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BECOMING A WINNER

Defeating Problem Gambling

BECOMING A WINNER Defeating Problem Gambling

written by

David C. Hodgins, PhD

Karyn Makarchuk, MSc

Addictive Behaviours Laboratory, University of Calgary

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction .................................................................................................................... 4

A. Self-assessment ..................................................................................................... 5 Is there a problem? 5

Negative consequences of gambling 7

Understanding more about your gambling: Increasing your self-awareness

8

Identifying your reasons for gambling 9

The financial costs of gambling 10

B. Making your decision ........................................................... ............................ 12 Benefits and costs of your gambling 12

Quitting or cutting back? 14

C. Reaching your goal................................................................. ............................ 17

D. Maintaining your goal …................................................................................. 32 Planning ahead 32

Slipping and relapse 33

Dealing with other life problems 34

E. Appendix ................................................................................................................... 35 Need More Help? 35

Changing your thinking: Understanding the

role that irrational thoughts play

17

Irrational and rational thinking 19

The concept of randomness 22

Dealing with urges 24

Staying away from gambling 29

Limiting your access to money 29

Telling others of your plan 31

Facing large debts 31

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INTRODUCTION

A problem gambler is a person who is spending time and money

gambling in such a way that it is harmful to them. Gambling can take

many forms, ranging from buying lottery tickets to betting on sports and

playing jackpot. If you feel that you have a problem with gambling, then

this manual will help you to explore your gambling behaviour and to

develop ways to change or stop it completely. The use of self-help

manuals has proven successful with other problems, such as alcohol and

drug use. This manual will emphasize teaching skills for self-

observation and self-control. If, after completing this manual, your

problem persists or if you feel you require more assistance, a list of

other available resources is provided (see Appendix).

This booklet is divided into five sections. The first will help you

understand the extent and nature of your problem. The second helps

you define your goal. The third helps you develop and implement

plans for reaching your goal. The fourth section discusses

maintaining your goal. The last section provides information about

other resources.

5

A. SELF-ASSESSMENT

Is there a problem?

About 49% of

Singaporeans gamble in

any given year. For most

of these people, gambling

is merely a form of

entertainment. However,

some people have a level

of gambling that is causing

harm to themselves and

those around them. These

problems can range from

mild to severe. Anyone can

have a problem with

gambling.

self-assessment

5

5

6

The Problem Gambling Severity Index will give you a good idea of whether or not you have

a problem with gambling.

Thinking about the last 12 months…

1. Have you bet more than you could really afford to lose?

0 Never 1 Sometimes 2 Most of the time 3 Almost always.

2. Still thinking about the last 12 months, have you needed to gamble with larger amounts of money

to get the same feeling of excitement?


3. When you gambled, did you go back another day to try to win back the money you lost?


4. Have you borrowed money or sold anything to get money to gamble?


5. Have you felt that you might have a problem with gambling?


6. Has gambling caused you any health problems, including stress or anxiety?


7. Have people criticized your betting or told you that you had a gambling problem, regardless of

whether or not you thought it was true?


8. Has your gambling caused any financial problems for you or your household?


9. Have you felt guilty about the way you gamble or what happens when you gamble?


TOTAL SCORE

Total your score. The higher your score, the greater the risk that your gambling is a problem.

Score of 0 Non-problem gambling

Score of 1 or 2 Low level of problems with few or no identified negative consequences

Score of 3 to 7 Moderate level of problems leading to some negative consequences

Score of 8 or more Problem gambling with negative consequences and a possible loss of

control

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self-assessment

Negative consequences of gambling

Gambling can cause problems in other areas of your life. What are some of the

problems that you are facing now or may face in future?

GAMBLING CAN LEAD TO THIS IS A

PROBLEM TO

ME NOW

I MAY FACE THIS PROBLEM

IN THE FUTURE

(if I continue gambling)

1. job-related problems ❑ ❑

2. family or marital conflicts ❑ ❑

3. financial problems ❑ ❑

4. legal problems ❑ ❑

5. physical health problems ❑ ❑

6. self-disgust ❑ ❑

7. emotional health problems ❑ ❑

8. low self-esteem ❑ ❑

9. thoughts of suicide ❑ ❑

10. having no time for other things ❑ ❑

11. others ❑ ❑

Stopped at a casino while

looking for a job.

Frustrated, discouraged, feeling broke.

If I made a big win then I wouldn’t need a job. It would solve my problems.

$ 500 lost

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Understanding more about your gambling:

Increasing your self-awareness

People who gamble regularly often do so without thinking. They

do not pay attention to the factors that are related to their

desire to gamble. It is useful to pay attention to these factors to

help you regain control over your gambling.

Think back to the last three times you gambled:

WHERE/SITUATION FEELINGS BEFORE THOUGHTS BEFORE AND DURING AMOUNT $

1.

2.

3.

