How to avoid the temptation to start playing again

Important from the beginning

This material is not a substitute for specialist assistance. If you feel a strong craving, crisis or thoughts of self-harm - contact your local hotline/emergency services. Early support works softer and better.

Introduction: Relapse is a process, not a "sudden mistake"

The return to play is rarely "one click." It is preceded by an emotional stage (stress, fatigue, euphoria), then mental (rationalization "a little bit," "I control"), and only then - behavioral. The task is to intercept the process earlier.

1) Trigger Card: Know Enemy By Face

Divide the triggers into three groups:

Emotional: stress, boredom, loneliness, anger, fatigue, euphoria after success.
Situational: night, salary day, dispute with loved ones, alcohol, waiting/downtime, "extra" money on the card.
Digital: push notifications, promo letters, "gambling" chats/channels, auto-saved cards, easy access to deposits.

Action: write down your top 5 and next - replacements (see § 4).

2) Boundaries and agreements

Hard zones are "impossible": night sessions, loans/loans, playing alone, "secret" accounts, cancellation of conclusions.

The 24-hour rule: Any play/money-related decisions - only after bed.

Cooldown on triggers: A minimum of 7 days with no "gambling" channels/pooches after any intense emotional event.

3) Digital hygiene: making the temptation uncomfortable

Disable personalized ads and gambling themes in platforms, install ad blocker in your browser.

Unsubscribe from promo and filters in the mail according to the words: "bonus," "freespins," "jackpot," brands.

Delete auto payments/saved cards, prohibit push notifications.

Clean phone screen: breathing, notes, habit tracker, support contacts - instead of trigger applications.

Home filter (if possible): DNS/router-blocking of "gambling" domains.

4) "Tool box" against traction (for 10-15 minutes)

Choose 3-5 things and keep the list handy:

Body: breathing 4-4-4 (3 minutes), cold water on the wrists/face, walking 10-15 minutes, easy stretching.
Mind: "urge surfing" technique (observe wave traction for 10 minutes), 10 lines in the diary: "What I feel/what I think/what helped before."
Contact: a short call to a friend using the "no advice" script, a message in support/mutual assistance group.
Replacement: Shower, meal prep, short clean-up, 10 minutes of reading.
Digital: turn on the "do not disturb" mode, close the tabs, remove "dangerous" icons from the main screen.

5) Working with thoughts: traps and counter-thoughts

"I control, once you can." → Solutions - after sleep; now - a timer for 10 minutes and a walk.

"I feel better - you can play as a reward." → Reward ≠ trigger. I choose a movie/meeting/sport.

"It's a hard day, I deserve to rest." → My rest is sleep/shower/food/music, not a game.

"It's been so long - it's harmful to ban everything." → Borders are not punishment, but protection of my choice tomorrow.

Make counter-thought cards in notes - it works faster than "convincing yourself from scratch."

6) Mode: fatigue = lure fuel

Sleep: the same off/off time, "no screens" 60 minutes before bedtime.

Food and water: regular meals, minimum coffee instead of dinner.

Movement: 20-30 minutes walking/charging 5-6 days a week - reduces impulsivity.

7) Community and reliance

Support card: 1 person "on the first call" + 2-3 people "during the day."

Request script: "I need a pause from the game now. Can I just talk without advice?"

Regularity: therapy/counseling, mutual assistance groups - on schedule, and not "when pressed."

8) Financial "handrails"

Separate account/wallet for entertainment (and it is empty during the recovery period).

Limits on impulse spending, disabled auto-completion.

Prohibition of loans/credits during periods of traction and after strong emotions (minimum 7 days).

Small victories: a week without impulse spending - mark and repeat.

9) High Thrust Plan (Relapse Prevention)

1. Stop button: do not disturb mode, close tabs, water/breath for 3 minutes.

2. Call the "first contact" or message to the group.

3. 10 minutes "urge surfing" + short diary entry.

4. Replacement-action (walk/shower/food).

5. Deferred decision: any "game" decision - only tomorrow after sleep.

10) "Red Flags": when you need a pause longer

Night impulses, thoughts "only a little bit" are repeated for 2-3 days in a row.

Secrecy from loved ones, aggression/irritability without playing.

Lack of sleep, skipping meals, lots of coffee/alcohol.

Return to "gambling" chats/channels.

Action: time-out 7-14 days, conversation with a specialist, strengthening digital locks.

Plan 24 hours/7 days/30 days

24 hours (stop inertia)

"Stop button" + toolbox for 15 minutes.

Call "person on first call."

Cleaning digital triggers (fluffs/unsubscribes/icons).

Sleep no later than midnight, dinner and water.

7 days (return rhythm)

5 × 20 minutes of movement, the same lift/hang-up.

2-3 support contacts (therapy/group/friend).

Trigger card + two working replacements.

A week without impulse spending, limits in the bank/wallet.

30 days (build resilience)

Sleep/food/movement mode has become "default."

Regular support and weekly progress reconciliation.

New "replacement" joys (hobbies/study/volunteering).

Updated traction plan saved in notes.

Check sheets

Emergency (10 minutes):

Do Not Disturb is on
Breathing 4-4-4/water/walk 10-15 min
Message/Call Support
Record 10 lines in the journal
Any solution - tomorrow after sleep

Daily:

Sleep on schedule, no screens 60 minutes before bedtime
20-30 min of movement
1 journal entry
No gambling pooches/channels
Little joy without triggers

Weekly:

2-3 community/specialist contacts
Updated Trigger and Replacement Map
Financial Reconciliation: Zero Impulse Spending
Rainy day plan at hand

Micro scripts (save to notes)

"Traction is a wave. I breathe and wait 10 minutes"

"Money decisions are only tomorrow."

"Boundaries are a concern for tomorrow's me."
"I'm choosing an action that will keep me going in an hour."

Frequent errors (and what to replace)

"Everything is under control, for the sake of the award you can once." → Reward without triggers: sleep/meeting/sport/film.

"I won't tell anyone - I'm ashamed." → One short call "without advice" is strength, not weakness.

"First I will deal with stress, then the regime." → Sleep/food/movement - the foundation, stress decreases after.

To avoid temptation is to simplify the right steps and complicate the wrong ones: close the triggers in advance, have a toolbox, a support schedule and a "solutions after sleep" rule. Recovery is based on small actions repeated daily. Keep a checklist handy, ask for help before it's too late - and you'll have more and more days when the temptation just doesn't find its way.