Gambling Harms

About Gambling Harms

Gambling can take different forms, but they all have one thing in common. It occurs when someone has risked money (or something valuable) on an activity based on chance, luck or some sort of skill.

1 in 7 adults in the UK experience, or are at risk of experiencing, gambling-related harms. The impact can stretch far beyond financial loss, encompassing a decline in physical and mental health, damaging personal relationships, and causing problems at work or school. Gambling and addictive behaviours affect the wider community including partners, parents, extended family members and friends.

If you would like some support on understanding what is driving this behaviour, help in reducing or stopping, or maybe just someone to talk to who will understand, we are here to help.

What support is available?

We have fully funded 1-to-1 counselling sessions available to individuals, family members and friends who are affected by gambling. Up to eight, weekly counselling sessions are available per person.

For those wanting to find out more about how to support themselves and others, we also have two workshops designed to increase awareness, understanding and improve wellbeing.

Self-refer for Gambling Harms

More about the services

Counselling

Counselling is a form of talking therapy that provides a safe, confidential, and supportive space where you can explore your thoughts and feelings with someone who will listen without judgement.

Free counselling is available if gambling has affected you, a family member, or a friend. We provide up to eight fully funded one-to-one counselling sessions, delivered weekly by experienced counsellors. Sessions are available face-to-face in Bury St Edmunds, Ipswich, Haverhill, and Saxmundham, or remotely by telephone, WhatsApp or Zoom.

Anxiety Management: Gambling Harms

Our Anxiety Management course is delivered either as 2 x half day sessions or 4 x 2 hour evening sessions that will assist you in reclaiming control of anxiety, especially around gambling harms and addictions.

Our course enables you to:
– Discover practical ways to manage anxiety
– Help you distract and switch off your brain’s warning system when it gets out of control
– Help you regain good sleep by reducing the anxiety
– Question negative beliefs in order to help make you feel safe

Understanding & Supporting Addictive Behaviours: Gambling Harms

This course is delivered in 1 half day session of 3.5 hours

You will leave with a better understanding of mental health, practical tools to support your own wellbeing, and greater confidence in supporting the people around you.
The course includes:
– How unmet needs can lead to addictive behaviours
– Identify which barriers may prevent needs being met
– How addiction can affect the brain and influences feelings and behaviours
– Understand the cycle of change
– Learn skills to use when supporting people with addiction

Gambling can take many forms:

Here are some common examples:

Online Casino Games
Lottery Games
Dog/Horse Racing
Computer Gaming
Sports Betting
Fixed Odds Betting Terminals
Bingo
Scratch Cards
Slot Machines
Rapid Day Trading (shares, cryptocurrency)

Self-refer for Gambling Harms

Please note: this is not a crisis service.

For urgent help for you or someone you know, please contact your GP, visit A&E, call 999 or 111, or visit our Help Directory for more options.

Suffolk Mind services

Anxiety Management

Our Anxiety Management course consists of two 4-hour sessions that will assist you in reclaiming control of your anxiety. This course will be run online.

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Bereaved by Suicide Support Service

The Bereaved by Suicide Support Service is for anyone in Suffolk or North East Essex who has been affected by suicide. This includes family members, friends, colleagues, or anyone else impacted by the loss.

Delivered in partnership between Suffolk Mind and Mid and North East Essex Mind.

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Counselling

Anyone in Suffolk who is 18 or over can easily access our counselling service for one-on-one support from our counsellors. Counselling provides you with the opportunity to talk about issues and any challenging emotions you have in a private, secure setting.

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Eating Recovery

Our Eating Recovery service is for people who are living with an eating disorder or disordered eating. We provide safe, supportive weekly sessions over a 12-month period.

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Frontline Partners

Thanks to a grant from The Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust and the Ministry of Defence, we are proud to offer dedicated support to the spouses and partners of serving Armed Forces personnel living in Suffolk.

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GreenCare

Our GreenCare allotment projects help participants to improve their physical and mental health through outdoor activities, while working alongside others. We have allotments in Ipswich, Bury St Edmunds, Haverhill and Felixstowe which offer you the opportunity to learn about gardening and contribute to the creation of a thriving growing space that benefits everyone.

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Menopause & Me provides support and guidance for people dealing with the menopause and perimenopause.

We also help employers in local businesses to support their teams, and provide employment support for those struggling with the (peri)menopause at work.

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Open Space

Open Space is a number of health and wellbeing groups run by trained staff and supported with volunteers. It has been developed with the involvement of participants and provides social activities and mental health and wellbeing related discussions.

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REST Hub, Ipswich

Our new REST Hub in Ipswich is a welcoming community space where anyone can access free mental wellbeing support in a safe, friendly, and non-clinical environment.

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Suffolk Night Owls

The Suffolk Night Owls Telephone Support Line is available to anyone in Suffolk (excluding Waveney) who needs emotional support, including those with complex emotional needs and anyone struggling with loneliness, depression or anxiety.

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Suffolk Work Well

Suffolk Work Well (SWW) is here to help you gain, regain or retain employment. We know that appropriate work, combined with the right support, is good for people’s mental health.

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Supported Housing

Our aim is to provide single supported housing to ensure a successful tenancy for those that have suffered mental illness. Our housing services embrace recovery approaches for mental health and wellbeing; a holistic, enabling, person centred approach to mental distress, disadvantage and social exclusion.

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Waves

Waves is an innovative service for people with a diagnosis of, or traits of, Borderline personality disorder (BPD). It offers weekly sessions that provide a safe, supportive and empowering environment.

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Gambling Harms

About Gambling Harms

What support is available?

More about the services

Gambling can take many forms:

Please note: this is not a crisis service.

Suffolk Mind services

We value your feedback

Get in touch

Stuck in a rut?

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