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self-assessment

Identifying your reasons for gambling

This checklist will help you to identify your reasons for

gambling. Check off which ones apply to you.

REASONS FOR GAMBLING NEVER SOMETIMES EVERY TIME

1. feeling bored ❑ ❑ ❑

2. feeling depressed ❑ ❑ ❑

3. feeling lonely ❑ ❑ ❑

4. for pleasure or entertainment ❑ ❑ ❑

5. to escape from problems or

forget troubles ❑ ❑ ❑

6. out of habit ❑ ❑ ❑

7. for excitement ❑ ❑ ❑

8. problems at home ❑ ❑ ❑

9. problems at work ❑ ❑ ❑

10. feeling broke (worrying about debt)❑ ❑ ❑

11. to get money ❑ ❑ ❑

12. to meet with people ❑ ❑ ❑

13. to avoid people ❑ ❑ ❑

14. to celebrate ❑ ❑ ❑

15. to chase after losses ❑ ❑ ❑

16. others ❑ ❑ ❑

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The financial costs of gambling

Problem gamblers often focus on the “wins” which feel good and

ignore the “losses” which feel bad. Let’s examine the actual cost of

your gambling over the past 30 days:

1. Fill in the dates for the past month.

2. Write down any holidays and special events in that month.

3. Record what days you gambled and what kind of gambling you

participated in.

4. Record the amount of cash you started out with, how much you

finished with, and any details of the session you can recall.

5. Is this a typical month for you? Add up how much you spent on

gambling per month.EXAMPLE:

SUN MON TUES WED THURS FRI SAT

1 2 3 4 5 6

7 8 9

Pay Day-

Casino – lost

entire salary

(Lost $500)

10 11 12

Lottery ticket

spent $2 (lost $2)

13

14 15

Birthday

16 17

Lottery ticket

spent $2 (lost

$2)

18 19 20

21 22

Won $150 from

Jackpot- Casino

(Won $150)

23 24

Lottery ticket

spent $2 (lost

$2)

25 26 27

My birthday- played

jackpot with $100

(lost it ) took another

$100 (lost $200)

28

Big Sweep

bought 3- all

Lost (lost $3)

29 30

4D ticket- spent

$2 (lost $2)

SUN MON TUES WEDS THURS FRI SAT

1 2

Went to the club –

Jackpot spent

son’s school fees

(lost $75)

3 4

Total losses ($786)

Total wins $150

My gambling cost me: $636

Sep

temb

er O

ctob

er

10

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self-assessment

Tracking your gambling costs:

1. Fill in the dates for the past month.

2. Write down any holidays and special events in that month.

3. Record what days you gambled and what kind of gambling you participated in.

4. Record the amount of cash you started out with, how much you finished with, and any

details of the session you can recall.

5. Is this a typical month for you? Add up how much you spent on gambling per month.

Total losses $

Total wins $

My gambling cost me: $

11



‘Yasmin’

I started to hang out at a pub to drink my sorrows away when my marriageended ten years ago and befriended some of the pub goers. One of themsuggested that I go to a casino with her. I badly needed some excitement todrown my sorrows, so I went with her. That’s when I got hooked on jackpot.Things went out of hand when I lost my entire salary in one night. In orderto make ends meet, I borrowed from an illegal money-lender. I continued togamble with hopes of hitting the jackpot so I could repay my loans and covermy daily expenses. Before long, I chalked up a heap of debts from bothillegal and legal money-lenders who harassed me day and night when I wasunable to pay the weekly instalments.

My son had to stay with my ex-husband’s mother as I was unable to takecare of him. Even after selling my flat, I still could not clear the debts. Thestress of paying debts and the pain of not having my son living with me droveme to gambling again. As the debts piled up again, I went around borrowingmoney from my siblings, friends and colleagues. Initially they helped me tosettle my debts, but when I kept going back to borrow, they told me off andrefused to meet me or take my calls. It was then that I began to analyse mysituation. The excitement of winning and the time spent in the casinohelped me forget my sorrows from my broken marriage.

However, when the debts, harassment and pressure ofnot able to make ends meet came in, I lost my peace andsleep. Most importantly, I lost the loving relationshipwith my son, my siblings and my close friends. Now,I receive counselling to quit my gambling addiction andand to pay off my debts in instalments.

Self-assessment: Recognizing problem gambling

‘Yasmin’

Initially, I didn’t think I am addicted to gambling. After all, I have beengambling for more than 25 years. I started off with horse betting. However, Ifelt that the winnings were too low and switched to TOTO. At my worst, Icould spend up to $1,500 a week on TOTO. After spending all my money ongambling, I would have no money left for my daily expenses. This resultedin my electricity and water being cut off by PUB. I was also unable to applyfor more credit cards. On the verge of becoming bankrupt, I went fromborrowing from banks to borrowing from friends. When my friends refusedto lend me more money, I had to sell my house. In 6 months, I had spent$150,000 on gambling. During these times, I was constantly in a bad moodand easily agitated.

