Problem gambling is an issue which needs the serious attention of specialists and counseling which has the potential to tremendously help people in need of support. For quarter century Hotel-Dieu Grace Healthcare has been striving to provide individuals with the support system they seek in order to overcome their addictive tendencies towards gambling activities, gaming, as well as digital technology.
In times of need when people tend to seek help and guidance from various outlets, problem gambling programs appear to give an easy to understand set of steps which could guide the individual on their path to improvement. The Centre for Problem Gambling and Digital Dependency is one of the renown locations for receiving such help, potentially turning people’s lives around. This year the program is going to celebrate its 25th anniversary which is always a good time for assessment and evaluation of accomplishments.
Three-Week Cycle Offers Help
>Apart from the extensive time this program has been in motion and the success it has accomplished, December 2018 also saw the 200th three-week cycle of treatment taking place at the location. Each cycle consists of three weeks of residence on site, as the location is able to provide up to seven individuals at a time with its expert help and guidance. Such has been the established practice ever since 1994 and so far results are visible across patients struggling with compulsive gambling.
They have to spend the entirety of the cycle at Hotel-Dieu Grace Healthcare where they have everything needed in order to achieve a deeper understanding of their addictive personality, what triggers their gambling habits, and how they could overcome compulsive gambling. Stephanie Heredi is the program manager who stated that the program itself could be defined as an intense one, as it delves deep into people’s addictions.
Those players who enter the program are in for a wide variety of counseling ranging from individual sessions to meeting involving more people. The one-on-one conversations with experts happen in an understanding and non-judgmental way, which reassures players they are on the right path. Those counselors are able to provide insights and practical pieces of advice to their patients. Group sessions give them the opportunity to meet other people with similar issues.
Problem Gambling Could be Overcome
These meetings involving a larger number of individuals help them learn more about developing a healthy relationship with money, as well as learn more about their stress patterns and cope with them. What should be pointed out is that apart from relying on the support offered by the program, patients also need their support group in the outside world to show them that they care and expect them to make a progress.
A family day could be included in the program, for it is beneficial for both sides. Patients’ families need to understand the true cause of this gambling tendency and what triggers it. There is always a deeper reason for any addiction, as players strive to fill a void.
They have to seek a solution to that problem first and work on it, which is possible within the three-week cycle of the Centre for Problem Gambling and Digital Dependency. Ontario residents have the chance to register for the program at no cost.