The sad truth is, it doesn't boil down to self-control or self-discipline. It can help you from doing something bad once or twice, but if your urge is lasting and strong enough at that, sooner or later you will give in. Moreover, not giving in while failing to deal with your inner demons effectively to get rid of them altogether (if you need to) can be as damaging, if not more. When you have to resist a very strong desire and that goes on for long enough, it may drive you mad and you may in fact end up in a psychiatric ward with a psychosis or something much worse
Well you said it "patient".
He's not the only one who battles with such urge and its hard to resist when you have the money to spend like this patient.
Most people will always find a way to spend their money whether its for their collections or for their addiction. Thepatient just happen to find gambling a better option.
Find a nagger wife, maybe that will help
Any wife would do, for that matter
Let me guess, our "patient" is not married (or un-married). Regardless, it will be an obvious conflict of interest, and would only make the matters worse, not better, and his life unbearable all in all. In other words, you can't solve one problem by substituting it with another as you will only be multiplying your problems (read, simple math, just like most simple ways, is not going to work here)