Low mood and betting losses
Low mood can push people toward betting, and betting losses can push mood lower. Here is how the spiral works and how to step out of it.
The spiral
How the two feed each other
When life feels flat or hopeless, betting can offer a spark: something to look forward to, a chance that things might change. Then the losses arrive, and with them shame, secrecy and money worries, all of which lower mood further.
The more isolated you feel, the easier it is to keep betting, because nobody is there to notice or to interrupt.
Warning signs
Signs worth taking seriously
- Betting is the only thing that makes you feel anything.
- You have lost interest in things you used to enjoy.
- You are sleeping much more or much less than usual.
- You feel worthless, or that people would be better off without you.
- You have started to think about ending your life.
What to try
Small steps that help
When mood is low, big plans do not work. Try the smallest version:
- Keep one fixed point in the day: get up at the same time, or eat at the same time.
- Go outside for ten minutes, even if you do not feel like it.
- Tell one person how you actually are, in one sentence.
- Move betting money out of easy reach: ask someone you trust to hold your spare cash.
- Book an appointment with a doctor or counsellor. Low mood and problem betting are both treatable, and they are often treated together.
Reach out
You are not the only one
Many people who struggle with betting also struggle with low mood, and it is common to feel ashamed about both. Support services hear this every day and do not judge it.