You finally stopped. You figured you'd feel relief. Instead you're snapping at people, your mind won't slow down, and you're staring at the ceiling at night. Gambling doesn't involve a drug, but research shows people can still go through withdrawal-like symptoms when they quit.
Is gambling withdrawal real?
It's real, and it's in the diagnosis. One of the nine signs doctors use to diagnose gambling disorder is being "restless or irritable when attempting to cut down or stop gambling." Studies have found more than that:
- In a 1992 study of 222 people with gambling disorder, 65% reported at least one physical symptom when they stopped, compared with 2% of a comparison group with substance addiction. Insomnia was the most common, reported by half.
- A small 2008 study found people with gambling disorder reported withdrawal about as severe as people with alcohol dependence.
- In a 2009 community study of 312 gamblers, about a quarter reported restlessness or irritability when trying to quit, and 41% reported other withdrawal-like symptoms.
Common gambling withdrawal symptoms
- Restlessness and irritability
- Trouble sleeping
- Anxiety and a racing mind
- Low mood or feeling flat
- Headaches, a racing heart or shakiness
- Strong urges and thoughts about betting
- Anger, guilt and disappointment
Part of this may come from losing the thing you used to lean on for stress. Part may come from the money problems that often show up when you quit. Researchers are still sorting out how much is which. Either way, what you're feeling is real, and it's common.
How long does gambling withdrawal last?
No study has measured how long gambling withdrawal lasts. People commonly describe the worst of it easing over days to weeks, but that hasn't been well researched, and it varies from person to person.
How to get through gambling withdrawal
- Protect your sleep. The CDC recommends keeping the same sleep and wake times, a cool and quiet bedroom, and putting devices away at least 30 minutes before bed. If you bet on your phone, that last one counts double.
- Move your body. Even a short walk can take the edge off restlessness.
- Expect irritability, and tell people. Let the people close to you know you might be short-tempered for a while, and why.
- Use your urge tools. The 15-minute urge plan works for withdrawal spikes too.
- Get support. A counselor can help with anxiety, sleep and mood. See how to find one.
When to get help right away
If your mood gets heavy, or you have thoughts of hurting yourself, call or text 988 now. People with gambling problems face a higher risk of suicidal thoughts, and you deserve support. See a doctor if sleep problems, anxiety or depression stick around or get worse.
Frequently asked questions
Can you have withdrawal from gambling?
You can. Restlessness or irritability when cutting down is one of the diagnostic signs of gambling disorder, and studies have found symptoms like insomnia, anxiety, headaches and low mood when people stop.
What are gambling withdrawal symptoms?
Common ones include restlessness, irritability, trouble sleeping, anxiety, low mood, headaches, a racing heart and strong urges.
How long does gambling withdrawal last?
It hasn't been well studied. Lots of people describe the worst easing over days to weeks. If it doesn't, a counselor can help.
You don't have to white-knuckle it
Get a recovery plan with tools for the first weeks.
Start my planSources: DSM-5 criteria (Council on Compulsive Gambling of PA); Rosenthal and Lesieur, American Journal on Addictions (1992); Blaszczynski, Walker, Sharpe and Nower, International Gambling Studies (2008); Cunningham-Williams et al., International Journal of Methods in Psychiatric Research (2009); CDC: sleep tips.
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