I thought I had my break when my company sent me to Taiwan for work. Ithought things would be better there. However, even when I was in Taiwan, Iwould call up friends in Singapore to buy 4D and TOTO for me. After I wonsome money during Chinese New Year, I promised my daughter that I wouldbring her and my wife to Taiwan for holiday. However, This promise wasnever fulfilled. I subsequently lost my job due to an economic crisis.

After losing my job, I met up with friends who encouraged me to drink andgamble. It escalated to borrowing from loan sharks. The harassment fromloan sharks drove me to attempt suicide twice. The second attempt atsuicide finally made me realize that I had a gambling problem. The policereferred me to IMH, where I realized the terrors of addiction and that I wassimply gambling for the thrill.

Now, I’ve learnt the importance of mixing withthe right crowd. I also spend more time withmy family. I found new hobbies where I can devoutmy time. I enjoy much more comfort and joy withthe financial security I have now and hope to fulfilmy promise to my daughter by bringing her to Taiwan. ‘Mike’

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B. Making your decision

Benefits and costs of your gambling

What will be good about changing your gambling habit?

In the table below, write down the benefits and costs of your gambling. Next, write down the

benefits and costs of NOT gambling.

It may help to look back at what you have identified in the previous sections. They may remind

you of why you want to change your gambling habits.

P

BENEFITS OF NOT GAMBLING

· I would have more money to spend.

· I would feel better about myself.

· I would have more time for other activities and to spend with my family.

BENEFITS OF GAMBLING

· I love the feeling of excitement after a big win.

· I can have money fast.

· I have fun when I gamble.

· It helps me to forget my troubles.

COSTS OF NOT GAMBLING

· I will have to face responsibility.

· I will have to somehow fill up my time.

· I will have to let go of the dream that I

will somehow win my losses back.

COSTS OF GAMBLING

· It has caused me legal problems.

· It has negatively affected myrelationships.

· I am heavily in debt.

· I am very depressed and anxious.

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making your decision

Benefits and costs of your gambling:

Take a look at each of the points you have made. Is there anything you have missed? Which square has the most points? Circle the factors that are most important to you.

3

BENEFITS OF NOT GAMBLING BENEFITS OF GAMBLING

COSTS OF NOT GAMBLING COSTS OF GAMBLING

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Quitting or cutting down

There are three options after you have made the decision to

change.

1. Deciding to quit for good

Many people find that not gambling at all is the safest option.

2. Quitting a specific type (or types) of gambling

Some people stop the type(s) of gambling that have caused them

problems, but continue with other types of gambling (e.g. stop

visiting the casino but continue playing mah-jong).

This option can be more difficult than stopping gambling completely.

You must be alert to whether a problem is developing with another

type of gambling. (e.g. if you stop visiting the casino but play mah-

jong more often to try to win back money, then it is a sign that it’s

best to stop playing mah-jong as well.)

If you choose this option, then decide what you are stopping and what

you are continuing.

3. Cutting down

Some people choose to continue playing but limit their problem type

of gambling. This is usually the toughest choice because it can be

difficult to stay within your limits.

We strongly recommend that you quit gambling for two to three

weeks before making your final decision. During this period, you

will discover how you cope on your own with urges or temptations to

gamble.

Before you start, ask yourself the following questions:

1. Do I have the money to gamble at all right now?

For example, do I owe money? YES NO

2. In the past, was I able to control my gambling and

how much I spent on it? YES NO

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making your decision

3. Will my family support my continued gambling and not be harmed by it,

even if my gambling is limited? YES NO

4. Can I gamble without wanting to win back money

that I have already lost? YES NO

If you answered “no” to any of the above questions, then trying to cut

down on your gambling may not be the best choice or an easy goal to

achieve.

The reason for this suggestion is that your continued gambling, even if it

is much less than it was, will likely worsen your financial situation,

upset people around you, and be difficult to achieve if it has been hard

to control your gambling in the past. More importantly, if your

motivation to gamble includes the idea of winning back money you have

lost, then you are at risk of making your problem worse.

If you decide to cut down on your gambling, it is important to take note

of the following:

· develop ways to avoid “chasing your losses” (that is, trying to

win back what you have lost)

· limit the time you will spend on gambling

· keep a daily record of your gambling (e.g. the amount of time spent

on gambling, number of times you gambled, wins and losses)

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Your gambling goal:

Choose ONE of the following options as your goal and sign your name.

This will act as a personal contract to yourself that will help you stay

committed to your goal.

1. Quitting for good sign

2. Quitting a specific type (or types) of gambling

Types of gambling allowed

Types of gambling NOT allowed

sign

3. Cutting down

Complete this section after you have stopped for two or

three weeks and have completed Section C, “Reaching

Your Goal.”

The number of days a week I can gamble

The maximum amount of time per session

The maximum amount of $ per session

The maximum amount of $ per week

sign

“It’s the people around us that are suffering from the consequences of gambling. Not us.”

