Help for families and friends

Āwhina mō ngā whānau e ngā hoa

Sometimes it is not about making the other person stop gambling but about dealing with the harm and doing what is in your own power – changing your own behaviour. A new set of coping strategies is needed to deal with gambling harm to those affected by another person's gambling. A coping strategy is an approach or a way of responding to gambling harm. This module has been designed specifically to protect you and your family.

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I stayed on track by focusing on having the back-up plans and it really helped me with controlling the slips. Emz

Find a new hobby and stay busy. Try anything that will keep your mind off the gambling. Free time is dangerous. Chris

Having supportive friends and family is a godsend. Being honest to my family helped me to keep it real. They really got me through it. Stacy

As a family member of a gambler, I just needed to prioritise myself and my own happiness at times. Take time to escape the chaos and recharge your mental health. Qween

Get a hold of your gambling while you can and before you hit the slippery slope. I have never felt better than I do now because I finally have control over my gambling. Sammy

My best advice is to learn! I never fully realised how the pokies worked. Knowing the ins and outs of the machines made it easier to stay away. Waina

I needed to realise the role I was playing in my dad’s gambling. Once I knew, I was able to make changes on my end. Stopped the money and excuses! Prabnoor

Visualise how good you’ll feel paying off debts. I tell you, it’s a massive weight off your shoulders. Bronson

The main thing I needed to understand was…the only way to win is to not play at all. Dinesh

Know you’re not alone with your struggles. Reading other people’s stories helped me realise this, and now it’s my turn to pass on the wisdom. Sai

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This module has information, ideas, and practical tips on how family and friends affected by gambling harm can help themselves. Some people find that they are able to work with the person with the gambling problem on some of these strategies. If you are able to help the person with the problem, there is also another module specifically detailing how to Be a support person.

How to use the strategies in this module:

These strategies can be used in any order.
To find the right strategies for you, feel free to browse through the extensive collection available in this module.
At the bottom of each page there is a prompt for you to make the strategy your own.
We recommend you choose two or three strategies and save these in your profile for later.

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