gambling too much – and admits that they have a problem or may have a problem – with gambling too much.

It is important to recognize that as gambling surfaces as the root problem the extremities of issues will extend into lost financial security, lost fulfillment of hopes, and stresses that undermine their productivity at work and their contributions at home and in their relationships. 

Each troubled gambler noticeably and consequently affects at least 10 other individuals directly or indirectly.

The 21 Steps to STOP Gambling Tools including workbooks and online recovery support have been engineered specifically for EAP (short-term counseling intervention) application.

At the onset of 21 Steps intervention the EAP client is required to schedule three appointments with their EAP practitioner, and then as he/she works through the remaining 20 workbooks – one step at a time – through to Step 21 “Enjoying Life without Gambling”, their EAP practitioner holds them accountable to progression “one step at a time” and to the process of working through the point of full recovery, successfully. 

Each of the 21 self-help workbooks are designed to serve as tools to help guide the treatment and recovery process. They include specific and detailed interactive information on how to help the troubled gambler to control their addictive thinking processes, teach him or her responsible money practices, rebuild confidence, and channel his or her energy into productive behaviors.

Each participant in the 21 Step methodology also receives access to a global 24/7 online support community at the www.21steps.net , Recovery & Beyond website, where he or she can connect and interact with other recovering former problem gamblers from around the world, who are literally “on the same page with them” and who are working through the same step.

Each of the 21 steps requires from one to three days each to complete, or about 60 days to finish the whole program. The program can be completed while you are actively working.

As a result of gambling afflictions manifesting themselves as “secret addictions” spotting gambling problems before they become a full-blown addiction harbored by an employee, is not easy. Warning signs that an employee has an addiction are often subtle, such as habitual lateness, long lunches, absenteeism, presenteeism, exhaustion and declining productivity.

Other signs to watch for include vacation days taken in isolation rather than a week or two at a time; employees who owe money to colleagues; employees who request salary advances, or pay, instead of vacation days; or employees who volunteer for lots of overtime.

It is also important for onlookers and EAP practitioners to be aware of why it is that a troubled gambler “thinks” they can “quit-gambling” when you can see that they can’t?

This occurs because their “concept” of time differs from yours.

The troubled gambler thinks - if they are not gambling “for a period of time” that they have quit-gambling and that they can quit-gambling.

Yes, they still think they can quit even if they start gambling right after their counseling session, is finished!  - This is because they think in terms of - if they have quit gambling for an hour, they can quit when they have to!

It is important for EAP practitioners to think in clearer terms of “if my client could learn to quit-gambling permanently” then he or she could enjoy life more and have more money available to be able to contribute to the financial health and wellness of their household with.

Let’s face it, the creative intelligence of the mind is amazing!

It’s that creative intelligence being misdirected or misunderstood, that often holds clients back from being more successful and productive, during the recovery process.

When perceptions between clients and practitioners differ, communication often breaks down and this makes it increasingly difficult to effectively help a client with a non-substance based addiction - such as gambling - from relapsing, further harming their financial security, and self-esteem.

By learning how to counter a gambler’s ill suited perceptions of reality, it is possible to help them to get back on track!

On track to begin WINNING – in the game of LIFE – by seeing gambling, or the prospect of gambling, through a new set of eyes as a result of being educated with more surrounding clarity, improving their sense of self-worth and helping them to feel as though they deserve to improve their state of financial health and wellness – by not gambling!

For more information, insights and tips on how you can help troubled gamblers and their families to overcome gambling related adversities and aftermath - effectively, please take a moment to preview the information available online at;

www.21steps.info

Shawn Jordan

Gambling Recovery Specialist

21 Steps to STOP Gambling System & Workbooks