“To fuel my gambling addiction, I resorted to stealing and robbery. I was

arrested and had to go to jail. My father, who had once attempted suicide

because of me, passed away when I was in jail. His last image of me was in

handcuffs escorted by the policemen.”

“A drug addict recognizes his addiction but a gambler addict is blind to his addiction.”

- Getai Veteran, Wang Lei

Making your decision: Social impacts of problem gambling

‘Boon’

‘Sum’

“When I was chased to repay my debts, I felt anxious, pressurized and frustrated. During my counselling sessions, I sat down and calculated the amount of money won against amount of money lost in lottery. It dawned on me that I lost more than I won, and the net amount lost could pay off a substantial amount of my debts. I realised that it was the pressure and harassment of being chased to repay loans and debts that drove me to try a shortcut of buying hope through lottery.”

“Gamblers failed in their Mathematics. They could lose thousands just to win a hundred and they wouldn’t feel the pain. “

- Getai Veteran, Wang Lei

Mental and emotional impacts of problem gambling

‘Lee’

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reaching your goal

C. Reaching your goal

People who successfully overcome their gambling problem develop

many ways of coping. Many of these coping strategies are automatic.

Other strategies take effort and practice to learn.

Changing your thinking: Understanding

the role that irrational thoughts play

Most gamblers somewhat know that they will never win back all the

money they have lost, yet they continue to “chase their losses” and

continue gambling to try to recover what they’ve lost. In other words,

they rationally know the truth but when they get into

the situation, their thoughts and ideas become irrational.

People naturally “talk to themselves” constantly. This “self-talk” can

be positive and supportive, or it can be negative, irrational, and

frustrating to the self. Using positive self-talk to stop the urge to

gamble or to interrupt the habit of gambling can be very helpful. It

can also help to make your gambling less automatic.

Which are the irrational statements that you have made when you are

gambling or between gambling sessions?

❑ Gambling is an easy way to earn money.

❑ Gambling is a healthy leisure activity.

❑ My gambling is under control.

❑ I can win it back.

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18

❑ I’m smart; I have a system to beat the odds.

❑ Someday I’ll score a really big win.

❑ Gambling will be the solution to my problems.

❑ Gambling makes me feel better.

❑ I will pay it back.

❑ Stealing to gamble isn’t really stealing. The more money

I have to gamble with, the better my chances of winning.

❑ I’m a lucky person.

❑ I can’t control my gambling.

❑ I can stop anytime.

❑ Sometimes I behave as if I am two different persons.

❑ I can still afford to gamble.

❑ I have to make as much money as I can, as quickly as I

can.

❑ I always win.

❑ Even if I only have a few dollars, I’m better off taking a

chance. This is the last time I will gamble.

Take a moment to close your eyes and imagine you are

gambling or about to start gambling. Are there other

thoughts that go through your mind?

reaching your goal

Irrational and rational thinking

Knowing which irrational thoughts apply to you will help you understand

why these thoughts are irrational.

List two things that are irrational about each of the thoughts. Then go back

and write a rational thought to replace it. Write down anything else you

think you could do when you have these thoughts.

With practice, you can challenge these thoughts right away when you are

actually in the situation.

E X A M P L E :

IRRATIONAL THOUGHT:

Gambling is an easy way to earn money.

WHY IS IT IRRATIONAL?

a) I lose money much more than I win; therefore, in the long run I am

not really earning money.

b) It’s really not that “easy” since it causes me a great deal of time,

stress, and worries.

RATIONAL THOUGHT TO REPLACE IT:

Gambling is actually an easy way to lose money. It hardly earns me

any money

1) IRRATIONAL THOUGHT:

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Why is it irrational?

a)

b)

Rational thought to replace it:



a)

b)

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reaching your goal




a)

b)


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The concept of randomness

There is a common belief is that if we play long enough we will

win. We “know” that the outcome we are waiting for will happen

if we hold on long enough.

We may have this belief because we don’t understand

that separate events in many gambling situations have absolutely no

relationship with each other.

Jackpot players often continue playing even if they have been

losing because they feel it is their turn to win soon. They feel

that the specific machine is due for a jackpot pay out. The fact is that

each spin is a separate event and is not affected by what has

happened before. A machine that has recently paid out is just as

likely to pay out as one that has not.

Similarly, in roulette, each number has 1/38 chance of winning on

a particular spin. If you observe the game for a period of time and

notice that a particular number (say 23) has not come up for a long

time, it may seem logical to think it must be coming up soon. Each

spin of the wheel is a separate event. Number 23 has 1/38 chance

of winning on any spin. The roulette wheel does not have a

memory.

Gambling takes advantage of this common mistaken belief. We

easily believe that our number is due to come up because it hasn’t

happened for a while.

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reaching your goal

In what situations does this mistaken belief cause you to keep

gambling?

