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There may be as many as 593,000 problem gamblers in Great Britain. Problem gamblers are more likely to suffer from low self-esteem,stress, anxiety and depression.
Problem gamblers are more likely than other people to experience the following harms:
Are you at risk of problem gambling? Answer these quick questions.
Northern Gambling Service provides specialist addiction therapy and recovery to people affected by gambling addiction, as well as those with mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, trauma, and suicidal feelings. The service also provides intervention to people close to those with gambling addiction, such as family, partners, and carers.
Website: https://www.leedsandyorkpft.nhs.uk/our-services/services-list/northern-gambling-service/
Information and advice about gambling.
Website: https://www.begambleaware.org/
Confidential advice, information and emotional support for people who are struggling with gambling
Tel (free, open 8am - midnight every day): 0808 8020 133
A web 'chat' service, where you can talk to a GamCare adviser by typing, and they will type back. The service can be accessed via a smartphone, tablet, laptop or desktop PC, and advisers can send resources and links for you to read later.
Website: https://www.gamcare.org.uk/frontline-services/netline
The National Gambling Helpline and Netline are also the routes into treatment if someone needs counselling or other help to stop gambling.
Young people may be problem gamblers themselves or affected by another person’s gambling. Our full treatment services are offered to anyone 16 years or older, available through our regional partner networks. Young people of any age can speak to the specially trained advisers on the helpline and net lines below.
Tel: 0808 8020 133
Website: https://www.bigdeal.org.uk
The University of Sheffield has a list of services, specifically for students.
Website: https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/ssid/sos/gambling
Urgent help is available:
It is generally not helpful to deal with the financial consequences of gambling without also addressing the psychological and emotional aspects. Gambling-related debt may need to be managed differently from other debt - for example you may need help to restrict access to funds or to gambling opportunities to avoid further debt or losses - therefore it is important to tell anyone helping you with money or debt that it is gambling-related.
Gamblers Anonymous is a group of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to do the same.Their meetings involve no counsellors or professional bodies, just other compulsive gamblers.
Go to a meeting at St Thomas Philadelphia Training Centre: more information on the website.
Smart Recovery meetings help individuals recover from any addictive behaviour and lead meaningful and satisfying lives.
They do this using using a four point programme:
There are a number of Smart Recovery meetings in Sheffield – use the meetings search on the website.
Website: https://www.smartrecovery.org.uk
A Sheffield service here to support all aspects of mental health. Sometimes you just need space to think, and you can do that at Door43.
The team at Door43 includes youth workers, counsellors, substance misuse workers, sexual health workers, careers advisors, volunteers, peers supporters and more, so there will always be someone to help.
Tel: 0114 201 2800
Drop in to Star House during the times on the website here.
GamCare has designed these resources to assist anyone who has recognised that gambling may be an issue for them. If you have arrived at this realisation and have made the decision that you would like to change your relationship with gambling, the following workbook is designed to help you, working at your own pace.
Visit the website for more information.
The GamCare Forum is an online message board, providing a safe and secure space for users (who may be gamblers or their partners, friends and family) to share experiences, thoughts and feelings about problem gambling. Although the Forum is regularly moderated by the GamCare Team, and you'll find we contribute and reply to many messages, it is designed first and foremost for you to come together with other people in similar situations, working through similar problems. The GamCare forum is available 24/7.
The GamCare chat room runs sessions weekly where users can use live text chat to talk about issues related to problem gambling. It is a safe and supportive environment, moderated by a GamCare adviser. Some sessions might be fairly busy and intense; others will be quieter and more relaxed.
Find our more about the chat room here.
A free app providing a collection of tools and information to help you identify and overcome problem gambling.
Self-exclusion is a facility for those that have decided that they wish to stop gambling for at least six months and wish to be supported in their decision to stop. Once you have made a self-exclusion agreement, the gambling company must close your account and return any money in your account to you. It must also remove your name and details from any marketing databases it uses.
In a separate room to Gamblers Anonymous, these meetings are for friends and family of compulsive gamblers.
Go to a meeting at St Thomas Philadelphia Training Centre: more information on the website.
Urgent help is available:
Gambling with Lives was set up by the families and friends of young men who have taken their own lives as a direct result of gambling. These were all very normal, bright, popular and happy young men who had great futures ahead of them … gambling was their only problem.
Gambling with Lives aims to:
If your family has been bereaved by gambling related suicide, please contact them.
Email: info@gamblingwithlives.org
Tel: 07864 299158
Website: https://www.gamblingwithlives.org