Share your thoughts with in 1Community

Gambling is becoming a favorite American pastime. In fact, more people will visit a casino this year than a sporting event. It's no wonder. It sure is easy to do now. 48 out of 50 states offer legalized gambling. And for 95% of Americans it's less than a four-hour drive to get to a casino. Or you can just drive to your neighborhood mini market and pick up a lottery ticket. Easier yet, just hop onto the Internet with your credit card and you can gamble right now, 24-hours a day, in your own home.

Very few people consider gambling to be dangerous, unhealthy, or wrong. We call it "gaming" because it's fun. We rationalize it because of the money that Indian tribes make or the money that goes into the cities that support it. And government leaders from both parties support gambling because casino owners contribute big dollars to their campaigns. Some even consider gambling a job. With the advent of "day trading" on the internet (making quick trades on stocks after "predicting" whether they'll go up or down) many investors are joining professional gamblers and sports betters in trying to make a living by gambling.

Is Gambling Really a Big Problem?

Isn't gambling just a fun diversion for people? Isn't it just another way for people to spend their entertainment dollars? For some people it is. But others become addicted and have serious problems with it.

As recently as 1976 less than 1% of people in the United States were compulsive gamblers. Today, it's over 5% (or 15 million people)! And the consequences of compulsive gambling for gamblers and their families and society are catastrophic.

• 1 in 5 compulsive gamblers attempts suicide and two-thirds have thought about committing suicide.
• The average gambling debt for gamblers in treatment is $53,000 to $92,000.
• 20% of compulsive gamblers file for bankruptcy.
• Half of compulsive gamblers engage in criminal activity to finance their habit.
• The rates of divorce, domestic violence, and child abuse are much higher for problem gamblers than the population overall.
• Problem gamblers also deal with many other problems like depression, poor work performance, withdrawal from family and friends, and anger problems.

Even other gamblers who are not addicted to gambling may have serious problems related to their gambling. Problems with alcohol, drugs, violence, and sex are commonly associated with gambling. Stories of gamblers' neglecting children, spouses, friends, and work responsibilities are common. And tragically, many people who buy lottery tickets, play slot machines, bet on sporting events, or bet on other games don't have money to spare!

Teens and Gambling

Gambling is illegal for anyone under age 18, but it's not enforced adequately and children certainly aren't being protected from gambling influences. More and more casinos are marketing themselves to families by featuring "family fun centers" with amusement park rides, video arcades, and casino style games for kids. Some high schools are offering mock casino night parties. And toy stores are selling toys that look like slot machines and casino style games.

We've gotten the message that gambling is harmless and we've accepted it. Moms and dads are taking their children to the casinos. Even Grandma and Grandpa are getting into the act by giving their grandkids lottery tickets as presents for Christmas and birthdays. Gambling is now a socially acceptable activity and today's young people today are the first to grow up in a gambling culture.

Our young people (along with us adults) are being deceived with exciting images of gambling bringing riches, power, status, and freedom from the need to work. Continually they come across advertisements that glamorize and glorify gambling. Their youthful idealism, lack of real world experience, and impulsiveness make them especially vulnerable to the gambling message and taking risks with money. They're told:

• "All you need is a dollar and a dream."
• "You've got to play to win."
• "Somebody has to win, why not you?"

The acceptability and promotion of gambling is having a huge effect on young people. The statistics on youth gambling are shocking. As many as two-thirds of underage teens have gambled in the last year. Howard Shaffer, Director of the Center for Addiction Studies at Harvard Medical School says that about 6% of American adolescents are addicted to gambling.

A Progressive Addiction

How does someone become addicted to gambling? When does it go from a "fun activity" to a serious problem? To identify a possible compulsive gambling problem for yourself or a loved one you can take the short self-test I developed, "Do You Have a Gambling Problem?"

Compulsive gambling is characterized by uncontrollable urges to gamble (to risk money or valuables on a game, contest, or event that is at least partially dependent on chance). It's a progressive behavior disorder, a downward spiral with three phases.