E X A M P L E :

· When I have a near miss [3 cherries instead of 4], I keep playing because

I feel I am really “close” to a win.

· After a string of losses, I keep playing since I feel I am due for a win.

· After a string of wins, I tend to bet more money since I feel like I am getting

“good” at the game.

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Dealing with urges

To stop or control your gambling, it is important for you to learn ways to

cope with urges and temptations. You may feel the strongest urge during the

first few weeks after quitting.

Before you learn new ways of coping, do you know what your existing coping

skills are? The exercise below will help you identify what causes you to gamble

so that you are more aware of the risky situations.

There are two types of effective coping:

1) By thinking:

Fight the urge to gamble using self-talk.

Research has shown that people who had successfully

overcome a gambling problem used ‘thinking’ strategies.

This includes remembering past gambling problems and

thinking about how well they were doing to achieve their

goal.

2) By acting:

Stay away from gambling by doing other activities.

More than half of the people interviewed who overcame

their gambling problems successfully reported a change

in their lifestyle. Almost half made a change in their

social life.

Recording your urges and coping strategies can:

a) increase your understanding of the role that gambling

plays in your life, and

b) help you identify the most effective ways for avoiding

gambling

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reaching your goal

Write down examples of when you have effectively coped with an urge to gamble in the past:

EXAMPLE:

Where were you and with whom?

I was driving alone after a fight with my partner.

Describe how you were feeling?

I was feeling angry, upset, and bored.

What did you say to yourself?

I told myself that if I went gambling (and lost) I would just end up feeling

worse. I also told myself that there were plenty of other things I could do to

calm down.

What did you do instead?

I drove to a friend’s house to talk things over and watch TV.

Did your coping work?

Yes, my coping worked.

How you coped with urges:

E X A M P L E 1 :


Describe how you were feeling:

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E X A M P L E 2 :



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E X A M P L E 3 :



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List Down Your Best Ways Of Coping

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reaching your goal

Staying away from gambling

Very often, many of your social contacts and activities involve gambling. It

is important for you to choose other activities instead. Gambling cannot

continue to be part of your social or relaxing activities. At least some of

your friends must be non-gamblers.

Make a list of other activities or hobbies that you enjoy that can fill your time.

These can be activities that you used to enjoy but have given up or new

activities that you have always wanted to learn or try.

Limiting your access to money

Most people find that if they have cash in their pocket they are more likely

to gamble . Many people who successfully stop gambling say that limiting their

cash flow is a must.

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Strategies to control your access to money

Some of these measures are more extreme and difficult to agree to. You

may want to try them right away, or you may choose the less extreme ones

first. If the less extreme measures do not work, you can always add the

more extreme measures to your strategy.

❑ Cancel your credit cards or give them to a family member for safekeeping.

❑ Cancel your ATM card.

❑ Make sure cheques are automatically deposited in your bank account.

❑ Have your salary collected by a family member.

❑ Create fixed deposits (that can’t be touched).

❑ Keep a record of all money spent and earned (budgeting).

❑ Take out only the cash needed for the day’s expenses.

❑ Limit the amount of money you can withdraw in a week

(by making arrangements with your bank).

❑ Tell family and friends NOT to lend you money.

❑ Seek financial counselling if necessary to be help deal with debts.

Do NOT borrow from family or friends. Deal with your financial

difficulties.

❑ Avoid jobs where you must handle cash.

❑ Leave your cash at home when you go out.

❑ Plan for situations where you receive money unexpectedly, such as a gift or

lump sum of cash.

❑ Arrange for a co-signer on all cheques that you write.

❑ Set up your bank account so that you must have two signatures to

withdraw cash.

❑ Give your monthly bill money to a family member or friend to handle

for safekeeping until it is needed.

People who are best at preventing relapses know how to protect themselves

from having access to money. They have a budget in place and seek credit

counselling if necessary. They understand their own ways of managing

money and how it affects their lifestyle. Finally, they understand how much

gambling costs them.

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reaching your goal

Facing large debts

You are determined to manage your gambling problem but you may be facing a

huge gambling debt. It may take many years to pay off the debt and you may

feel depressed as you try to gain control over your gambling. Such problems

may distract you from working on your recovery from problem gambling.

You need support. If you don’t seek support, risky situations such as

committing crime to repay the debt, going to loansharks or turning to gambling

to ‘fix’ the problem may occur and your financial situation will worsen.

Financial problems can negatively affect you and your family’s emotional

health. Those effects may be worse if your family does not know the full

extent of the problem.

Consider seeking out a credit or financial counsellor to discuss ways to cope

with and manage gambling-related debts. Look for the listing of supports and

services at the end of this booklet. Then you can focus on your own recovery

from problem gambling.

Telling others of your plan

It is very helpful to tell those around you about your goal to stop gambling.

Gaining support will help you share the burden.

