Lesson 9: Managing Urges in Real Time

🎯 Lesson Objectives

By the end of this lesson, participants will be able to:

• Recognize the early signs of gambling urges.
• Learn real-time tools to interrupt the urge and ride the wave.
• Develop a personal Urge Response Plan (URP).
• Build confidence in their ability to respond rather than react.

🧠 Quote

“Urges are like waves—if you don’t ride them, they’ll pull you under. But if you learn to surf, they’ll pass.”

📖 Scripture

“No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out…”
— 1 Corinthians 10:13 (NIV)

🎬 The Rush Is Real

Tamika described it as electricity in her chest. When the urge to gamble hit, everything else faded. Logic disappeared. Her body reacted before her brain caught up. But in therapy, she learned to slow the process—breathing, delaying, and calling someone. Eventually, the wave passed, and the craving lost its power. She realized urges aren’t commands. They’re signals. And she didn’t have to obey them.

🧠 Understanding the Urge Loop

Urges feel overwhelming because they tap into the brain’s survival system—fight, flight, or fix.

Here’s what typically happens:

1. Trigger – You feel stressed, bored, or shamed.
2. Craving – Your brain says, “Fix this fast.”
3. Action – Gambling offers instant relief.
4. Crash – Relief fades, shame returns.

🔑 The key to breaking the loop? Buy yourself time.

🛠 Tools to Interrupt the Urge

🕰 Delay the Decision

Promise yourself: “If I still want to do this in 15 minutes, I can.”
Then start a timer. Most urges pass within 20–30 minutes.

💨 Breathe to Reset

Try the 4-7-8 Method:

• Breathe in for 4 seconds
• Hold for 7 seconds
• Exhale slowly for 8 seconds
  Repeat 3–5 times to calm your nervous system.

📞 Call or Text a Lifeline

Say: “I’m not okay. I need to talk before I do something I’ll regret.”
If no one answers, leave a voice note. Speaking helps break the compulsion.

🚶‍♂️Move Your Body

Walk. Stretch. Run. Dance.
Physical movement helps discharge the energy behind the urge.

✍️ Journal the Moment

Answer:

• What triggered this urge?
• What do I really need right now?
• What will I feel like after I gamble vs. after I don’t?

✅ Build Your Urge Response Plan (URP)

Fill in this personal template:

When I feel an urge to gamble, I will…

Then, I’ll wait 30 minutes and check in with myself again.

✍️ Journaling Prompts

• What do my urges usually feel like in my body?
• What have I done in the past to respond to urges—healthy or unhealthy?
• Which tool above do I think will help me most? Why?

🙏 Prayer for Strength in the Moment

“Lord, You see the battle I face when temptation hits. It feels bigger than me—but not bigger than You. Help me pause. Help me breathe. Please help me choose truth over impulse. Remind me I have a way out when I feel out of control. Teach me to ride the wave, not drown in it. Amen.”

💡 Final Thought

You are not weak because you feel an urge.
You are strong when you learn to respond instead of react.