Leeds Beckett University and EPIC Restart Foundation want to help recovering addicts

Leeds Beckett University and the EPIC Restart Foundation have teamed up to help people who are recovering gambling addicts to continue on their journey to getting betting. Recovering from gambling-related harm is a long-life process that takes time, effort, dedication, and the support of specialists and loved ones.

The UK charity now wants to make sure that it has all the means to support people who have embarked on this sinuous journey and help them see it through to the end. To help people who are recovering, the pair will work on residential activity courses.

They have names such as "Live the Life You Want" and are designed to empower gambling addicts and demonstrate in a clear and unambiguous way that they have control over their lives. The courses will be presented in both June and July and they will be taught by Leeds Beckett’s Carnegie Great Outdoors coaches who will join forces with EPIC Restart staff and work on the curriculum together.

According to Carnegie Great Outdoors Business Support ManagerAlison Stanton, the coaches from the organizations are very capable of ensuring that the courses they teach have a real and impactful effect on recovering addicts.

One of the essential focuses of the initiative is to ensure that people are not only taught about the risks of gambling addiction but also equipped with the means to build up resilience.

One of the main issues with recovering gambling addicts is the inclination to slide back into bad habits. Because the temptation is so prevalent, it’s hard for addicts to resist on occasion. This is why EPIC Restart Foundation was created back in 2021 to provide support to people with diagnosed gambling disorder who are on their way to getting better.

EPIC Restart Foundation CEO Sharon Parr is confident that the treatment options for people do exist, but one thing that is lacking is continued support that is thereafter a person has stopped gambling.

People who suffer from gambling addiction or struggle their gambling habit at bay may suffer from a number of crippling mental health issues. They may have low self-esteem or feel isolated. They may be fearful about having damaged their relationships with their loved ones. Many have lost jobs or incurred debt, and they are clueless as to what to do next.

It’s important to help these people and help them address these specific problems, argues Parr.

Image credit: Mark Stevenson