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Navigating the Odds: How to Cope With a Parent’s Gambling Disorder as a Teen or Young Adult

  • Writer: Julie Barris | Crisis Counselor | Therapist-in-Training
    Julie Barris | Crisis Counselor | Therapist-in-Training
  • Feb 25

Coping with a parent’s Gambling Disorder can feel isolating and overwhelming, but setting healthy boundaries and seeking support can help you manage the emotional toll. Understanding the addiction and encouraging your parent to get help is key, but remember to prioritize your own well-being throughout the process.

Navigating the Odds: How to Cope With a Parent’s Gambling Disorder as a Teen or Young Adult

Having a parent with a Gambling Disorder can be one of the most isolating and confusing experiences for a teen or young adult. As someone just beginning to carve out your own identity, the added weight of a parent's addiction can feel overwhelming. From the secrecy and tension to the financial struggles, it’s often hard to know how to navigate this complex and challenging environment. While you can’t fix your parent's disorder, there are ways to cope with the emotional and practical toll it takes on your life.


More importantly, as someone who likely feels a need to "fix" the situation, how can you encourage your parent to seek the help they desperately need? And how can you take care of yourself in the process?


Understanding Gambling Disorder


Gambling Disorder isn’t a matter of “just quitting” or “having a bad habit.” It’s a serious addiction that hijacks a person’s brain chemistry and decision-making abilities. For teens and young adults, this can manifest in feelings of frustration and confusion. You might notice your parent’s behavior shifting from being loving and responsible to secretive, erratic, or even deceitful. They might promise to stop gambling but continue making the same destructive choices, leaving you feeling betrayed and helpless. Understanding that this is a disorder, not a choice, is the first step in reframing how you cope with it.


Coping Mechanisms for Teens and Young Adults:


  1. Understand the Disorder, Not the Person: While it's painful to watch a loved one spiral, it’s important to separate the addiction from your parent’s identity. The addiction is a mental health issue, and in many cases, it involves the brain’s reward system, which can cause the compulsive need to gamble despite negative consequences. Learning about gambling addiction and how it affects behavior can help you to understand your parent’s actions better and not take it personally.


  2. Set Healthy Boundaries: One of the hardest parts of living with a parent with Gambling Disorder is learning how to establish boundaries. Your parent might ask for money, promise to change, or involve you in keeping secrets about their gambling. It’s essential to create clear boundaries to protect your own mental health and well-being. This may mean saying no to lending money, refusing to keep secrets, or even temporarily distancing yourself if the relationship becomes toxic.


  3. Encourage Therapy—But Be Gentle: If you want to help your parent, encouraging therapy can be an essential part of the process. As a teen or young adult, you may feel like you should take charge and try to force your parent to change. However, it’s important to remember that they must want to seek help on their own terms. Express your concern in a compassionate and non-judgmental way. Let them know that you want to see them healthy and that therapy can help, but don’t push them too hard. You can’t force someone into treatment, but offering emotional support can make a significant difference.


  4. Create a Support System for Yourself: Living with a parent who has Gambling Disorder can feel like a constant emotional rollercoaster. You may feel angry, confused, anxious, or even isolated. It’s crucial to have a support system of friends, mentors, or even a therapist to help you process your emotions. Talking to someone who understands can provide a sense of relief and grounding. Additionally, engaging in hobbies, staying active, and focusing on school or work can create a sense of normalcy in your life.


  5. Practice Self-Care and Protect Your Mental Health: Don’t forget to prioritize your own mental and emotional health. Practicing self-care doesn’t mean ignoring your parent’s struggles, but it does mean recognizing that your well-being is important too. Find activities that help you relax, recharge, and feel grounded, whether it’s exercise, journaling, painting, or connecting with close friends. Keeping a healthy balance in your life is crucial to maintaining resilience in the face of challenging circumstances.


  6. Understand That Change Takes Time: If your parent does decide to seek help, understand that recovery from Gambling Disorder doesn’t happen overnight. It’s a process, one that involves setbacks, hard work, and sometimes relapses. While it’s painful to watch, it’s essential to remain patient and supportive. This journey is about more than just quitting gambling—it’s about learning healthier coping mechanisms, building trust, and regaining control of their life.


The Path Forward


While navigating the impact of Gambling Disorder on your family isn’t easy, it’s important to remember that you don’t have to go through it alone. Many teens and young adults find strength in understanding their parent’s disorder, creating boundaries, and seeking support for themselves.


The most important question remains: How can you help your parent seek the treatment they need without sacrificing your own mental health and happiness?