Make a list of people whom you will tell (or have already told) about your

plan and who will support you:

Go back to page 16 to review your goal.

Reaching your goal: Implementation of strategies

Identifying irrational and rational thoughts:

Irrational thought: “I just need to go and borrow $500 for gambling. If I win, all my problems are solved.” Rational thought: “ I need to be realistic. Gambling cannot solve my problems. ”

Taking up non-gambling related hobbies:

Hang out with friends who are not gamblers:

“ I make sure I attend support group sessions regularly.I also found new hobbies not related to gambling to occupy my spare time.”

“I think mixing with the right crowd is very important.I use others in my support group as a reminder that I can never go back to my old ways.”

‘Sum’

‘Mike’

‘Boon’

“The safest way to double your money is to fold it over once and put it in your pocket.”― American Cartoonist, Kin Hubbard

“One day you will wake up and there won’t be any more time to do the things you’ve always wanted. Do it now.”

― Brazilian novelist, Paulo Coelho

“Surround yourself with only people who are going to lift you higher.”― American media proprietor, Oprah Winfrey

Identify motivations and triggers:

“I gave my salary to my wife after deducting the amount needed for my daily expenses.”

“At that time, as a taxi driver, the flexible working hours and convenience of a vehicle made it easier for me to go horse betting and casino. Now, upon advice from a counsellor, I quit driving taxi and went back to being a food stall holder.”

Prevent yourselves from having easy access to money:

“Lots of people know what to do, but few people actually do what they know. Knowing is not enough! You must take action.”

― American life coach, Anthony Robbins

“Know what you want to do, hold the thought firmly, and do every day what should be done, and every sunset will see you that much nearer to your goal.”

― American writer, Elbert Hubbard

‘Chuan’

‘Guan’

becoming a winner

D. Maintaining your goal

Planning ahead

Go back and review the reasons why you gamble that you identified on page

11. For each one, ask yourself:

- Have you developed a strategy to deal with it?

- Identity any resources you may have (or need) to help you

- Rate your confidence (from 0-10) that you will resist gambling for this

reason

If any of the ratings are less than 10, review Section C: Reaching your Goal to

identify additional or alternative strategies to increase your confidence.

REASON STRATEGY RATING OF CONFIDENCE

E X A M P L E:

Boredom I will choose a hobby or an 10

activity from my list to engage

in when I feel bored

32

32

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maintaining your goal

Slipping and relapse

You need to expect that problems will come back from time to time. If you do

slip, remember that you have not failed and remind yourself of past

achievements.

You can often predict when problem gambling will reappear. You are more

likely to lose control when you have bad times in other parts of your life. You

can learn from your slips by recognizing your triggers and risky

situations. Look at what happened and see if you can spot ways of stopping it

next time. Re-read this manual and add your additional ideas. Learn from your

mistakes, see what works, and brainstorm what could work in the future.

DESCRIPTION OF INCIDENT WHAT YOU CAN DO TO PREVENT IT

(TRIGGERS) FROM HAPPENING AGAIN

E X A M P L E

· Went for lunch with co-workers · Use self-talk.

after a bad morning at work. · Bring only enough money for lunch.

· Felt frustrated and irritable. · Phone a friend to help me resist the urge.

· Spotted a jackpot machine in the club.

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becoming a winner

Dealing with other life problems

Problem gambling may or may not be related to other life problems such as

emotional, relationship, or social problems. Many gamblers report other

addictive problems such as the abuse of alcohol or other drugs. Certainly

these kinds of problems, whether related to gambling or not, can make it

difficult to overcome a serious problem. Problem gamblers may realize in

recovery that their gambling was hiding or overshadowing other problems.

Now that recovery is underway, you may be willing to take a closer look at

these problems and work on them.

List any problems in other life areas that you need to tackle:

Congratulations! You have completed this manual! You have taken an

important step in accepting responsibility for your gambling problem.

Change is a complex process so be patient with yourself. Give yourself credit for

every accomplishment you made in this journey!

34

I was a serious gambler – horse betting, lottery, online betting and playingjackpot in casino, resulting in heavy debt. I had to sell my four-room flat inorder to clear all my debts. To prevent me from gambling, my familymembers banned me from the casinos and placed me on the legalmoneylenders’ blacklist so that I could not borrow. They registered mewith a gambling rehabilitation centre and I went through all the classesand activities until my debts were cleared. I continued to go to the centrefor a few years as it became a habit and I also enjoyed the fellowship.

I stopped attending the centre after my new job required me to work moreovertime. I began to receive promotional messages from moneylenders. Totest whether I was removed from the moneylenders’ backlist, I called upone of them and the loan was approved. I spent the money on food andentertainment. One thing led to another, I began to bet online againthinking I would have better luck.

The cycle repeated with more lending, moregambling and more debts. I knew I could nothandle the situation anymore. Not wanting toupset and frustrate my family, I returned voluntarilyto the gambling rehabilitation centre. I am nowservicing my loans all over again, slowly andpainfully. However, I am more aware of my weaknessnow and know I cannot fight the addiction alone.

