Frequently Asked Questions: Understanding Your Gambling Relapse

A gambling relapse occurs when someone who has stopped gambling starts again. This can happen after days, months or even years of abstinence. It doesn’t mean you’ve failed. It’s simply a sign that something needs to adjust in your recovery.

Gambling relapses often happen due to triggers like stress, financial pressure or even boredom. Emotional highs and lows can also make you vulnerable. Without strong coping mechanisms in place, the urge to gamble can feel overwhelming. So recognising your triggers is the first step to managing them.

Absolutely not. A relapse doesn’t erase the progress you’ve made. Think of it as a temporary setback, not a permanent failure. A lot of people experience gambling relapses before settling into long-term recovery. Instead, use this experience to identify what went wrong and adjust your strategy moving forward.

The most important thing you can do is take immediate action. Here are some key steps you need to take:

• Acknowledge the relapse: Be honest with yourself and accept what happened
• Identify the triggers: Reflect on what led to the relapse
• Seek support: Talk to a trusted friend, family member or professional
• Review your recovery plan: Adjust it to include new strategies or tools
• Limit gambling access: Self-exclude or block gambling websites if you haven’t already done so

And always remember that recovery is a journey. Every step you take, even after gambling relapses, brings you closer to success.

Prevention starts with understanding your vulnerabilities. As we were saying before, make sure you recognise your triggers. Write them down and plan how to avoid or handle them.

Building a support network by surrounding yourself with people who encourage your recovery is going to be very helpful. And make sure you stay busy. Engage in hobbies, exercise and volunteer work to fill your time.

We’ve also touched on blocking tools, which are apps or software that can prevent access to gambling sites. Removing that temptation is crucial.

Practicing mindfulness, meditation and breathing exercises can also help control urges to gamble.

As we said before, removing digital temptation is extremely helpful for many people. In the UK, many online casinos are part of self-exclusion schemes like GamStop. If you register with the, it can help you stay on track.

Yes, sharing your relapse with someone you trust can be helpful. Keeping it secret can lead to feelings of shame or isolation. Talking about it can provide relief and open the door to advice and support. If you’re not ready to talk to a loved one, consider speaking with a professional or joining a support group.

GambleAware is a great organisation based in Britain. You can find lots of practical advice there, along with where to talk to someone about your individual problems.

Therapy can be a powerful tool after gambling relapses. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) helps you understand and change unhealthy thought patterns. Counsellors can help you rebuild confidence and strengthen your coping strategies. If you’ve tried therapy before, revisit it to explore new techniques.

Yes, guilt is a natural response. But it’s important not to dwell on it. Feeling guilty shows you care about your recovery, but excessive guilt can hinder progress. Focus on learning from the experience and taking positive steps forward.