 

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Rebuilding from Within: Helping a Loved One Overcome Addiction and Rediscover Self-Love

  • Writer: Julie Barris | Crisis Counselor | Therapist-in-Training
    Julie Barris | Crisis Counselor | Therapist-in-Training
  • Dec 1, 2024

Helping a loved one overcome addiction requires patience, empathy, and unwavering support as they navigate the challenges of recovery. It's important to remember that helping a loved one overcome addiction is not just about breaking free from substance use—it's about rebuilding self-love, confidence, and emotional well-being.

Rebuilding from Within: Helping a Loved One Overcome Addiction and Rediscover Self-Love

Addiction is a silent thief that robs individuals of their confidence, self-worth, and dignity. Whether it's drugs, alcohol, or any form of dependency, the emotional toll it takes is often invisible but deeply felt. But even in the darkest moments, healing is possible—especially when someone who cares is there to help. If you're supporting a loved one struggling with addiction, one of the most powerful things you can offer them is the chance to rediscover self-love. Here's how you can help them on that difficult but transformative journey.


1. Meet Them Where They Are


It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking you know what’s best for someone, especially when you see them in pain. However, to help someone battling addiction, you need to meet them where they are emotionally and mentally. Instead of offering unsolicited advice or demands, listen to them with empathy. Validate their feelings—whether they’re ashamed, angry, or hopeless—and resist the urge to “fix” them. Sometimes, the best way to show love is simply by being present without judgment.


2. Encourage Small Wins


Addiction recovery is not a linear process. There will be good days, bad days, and everything in between. Rather than focusing on the end goal of sobriety, celebrate small victories. Did they go a day without using? Did they open up about their struggles? These moments of courage, no matter how small, are essential in rebuilding self-love and confidence. Recognize and acknowledge these achievements to help them see progress, even when it feels slow.


3. Teach Compassionate Self-Talk


Addicts often develop negative self-beliefs through years of self-destructive behavior. Shame becomes their inner monologue. Rebuilding self-love requires teaching them how to be kinder to themselves. Help them practice positive affirmations and self-compassion. Encourage them to speak to themselves the way they would speak to a friend—without criticism, shame, or judgment. “You are worthy of love and healing,” can be a powerful mantra to start shifting the narrative from self-loathing to self-love.



4. Model Healthy Boundaries and Self-Care


In your efforts to help, it’s crucial to remember that you can’t pour from an empty cup. As someone trying to help a loved one rediscover self-love, it’s essential that you also model healthy boundaries, self-respect, and self-care. By demonstrating that you take care of yourself, you’re showing them that self-love isn’t just about avoiding addiction—it’s about treating yourself with dignity and care every day.


5. Foster a Sense of Belonging


People who struggle with addiction often feel isolated, as though they don’t fit in or are undeserving of connection. One of the most healing things you can do is help them feel a sense of belonging. Whether through support groups, family activities, or even just regular check-ins, create opportunities for them to feel seen and valued. When a person feels like they belong, they are more likely to value themselves and work toward their own well-being.


6. Support Therapy and Treatment Options


Addiction doesn’t just affect the body—it erodes the mind and soul, too. Therapy and professional support are essential for healing. Encourage your loved one to seek professional help, whether through counseling, rehab, or outpatient services. Recovery isn’t just about quitting a substance—it’s about rebuilding emotional health and discovering self-worth. Be there for them through the process, whether it’s accompanying them to appointments or just being a source of encouragement.


7. Help Them Rediscover Purpose


A person battling addiction often feels disconnected from a sense of purpose, which can make recovery seem pointless. Helping them rediscover their passions, talents, and dreams can reignite the spark of self-love. Volunteer opportunities, creative projects, or simply engaging in hobbies they once enjoyed can give them a reason to invest in themselves again. A person with a purpose is more likely to believe in their worth and continue fighting for their recovery.


8. Patience and Understanding Are Key


Rebuilding self-love is not a quick process. Recovery from addiction is complex, and the road can be long. Patience is one of the greatest gifts you can offer. Understand that setbacks are part of the process, and each day is an opportunity to try again. Love and support don’t have an expiration date, and you can continue to show them that you are there for them through every step of their healing journey.


Conclusion: A Journey to Rediscovery


Helping a loved one rediscover self-love after addiction is not a one-time event—it’s a continual, patient process. By offering your support, understanding, and belief in their worth, you provide a lifeline to someone who may feel lost in their struggle. Remember, recovery is as much about healing the soul as it is about breaking free from substance abuse. You are not just helping them overcome addiction—you are helping them believe, once again, that they are deserving of love, happiness, and peace.


In the end, self-love isn’t about perfection. It’s about accepting oneself with all the flaws and victories, and choosing every day to heal.