Maintaining your goal: Prevent Relapses

“I have missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I have lost almost 300 games. On 26 occasions I have been entrusted to take the game winning shot, and I missed. I have failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”

― American retired basketball player, Michael Jordan

‘Ryan’

“Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says I'll try again tomorrow. “

- American author, Mary Anne Radmacher

Source: Pinterest

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becoming a winner

E. Appendix

Need more help?

If you feel you need more help or support, or if you have tried the

techniques in this booklet and haven’t been successful, then other

resources are available.

Problem Gambling Issues

Adullam Life Counselling

Contact

Address

: 6659 7844 (Available Mon - Fri 10am - 6pm)

: 151 Chin Swee Road #08-04 Manhattan House

Singapore 169876

Website : http://adullam.org.sg/

Email : [email protected]

Arise2care Community Services Ltd

Contact : 6909 0628

Address : No.5 Harper Road

Unit 02-01/A

Singapore 369673

Website : http://www.arise2care.sg


Blessed Grace Social Services Limited

Contact : 8428 6377

Address : 16 Arumugam Road

#04-02B LTC Building D

Singapore 409961

Website : http://www.bgss.org.sg/


Changi General Hospital (The Psychological Medicine Centre)

Contact : 6850 3333 (consultation is strictly by appointment only)

Address : 2 Simei Street 3

Singapore 529889

Website : http://www.cgh.com.sg

http://adullam.org.sg/

http://www.arise2care.sg/

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.bgss.org.sg/

http://www.cgh.com.sg/

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becoming a winner

Lakeside Family Services

Contact : 6265 6522

Address : 21 Yung Ho Road

#03-01 The Agape

Singapore 618593

Website : http://www.lakeside.org.sg/ Email : [email protected]

National Addictions Management Service (NAMS)

All Addictions helpline : 6-RECOVER (6-7326837)

Appointment : 6389 2200

Address : Buangkok Green Medical Park

10 Buangkok View

Singapore 539747

Website : www.nams.sg

Appointment : [email protected]

General enquiries : [email protected]

One Hope Centre

Contact : 6547 1011

Address : 8 New Industrial Road

#04-04B LHK3 Building

Singapore 536200

Website : www.onehopecentre.org


Psychealth Practice (under Healthway Medical Group)

Contact : 6252 6266

Address : 176 Orchard Road

#06-01

The CentrePoint

Singapore 238843

Website : http://www.psychealth.sg/


The Resilienz Clinic Contact : 6397 7300

Address : 10 Sinaran Drive

#10-03

Novena Medical Center

Singapore 307506

Website : http://www.resilienz.com.sg/services/resilienz-clinic


http://www.lakeside.org.sg/


http://www.nams.sg/




http://www.psychealth.sg/


http://www.resilienz.com.sg/services/resilienz-clinic

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becoming a winner

Thye Hua Kwan (THK) Centre for Family Harmony @ Circuit

Contact : 6747 7514

Address : 37 Circuit Road

#02-455

Singapore 370037

Website : http://www.thkmc.org.sg/


The National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG)

Contact : 1800-6-668-668 (8am – 11pm)

Address : 510 Thomson Road

#05-01 SLF Building

Singapore 298135

Website : www.ncpg.org.sg


The Silver Lining Community Services Ltd

Contact : 6749 0400

Address : 11 Playfair Road

Singapore 367986

Website : http://www.silverlining.com.sg


WE CARE Community Services

Contact : 6547 5459

Address : 11 Jalan Ubi, Block 5

#01-41 Kembagan-Chai Chee, Community Hub

Singapore 409074

Website : http://www.wecare.org.sg/

Email : [email protected] / [email protected]

36

36

http://www.thkmc.org.sg/


http://www.ncpg.org.sg/



http://www.wecare.org.sg/



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becoming a winner

Financial Issues:

Credit Bureau (Singapore) Pte Ltd

Contact : 6565 6363

Address : 2 Shenton Way

#20-02 SGX Centre 1

Singapore 068804

Website : http://www.creditbureau.com.sg/


Credit Counselling Singapore

Contact : 6225 5227

Address : 210 Middle Road

#05-04 Singapore Pools Building

Singapore 188994

Website : http://www.ccs.org.sg/


DP SME Commercial Credit Bureau / DP Credit Bureau Pte Ltd

Contact : 6320 1900

Address : 10 Kallang Avenue

#14-18 Aperia Tower 2

Singapore 339510

Website : http://www.dpgroup.com.sg/AboutDP/CommercialSMECredit.aspx /

http://www.dpcreditbureau.com.sg

Email : [email protected] / [email protected]

