Making a decision to quit gambling is the first step towards your recovery. The next step is about how to build your recovery plan. Often times, gambling takes up the majority of your time, which means, now you have a lot of free time. It is important to build a plan that works for you as everyone’s situation is unique and different.

Building a plan:

Make a recovery plan and decide how you are going to fill your time. Such things you can include in your plan are:

  • attend your local GA meeting; they can be a great source for support
  • find new hobbies; this is the great part because you can do some exploring and try new things out
  • Do the things that you’ve put off in the past; this may be things like booking a doctor, dentist or eye appointment or making a banking appointment to follow up on your finance
  • Start a healthy routine & balanced diet; this is great not only for your physical health but when you eat well, you feel well mentally too!
  • Get proper rest & sleep; often times this is heavily neglected when you are an active gambler. This is an important part of recovery for your mind and body and helps you get back in sync. When you have proper rest and sleep, you can also think more clearly
  • Make some new goals; find something new and exciting that you can work towards in the next 30, 60 and 120 days.

Not everything gets easier the moment you decide to quit gambling, however, take things step by step or day by day if you need to. It’s important to have a recovery plan because it is a tool that can act as a guideline to help keep you focused. A plan can also help you in those tough moments when you feel those triggers or urges to gamble because you already have a list of ideas and resources to help you occupy time. When the time is right, share your recovery plan with those you trust so they can help support you in your decision to be a non-gambler. Remember, part of your recovery is having a good, solid plan. Take time to browse through our website for more tools to help you build a plan that works for you.