Read Your Way to Problem Gambling Recovery
With the proliferation of gambling platforms and products, the activity is fast becoming more than just entertainment for a lot of people and now cuts across every gender.
The negative effects problem gambling has on people’s finances and relationships has become quiet alarming.
If you play and you feel that the activity is no longer just a past time for you and you are struggling and will like to stop, or you are a loved one of someone struggling to recover, it might be beneficial to read up on gambling self-help books by licensed professionals or people with lived experience to aid with the recovery process.
Here is the list of books I found to be informative and a great asset to people struggling and for those who either wants to help them or those that just wants to understand gambling disorders and the effect and impact it has on people.
- She Bets Her Life by Mary Sojourner
The book is focused on the psychological and physiological impact of gambling addiction on women. If you are the one that needs recovery or you are a loved one of someone struggling with addiction, you will find information in this book to help direct women with gambling addictions towards help and healing.
- Gambling: The Hidden Addiction — Overcoming Gambling Addiction
This book by Kerry Davies outlines the twelve steps of recovery from disordered gambling, from a beginner seeking to overcome the addiction to someone already in the process of recovery, to mental health practitioners, social workers, religious teachers etc. this book lays out new and simpler ways to overcome the problem, the pain and find healing.
- Taking Back Your Life by Diane Rae Davis PhD
This book is another classic on women and problem gambling. Lately more women are getting affected by problem gambling and is often ashamed to cry out for help. This book offers an up to date guided support to help women with gambling problem navigate through it and find release from the addiction.
- Bet on Yourself: The Journey of Gambling Addiction Recovery
This book by Susana Abdella explains in detail the effects of disordered and compulsive gambling. Susana a recovering addict herself shares her personal journey through gambling addiction and her fight to recover. This book also sets out how to navigate through the “hitting it big” fantasy that often leads player down the hole. It also shares the process of turning this “win big” drive into something positive.
- The Girl Gambler -Stacey Goodwin
Another classic read on women gamblers that has experienced hurt. Stacey suffered for 8 years but was too ashamed to speak up and seek help as she believed that she will be judged for venturing into a male dominated space. However, today gambling is no longer considered a male dominated activity.
The book is about a young woman’s struggle with gambling addiction. How she lost herself in the world of gambling while it controlled her every thought and movement and almost took her life and how she eventually, discovered the tools that allowed her to break free from her disordered gambling.
She has shared her journey in The Girl Gambler to inspire other women recovering from problem gambling.
- The Gambling Disorder Treatment Handbook by Jody Bechtold & Alyssa Wilson
This book will be a great asset for mental health professionals and other therapists in the line of treating clients with gambling problems as it has detailed information and resources. It outlines the bio psycho-social nature of disordered gambling and provides evidence-based strategies for treating gambling disorders as part of a clinical practice.
The handbook shares the view that treatment of problem gambling can be customized to different groups like adults, adolescents, trauma survivors, military personnel, and diverse cultures.
- Gripped by Gambling by Marilyn Lancelot
The author detailed her immense struggles through different addictions and how gambling addiction almost took her life and saw her arrested in front of her grandchildren at the age of 60+.
This book is about a woman’s journey to what she described as the addiction hell she created and her journey and battle to regain back her life.
- Gambling Addiction by John M. Eades
If you want to understand the problem, the pain, the causes of the illness (gambling addiction) the progressive stages, how it changes the lives of people and how to get yourself released from gambling addiction
- Know When to Hold ‘EM by Damon Dye
This book is for the spouses and loved ones of those struggling with problem gambling. Just like other addictions, gambling takes a toll on loved ones. This book when you need to set boundaries, show tough love and when to hold the sufferer.
All Bets are Off by Arnie & Sheila Wexler
This is quiet an emotional and informative book. Follow Arnie and Sheila as they detail how their compulsive gambling spiraled out of control, all the years in recovery and how Arnie turned it around and became a nationally known expert on gambling addiction.
When It Becomes Disorderly, Seek Help
If you find yourself struggling to stop or to get your life back on track, seek help and support. Reach out to those that has been through the journey (lived experience) NGO’s offering information, education, support or even rehabilitation.
