Rewind/Fast-Forward

Rewind/Fast-Forward

We spend a lot of time talking about being in the present moment, but in this exercise, we’re going to do a little time traveling.

Many people who have been able to abstain from gambling for long periods of time report that they still feel the urge every now and then to gamble.  This can be difficult to manage, and can even make us feel guilty for just having the urge in the first place.  

Today, we’re going to give you a trick that can help in these times.

Let's Pause

When faced with the urge to gamble, the most impactful thing you can do is pause.  Take a beat.  Ground yourself in the present, and remind yourself that an urge is nothing more than a thought, a feeling, a temporary condition.  Given time, it will pass.  

It is also not something you need to feel guilty about.  Your brain is used to the chemicals released when you gamble, and it is asking for more.  This doesn’t mean that you are somehow weak or morally broken.  It just means that your brain is still operating the way it has been trained to do, and you are in the process of retraining yourself.

Once you’ve acknowledged the urge, there are 2 very impactful questions you can ask yourself.  The first, is taking a look at the past and asking yourself, “how did I get here in the first place?”

Rewind: How Did I Get Here?

Sometimes just reminding yourself of where you are and how you got here is all you need to ground yourself back in the present.  Start by rewinding the tape and asking yourself how you got here:

• Why am I using Evive in the first place?

• If I can control my gambling, how did I end up in my current situation?

• Look back at your most recent gambling sessions. Were you able to stay within your limits?  How did the experience feel while you were gambling?  How did it feel after?

• What kind of impact has gambling had on important areas of your life such as your finances, relationships, and self-worth?

Fast-Forward: Where Am I Going?

The second question you can ask yourself is “where will this bet take me?”

Let’s say I do give in to that urge and gamble…then what? When I wake up tomorrow morning, how am I going to feel about myself?

If I lose, I’m probably going to feel like:

• I’ve lost money that could’ve gone to something productive in my life

• I’m going to feel ashamed for being duped again

• I’m going to let that shame fuel negative behavior in my life…

If I win, I may feel good momentarily, but look at the big picture:

• I’ve tricked myself into thinking that gambling is a way to make money.

• The next time I need money, I’m going to see gambling as a solution, and put myself at risk again.

• Eventually, I’m going to lose, because that is how gambling is mathematically designed

• When I do inevitably lose I’m going to feel ashamed for being duped, again

• I’m going to let that shame fuel negative behavior in my life…

• The cycle will continue

Practical Exercise

Practice asking yourself these questions when you don’t feel an urge, so it becomes easier to answer them when you do:

How did you get here?  Why are you using Evive?

If you do gamble again, where do you think that will lead you?

Closing Thought

Being in the present moment is important, and we are all about cultivating mindfulness at Evive.  However, in taking a look at our past and future, we can actually ground ourselves in the present, and help maintain our goals.