The After Gambling Podcast

I often see the question "Does anyone ACTUALLY get better?" in many of the support groups online. Well, today I bring you an interview with someone who can emphatically say "YES!" to that question. Steve is back again to celebrate 9 years...and he's actually already halfway towards ten as this interview took place back in October! If you want to learn more about Steve's journey, you can check out Episode 41 or follow him on X under the handle @gambling_free

A great reminder of the importance of reengaging with things we enjoyed doing before gambling in our life after gambling.

So, I read this article on the state of problem gambling funding titled "Despite Millions of Dollars Earmarked for Gambling Treatment in Massachusetts, Few in State Get Help" and it triggered a thought that has been brewing for a long time. Needless to say, I needed a bit of a vent...so, here goes!

As I say at the end of each episode, I have no letters before or after my name. I'm just a guy that had a gambling addiction. Well, today's guest has letters...lots and lots of letters. This past winter, I once again was blown away by the insights Jody shared centered on the "failure to launch" cohort at a conference and it resonated with everything I've experienced personally and have seen in many others. I asked her to share her wisdom on the podcast and she did not disappoint. While this is a tremendous episode for friends and family (specifically parents) to better understand and address gambling addiction in their loved ones, there is a ton of fresh insight for those of us who were gamblers as well...including a fantastic quote she highlights about finance. I encourage you to check out The Better Institute website to connect with Jody and her team which offers everything from online therapy to courses for providers, parents, teens, and athletes. As if that isn't a lot already, you can grab a copy of her book "The Gambling Disorder Handbook: A Guide for Mental Health Professionals" on Amazon.

When I first started the After Gambling Podcast, I never considered that an active gambler might listen as a way of reducing harm. In this 100th episode, I'm joined by Mark Checkwicz to take a different look at problem gambling and gambling harm, that through the eyes of a current gambler. Mark shares his journey of gambling, the impacts it has had on him, as well as how he uses the podcast to better examine his gambling behaviors. You can find Mark on Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/Mark_Checkwicz

The more we seem to discuss mental health and addiction issues, the higher the numbers seem to go. And I don't think this is a coincidence! For the past 10+ years, I've been studying our current messaging and listening to the stories of those impacted to try to figure out where we are going wrong. Most notably, I've been trying to figure it all out to make sense in my own life. In this episode, I take the first attempt at highlighting what I feel we are getting wrong, while also providing a new storytelling framework that I believe can help us to reverse course. Please listen. Please give feedback. And please share widely. Link to Bonus.com Article* https://www.bonus.com/news/gambling-addiction-genetic-predisposition/ *note: this is a gambling affiliate news site and you will be exposed to gambling advertisements. Please do not click if this is a concern for you

John Gall had a brilliant take on how to build systems. "A complex system that works is invariably found to have evolved from a simple system that worked. A complex system designed from scratch never works and cannot be patched up to make it work. You have to start over with a working simple system." In this episode, I discuss how I'm creating my simple systems and how you can do the same.

In this episode, I cover the five benefits I see in my daily life when I keep my spaces and tech neat and orderly.

Winding down 2022 with a reflection that can help us all in 2023.

When gambling, I blocked out any input that didn't align with the "truth" I wanted to believe. After gambling, I have come to see great value in skepticism and the pursuit of truth and share thoughts on the topic in this episode.

Sometimes we miss our goals. Then what?

In this episode, we look into sunk cost bias and loss aversion to better understand what truly drove and eventually ended my gambling.

In this episode, I discuss a few ideas that were triggered by listening to Atomic Habits by James Clear. I also give an update on my progress as I tackle my procrastination and look to continue becoming the best version of myself. In the open, I mention the great work Christina is doing with The Broke Girl Society. You can check out the podcast here.

In this episode, I respond to posts from r/problemgambling.

When we are no longer gambling, we are blessed with this incredible amount of "new" time. In this episode, I share a few thoughts on how we can best use this time to improve our lives.

After more than a year away...the podcast continues on.

In the last episode, I highlighted some things about shame and stigma that I found interesting. In this episode (part II), I discuss why exploring this topic is so important.

We often discuss the importance of language and the role of shame and stigma in addiction. However, it came to me today that this discussion is likely much more complex than we've considered in the past. In this episode, I share what I think is a very different view on shame and stigma.

I get asked this question all the time, so I decided to do an episode on it. It's also something I need to be reminded to get back to myself.

While it's been over 11 years since I ran off the riverboat, there are still things in my life I need to address. In this episode, I share the unique framework I'll be using to go to war with my negative behaviors and actions. 365 Lovely Thoughts for Each Day of the Year https://www.sugarbooandco.com/365-lovely-thoughts-pad/