Do you have a gambling problem?

[Morning Glory]

What is Gambling?

Gambling can be defined as the playing of a game of chance for stakes. Gambling occurs in many forms, most commonly, pari-mutuels (horse and dog tracks, off-track-betting, Jai Alai), lotteries, casinos (slot machines, table games), bookmaking (sports books and horse books), card rooms and bingo.


What is Pathological Gambling?

In 1980, the American Psychiatric Association accepted Pathological (compulsive) Gambling as a "disorder of impulse control". It is an illness that is chronic and progressive but diagnosable and treatable.

Robert L. Custer, M.D. identified the progression of the illness as including three phases:
the winning phase
the losing phase
the desperation phase

During the winning phase , the gambler experiences a big win or series of wins that leaves him/her with unreasonable optimism that his/her winning will continue. This leads him/her to feel much excitement when gambling and he/she begins increasing the amount of his/her bets.

During the losing phase , the gambler often begins bragging about wins they've had, starts gambling alone, thinks more about gambling and borrows money legally or illegally. he/she starts lying to family and friends and becomes more irritable, restless and withdrawn. His/her home life becomes more unhappy and he/she is unable to pay off debts. The gambler begins to "chase" their losses by believing that after losing they must return as soon as possible to win back their losses.

During the desperation phase , there is a marked increase in the time spent gambling accompanied by remorse, blaming others and alienation from family and friends. Eventually the gambler may engage in illegal acts to finance their gambling, and experience hopelessness, suicide thoughts and attempts, arrests, divorce, alcohol and/or other drug abuse, or an emotional breakdown.

A Hidden Disease

Pathological Gambling is often a hidden disease because it is not detectable by only looking at a person. It cannot be detected by a breath or blood test nor does it leave needle marks. Compulsive gamblers hide their lottery tickets, sports picks, etc. from their family, friends and co-workers. Gambling may be a means of escaping from other problems in marriage or at work so it may go unnoticed as a significant problem itself.

Do you have a gambling problem?

Gambler's Anonymous asks its new members twenty questions. Pathological gamblers usually answer yes to at least seven of these questions:

Did you ever lose time from work due to gambling?
Has gambling ever made your home life unhappy?
Did gambling affect your reputation?
Have you ever felt remorse after gambling?
Did you ever gamble to get money in which to pay debts or otherwise solve financial difficulties?
Did gambling cause a decrease in your ambition or efficiency?
After losing, did you feel you must return as soon as possible to win back your losses?
After a win, did you have a strong urge to return and win more?
Did you often gamble until your last dollar was gone?
Did you ever borrow to finance your gambling?
Have you ever sold anything to finance your gambling?
Were you reluctant to use "gambling money" for normal expenditures?
Did gambling make you careless of the welfare of yourself and your family?
Did you ever gamble longer than you planned?
Have you ever gambled to escape worry or trouble?
Have you ever committed, or considered committing an illegal act to finance gambling?
Did gambling cause you to have difficulty in sleeping?
Do arguments, disappointments or frustrations create within you an urge to gamble?
Have you ever considered self-destruction as a result of your gambling?

Who is Affected?

Pathological gambling affects the gambler, their family, their employer and the community. As the gambler goes through the phases of their addiction as mentioned above, they spend less time with their family, spend more of the family's money on gambling until their bank accounts are depleted and then may steal money from family members.

At work, the pathological gambler misuses time in order to gamble, has difficulty concentrating and finishing projects, may show abnormal mood swings and may engage in embezzlement, employee theft, or other illegal activities.

[best]

I don't have the problem but if anyone wants to know what a gambling addiction can do to a family, I would be glad to share. As of Tuesday of next week, we will be out of debt that was caused by such an addiction back in 2001.

There are solutions and no one need try go it alone.

[Doug]

Thanks for the offer to share your experience Best, and welcome everyone, to our newest forum.

[shutterbug]

MG, if you wouldn't mind sharing that story I think it could be beneficial. Thanks

[Cjohnson202]

I just recovered from a serious gambling addiction and used hynosis to get myself out of it. I didnt think it would work but I was shocked by the results. If you don't gamble, don't start, it can ruin your life, it almost did mine

[kelsey]

That's what finds me here. I don't know if it's gambling or slot machines. I don't get silly buying a lottery ticket or playing poker with friends. It's this incredible urge to go throw my money away in slot machines. I know it's stupid, I know I cannot afford to be there, yet I'd take my last 100 bucks to go there instead of buying food.

[best]

Welcome Kelsey

Seeing the problem is a huge part of finding solutions.
Though this is the newest addition to SR. I am sure you will find some good support and info here.