Project X Ah Long

Contact : 1800-924-5664

http://www.creditbureau.com.sg/


http://www.ccs.org.sg/


http://www.dpgroup.com.sg/AboutDP/CommercialSMECredit.aspx

http://www.dpcreditbureau.com.sg/



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becoming a winner

Legal Issues:

Association of Women for Action and Research1

Contact

Address

: 1800 777 5555 (Mon-Fri: 3pm-9.30pm): 5 Dover Crescent

#01-22

Singapore 130005

Website : http://www.aware.org.sg/


Community Justice Centre

Contact : 6557 4100

Address : 1 Havelock Square

Level 1 State Courts Complex

Singapore 059724

Website : www.cjc.org.sg


Legal Aid Bureau Contact : 1800 2255 529

Address : 45 Maxwell Road

#07-11 The URA Centre (East Wing)

Singapore 069118

Website : https://www.mlaw.gov.sg/content/lab/en.html


Singapore Association of Women Lawyers

Address : 96 Waterloo Street

#02-07 SCWO Centre

Singapore 187967

Website : http://www.sawl.org.sg/


The Community Legal Clinic administered by Pro Bono Services Office Contact : 6536 0650

Website : http://probono.lawsociety.org.sg/Pages/Community-Legal-Clinic.aspx


Please also check with your neighbourhood Community Clubs. Some Community

Clubs conduct regular legal clinics.

1 Women’s only service

http://www.aware.org.sg/


http://www.cjc.org.sg/

https://www.mlaw.gov.sg/content/lab/en.html


http://www.sawl.org.sg/


http://probono.lawsociety.org.sg/Pages/Community-Legal-Clinic.aspx


40

becoming a winner

Other Community Resources:

Family Justice Courts

Contact : 6435 5110

Address : 3 Havelock Square

Singapore 059725

Website : http://www.familyjusticecourts.gov.sg/


Family Service Centres

Family Service Centres (“FSCs”) are key community-based focal points and social

service providers for families in need. The Ministry of Family and Social

Development’s website provides a complete listing of FSCs in Singapore.

Website:

http://app.msf.gov.sg/Policies/StrongandStableFamilies/SupportingFamilies/FamilyS

erviceCentres.aspx

Social Service Offices

Social Service Offices (“SSOs”) help deliver financial assistance through schemes

under the ComCare Fund. The Ministry of Family and Social Development’s

website provides a complete listing of SSOs in Singapore.

Website:

http://app.msf.gov.sg/dfcs/sso/default.aspx

The Samaritans of Singapore (SOS)

24-hour Hotline (manned by trained volunteers): 1800-221-4444

Address : Block 10 Cantonment Close

#01-01

Singapore 080010

Website : sos.org.sg / https://www.sos.org.sg/contact-us/enquiries (enquiries)

/ https://www.sos.org.sg/contact-us/feedback (feedback)


http://www.familyjusticecourts.gov.sg/


http://app.msf.gov.sg/Policies/StrongandStableFamilies/SupportingFamilies/FamilyServiceCentres.aspx

http://app.msf.gov.sg/Policies/StrongandStableFamilies/SupportingFamilies/FamilyServiceCentres.aspx

http://app.msf.gov.sg/dfcs/sso/default.aspx

https://www.sos.org.sg/contact-us/enquiries

https://www.sos.org.sg/contact-us/feedback


Appendix: Don’t be afraid to seek help

I ended in debts because of mismanagement of expenses.My salary was unable to cover my expenses. I receivednumerous calls and promotional messages from licensedmoneylenders. To meet my expenses, I borrowedfrom one agency. Unable to pay back the loan, I borrowedfrom another two agencies to cover the first loan. I also started to bet heavilyon lottery hoping to clear all my debts at one go if I strike the first prize. Soon, Ifound that I owed $40,000 of debts to more than 15 moneylenders.

Seeing that I was unable to pay, one of the moneylenders recommended meto visit a centre providing help for problem gamblers. I went through theinitial interview and was assigned to a counsellor who patiently worked on mycase. As the monthly amount I could pay was low, he suggested me to paythree agencies for a start.

He also taught me how to handle the other agencies which I could not affordto pay at that moment. He helped me to negotiate a monthly instalment withthe three agencies. Meanwhile, I was enrolled in a gambling rehabilitationprogramme. The class facilitator and her helpers counselled us on ouremotional and relational issues.

Knowing I was in debt due to my mismanagement of expenses, she sat downwith me to go through my expenses. She showed me where I could cut downexpenses so that I would make ends meet. I began to realize that there wereunnecessary expenses – lottery, drinking and smoking. I was able to stopdrinking immediately. However, it was difficult to quit smoking. We worked outa plan to cut down the number of cigarettes per day. I also stopped buyinglottery as I know a better way to pay off my debts even though it may take along time.

‘Tan’

The Ministry of Family and Social Developmentwould like to thank the following organisations:

Blessed Grace Social ServicesThe Silver Lining Community Services Ltd

WE CARE Community Servicesfor their kind support.

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