First, this is not a self-help article on how to rid your mind of gambling habits. This is entirely about harnessing the powers of mindfulness and meditation to help you make better decisions when gambling.
We recognize that gambling is an affliction that is not easily cured by just telling them to stop, even the most addicted know that gambling is the pursuit of fool’s gold. We look at a different approach that brings awareness to the player regarding how they play and what they play and how finding inner focus can benefit them to improve their performances inside of the casinos they are in.
We all know there is no singular treatment for dealing with gambling addiction. With meditative techniques and mindfulness therapies and continues gambling, people have found that their mental health condition surrounding the addiction actually dissipates and this is because success becomes more frequent when the focus is more internal than external.
Mindfulness of online gambling
So, what is mindfulness anyway? Whilst there are a number of different variations in meaning, it all centers on the moment of awareness that removes expectation. The goal is to pay attention to the present moment and not be judgemental about what is and what could be. When it comes to gambling it’s everything, the decision to gamble, what to gamble on, how much to gamble, and removing all expectations.
If betting on sports, to not pick based on odds, to perhaps not bet if you sense there is hesitancy towards the fixture, and to go with instinct and nothing outside of this.
This is the same for all other casino games.
It has been encouraged by many in the field of self-improvement care. The feeling of mindfulness that comes with meditative workouts goes beyond the moment of finding calm to ascend or transcend depending on your meditative routine. It brings to the front the awareness of the act, this is why those that gamble are encouraged to continue whilst learning the techniques that will bring to the forefront an awareness of their actions, to bring about the concepts of best practice.
And practice is another thing that gamblers will need to engage in because it all takes time to find and maintain that state of mindfulness.
Some practices within self-improvement classes, including yoga and meditation classes, can be done as group therapy, but doing it alone can be practiced at home, even with online guidance and virtual classes.
Why should you consider this approach?
Those that gamble are often impulsive people that have little self-management in the world of casinos but are able to manage other factors in life to a very high degree. For them, this is perhaps their only release from the stresses they have.
These impulses to play and to gamble is brought about through cravings, frustration, stress can often trigger games because winning is the greatest feeling ever. By taking on a meditative process or mindfulness technique, you can begin to question if you need to play, if so, what will you play, and how much is enough to spend, win, and lose.
Gamblers will run on autopilot, once the idea of playing comes into the head, it’s instinctual to reach for the mobile phone, load up the casino, and within seconds, players are able to place a bet or play a game and in no time, debt can be accumulated should they not win.
In some cases, gambling addiction can coincide with other health issues or addictions which will also benefit from your self-healing approach through meditation and mindfulness.
Success within online casinos
There are two forms of success that can happen within the casino, the act of winning financial gains and that of control within how you gamble online.
We spoke with Ingerlise Dalen, who is the Editor-in-Chief at Norskonlinecasino, a casino comparison site that helps players in Norway to find the best Norwegian casino online. We asked if there was any help presented by casinos online for players with gambling addiction.
“Yes, there are a number of new laws and regulations that online casinos must adhere to now. All the top casinos in Norway now must support online gambling charities and supply their details or a link to their website in case players would like to seek help. In addition to this, casinos are now promoting their own ‘responsible gaming’ service. The responsible gaming measures are self-managed account tools. You can set limits on what you deposit into the casinos, and you can also set limits on the time spent within a casino. These measures can be added, adjusted, and removed. The exclusion to gambling is set by you if you want a full break, and there is now blocking software that removed all ads and sites from your device that are associated with gambling.”
For more information regarding these measures, you can visit the site of Norskonlinecasino to read more on responsible gambling measures.
These measures sound fantastic and these tie in with the art of meditation and through using your mindfulness techniques, you can begin to play within a more controlled environment. Imagine, if casinos were to only allow you to place a limited wager of a dollar on a game and not know that bets could go higher. With limitations, you are more in control and the conditioning you have will be maintained to stay within the fields you have set.
Treatment and Guidance
Given the nature of meditation, there is a requirement to practice and to perform sessions daily as part of your own treatment plan. As you learn to evolve your mind, your presence, and your being, you can incorporate more meditative routines into your day.
Most beginners start out at 5 minutes and go through a routine of finding suitable breathing techniques, exercises, and prayer if they wish to bring this into their treatment plan. It can take time for a mind to relax and to get to a state of zen when bringing in the nature of gambling must be so powerful, that it can take months for the gambler to see results of their efforts.
