Lesson 1: Understanding the Addiction

🎲 Lesson 1: Understanding the Addiction

🎯 Lesson Objectives

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

• Understand how compulsive gambling hijacks the brain’s reward system.
• Recognize patterns of denial, justification, and loss-chasing.
• Begin separating personal identity from addictive behavior.
• Identify the first cracks in their gambling story that opened the door to this struggle.

🧠 Quote

“Gambling promises a thrill, but always steals more than it gives.”

📖 Scripture

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”
— John 10:10 (NIV)

🎬 “It Was Just for Fun”

Jake started playing poker with friends in college. At first, it was fun—no harm, just laughs. But soon, he was betting online, chasing losses, hiding credit card bills, and borrowing money. He told himself he was one win away from fixing everything. Instead, he lost his job and his apartment and nearly ended his life. What started as entertainment became enslavement.

🔍 Understanding the Brain Hijack

Compulsive gambling is more than lousy decision-making. It taps into your brain’s dopamine reward loop, the same system activated by drugs, sex, or sugar. Every near-miss or win triggers a chemical “high,” reinforcing the behavior—even when it’s destructive.

The Cycle Often Looks Like This:

1. Trigger – stress, boredom, shame, or the lure of escape
2. Gamble – act on impulse for relief or excitement
3. Temporary High – win or near-win brings euphoria
4. Crash – guilt, loss, or consequences surface
5. Chase – justify more gambling to fix what’s broken

🧠 You’re not broken—you’re caught in a powerful loop.
Recovery means stepping off this ride and rewiring your reward system.

🔎 Reflection: What Was Your First Gamble?

Take a few minutes to journal your answers:

• When did you first experience the thrill of gambling?
• Was it a win, a risk, or a game? How did it make you feel?
• When did “fun” begin to turn into “need”?

🛠 Recovery Work: Reclaiming Identity

Gambling may have distorted your view of self:
🧩 “I’m irresponsible.”
🧩 “I can’t be trusted with money.”
🧩 “I’ll never stop.”

These are shame lies, not your truth.

List five positive qualities about yourself that gambling cannot remove (e.g., loyal, creative, hard-working).
Post it somewhere visible as a reminder of who you are becoming—not just what you’re leaving behind.

🙏 Closing Prayer

“God, I feel ashamed, but I want to change. Help me see the truth about my habits and the lies I’ve believed about myself. Teach me to separate who I am from what I’ve done. I surrender this part of my life to You. Please give me the courage to keep going. Amen.”

✅ Your Next Step

Start Lesson 2 only after completing your journaling reflections and recovery work.
Take your time. Transformation doesn’t happen in a rush—it happens in the daily return to truth.