 

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From the Bottom to the Bloom: Vue's Journey of Overcoming Alcoholism and Reclaiming His Life

  • Writer: Julie Barris | Crisis Counselor | Therapist-in-Training
    Julie Barris | Crisis Counselor | Therapist-in-Training
  • Nov 26, 2024

Note: This content is fictional and created with the intention to inspire, uplift, and support you on your mental health journey. If it feels discouraging, please feel free to disregard it—your well-being is always the priority.

From the Bottom to the Bloom: Vue's Journey of Overcoming Alcoholism and Reclaiming His Life

Alcoholism isn’t just a physical addiction—it’s a mental and emotional battle that can take years to overcome. For many, the journey to recovery is long, filled with struggles, setbacks, and moments of doubt. But for Vue, a man who found himself trapped in the dark cycles of addiction, recovery wasn’t just about quitting alcohol—it was about rediscovering who he truly was and returning to his roots.


The Struggle: From Numbing Pain to Losing Control


Vue’s story of alcoholism began like many others—a way to escape the pressures and emotional weight of life. For years, alcohol served as a coping mechanism, numbing the pain of past trauma and current stress. What started as casual drinking quickly spiraled into something far more destructive. Vue found himself in a cycle of daily drinking, where alcohol became his only escape. The more he drank, the more disconnected he became from himself, his family, and his dreams.


“I didn’t know who I was anymore,” Vue recalls. “The person I was before the alcohol felt so distant. I was lost in a fog, just trying to get through each day.”


Eventually, his health began to deteriorate—physically, emotionally, and mentally. Vue knew something had to change, but the idea of breaking free from alcohol seemed nearly impossible. His addiction had become so deeply entrenched that it felt like an insurmountable wall.


The Turning Point: A Moment of Clarity


One night, after a particularly difficult binge, Vue had a moment of clarity that would change everything. “I was sitting alone in my apartment, drunk again, and it hit me: I couldn’t keep doing this. I didn’t want to keep living like this,” he shares. “I was suffocating in my own choices. But I didn’t know where to start.”


It wasn’t an overnight decision, but that night marked the beginning of Vue’s commitment to reclaiming his life. It started with small steps—attending a support group, reaching out to others who had been through similar struggles, and facing the hard truth about the damage alcohol had done to his body and mind. “The hardest part was admitting I couldn’t do it alone,” Vue admits. “It was humbling to ask for help, but that was the first real step toward healing.”


The Road to Recovery: Facing the Dark and Finding the Light


Recovery was not easy, and it didn’t come quickly. Vue faced many relapses, moments of self-doubt, and intense cravings. There were times when he felt like giving up, when the weight of his past mistakes seemed too heavy to carry. But through it all, he stayed committed to the process, leaning into therapy, support groups, and developing healthier habits.


One of the most powerful tools for Vue was reconnecting with his roots. He began to explore mindfulness practices, exercise, and journaling—small rituals that helped him reclaim his sense of self. “I had to find new ways to deal with stress, new ways to feel alive without alcohol,” he says. “Exercise became my outlet. It wasn’t just about getting physically healthy—it was about getting mentally healthy too.”


Vue also learned the importance of setting boundaries with people who were still in toxic environments or enabling his addiction. Cutting ties with old habits, places, and even people was a painful yet necessary part of his recovery.


Returning to Soil: Rediscovering Purpose and Resilience


As Vue continued to rebuild his life, something remarkable began to happen—he started to rediscover himself. The fog lifted, and for the first time in years, he felt like the person he had been before addiction. It wasn’t an easy process, but with each passing day, he grew stronger.


“I realized I had been running from myself,” Vue reflects. “Alcohol kept me from facing the truth about who I was. But once I stopped hiding from my pain, I could start healing. It was like planting seeds in soil that had been dry for so long—slowly, but surely, I began to bloom.”


Today, Vue is over two years sober, and his life has changed in ways he never thought possible. He’s reconnected with his family, rediscovered his passions, and found a new sense of purpose. But most importantly, he’s learned to be kind to himself. “I’m not perfect, and I still have my moments,” he says. “But I’ve learned that recovery isn’t about being perfect—it’s about progress, about showing up for yourself every day, even when it’s hard.”


The Takeaway: A Message of Hope


Vue’s journey is a powerful reminder that recovery from alcoholism is not just about quitting drinking—it’s about reclaiming your life, rebuilding your identity, and embracing the strength you didn’t know you had. His story proves that even in the darkest of times, there is always hope for a brighter tomorrow.


If you’re struggling with addiction or any other mental health challenge, remember that you’re not alone. Recovery is possible, and no matter where you are in your journey, there is always a way back to yourself. It may not be easy, but it’s always worth it.


For Vue, the road ahead is still long, but with resilience, support, and a renewed sense of purpose, he knows that he’s finally on the right path.


"The key to recovery is remembering that it's not a straight line. It's messy, it’s tough, but every step forward is a victory."


 

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