74. Gambling Urges: What's Going on in the Brain

When you gamble, it affects your brain and body. It's common to experience an urge to gamble.  This involves thinking a lot about gambling or winning, having a strong desire to gamble, and feeling restless, anxious, excited and/or irritable.  Urges can also continue after you stop gambling and create risk for relapse. In this episode of Fold em, we return to the topic of urges. This time, with a focus on what brain science tells us about urges and how to handle them.  I'm joined again by the team from Brain Connections - Dr. Iris Balodis from the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences at McMaster University and Deirdre Querney, MSW, a counsellor specializing in gambling problems for the past twenty three years.  Brain Connections is an online resource about gambling addiction and the brain. Listen to episode 74 and hear about: How to recognize triggers and urges What is going on in the brain with gambling urges What to THINK and DO when experiencing urges to gamble To read a summary of this episode, visit the blog at www.gamblingproblemhelp.ca.  You can also learn more about urges at www.brainconnections.ca. If you live in British Columbia and would like help for gambling concerns, reach out to our free, confidential counselling and outreach services.  Connect with us online at Gambling Support BC or call 1-888-795-6111. To connect with gambling problem help outside of British Columbia: Canada:  click here United States:  National Council on Problem Gambling United Kingdom:  GamCare Australia:  Gamblers' Help If you live outside of these areas, search online for "Gambling Problem Help" in your country.  If you would like to connect with online groups and supports, here's some options: Gamblers Anonymous Gam-Anon GamTalk (online chat forum) Recovery Road Online Gamblers in Recovery The Broke Girl Society  If you would like to connect with Fold em through Facebook or Instagram, find us at Foldem Podcast.  You can also reach out through [email protected].  We welcome feedback and topics for upcoming episodes. Fold em is funded by Gambling Support BC.