The Winning Phase: At first gambling is just fun. It's entertaining and exciting. It can be a diversion from daily routines. Occasionally, you're rewarded with a win. The feeling of winning and being a "winner" is fun for anyone, but becomes particularly important for people who have a low self-esteem or are unhappy with their life. Winning a bet gives them a much-needed boost to confidence and self-esteem. Then the excitement and anticipation of winning again can be a high that comes with each new bet. And the new bets keep coming for compulsive gamblers who are unreasonably optimistic and irrational in their thinking and fantasizing about winning their next bet.

The Losing Phase: Over time problem gamblers wager more and more money and so they lose more and more money. Even when they lose they keep fantasizing about that elusive "big win" to recoup their loses. This is called "chasing the bet." To keep chasing, compulsive gamblers will sell personal possessions or borrow money from others. They feel they must stay in the game and are convinced that they will win next time.

The Desperation Phase: As the losses mount compulsive gamblers become desperate to climb out of their hole of debt and depression. In this third phase of the disorder they do whatever they have to do to cover their bets including stealing and other criminal activity. They alienate themselves from their family and friends and become increasingly depressed. They neglect their responsibilities at home and at work. And they feel badly about themselves and are panicked to get of the mess they've created. They may become suicidal.

Winning big on a bet seems the only way out, but it's their undoing. Hopefully, they bottom out and get help before it's too late.

Recovery Steps

Help is available for compulsive gamblers. There are over 1,200 chapters of Gambler's Anonymous (GA) meeting across America. Also there are professional treatment centers that specialize in helping gamblers get free and to rebuild their lives. Programs like these use proven principles and methods for recovery.

Here's a few beginning steps for gambling addiction recovery:

1. Admit your problem. Getting help starts with admitting that you need it ñ really need it! Take my self-test "Do You Have a Gambling Problem?" or the GA's 20 Questions to see where you or a loved one are at.
2. Seek support and accountability. You can't recover without the help of a 12-step group, therapist, or other source of consistent support and accountability.
3. Grieve your losses and seek support. What has gambling cost you? Probably a lot more than dollars and cents if you're a compulsive gambler. It's important for you to count your losses and share your feelings with those you trust.
   
   

• Financial loss
• Problems with the law
• Family problems
• Decreased productivity at work or school
• Health problems
• Depression and guilt
• Lack of integrity from living a double life
• Spiritual emptiness
• Isolation
• Fears about the future
  
  
4. Change your thinking. Reality can be a hard, painful place to live, especially for addicts who have been avoiding facing the truth about themselves and their lives.
   
   

• You can't just stop gambling whenever you want to. You need help ñ accountability and support ñ now!
• You're not going to get a big win. In the remote chance that you did you'd gamble it all away chasing another big win. You need to deal with your debt and earn a living.
• Money won't buy you happiness. Being a good person and developing good relationships will bring some happiness.
• Gambling doesn't relieve stress. In fantasy it may for a while. At first it may be exciting and help you to forget your problems. But inevitably you have to return to your problems and when you do they're even bigger because of your compulsive behavior.
• You're not a loser. Yes, you lost bets. Yes, you've made mistakes. And you can start over, be forgiven, and learn from your mistakes. You can become someone you respect. You are loved by God and others.
  
  
5. Identify your triggers. When are you vulnerable to gamble? What types of problems or upsetting events or emotional states tempt you to escape into a gambling episode? Whenever you're triggered you need to call one of your support persons and talk through how you're feeling instead of reacting and escaping into gambling.
6. Pray. There is power in prayer because God is powerful. He wants to help you to heal and to recover and to rebuild your life.

Resources

Gamblers Anonymous: 12-Step meetings and information, 1-800-GAMBLER, www.gamblersanonymous.org.

Overcomers Outreach: Christian support groups, 1-800-310-3001, www.overcomersoutreach.org.

Custer Center: Residential and outpatient treatment for pathological gambling, 1-877-NO-GAMBLE, www.trimeridian.com.

National Council on Problem Gambling: Information, free helpline, search for a certified gambling counselor, 1-800-522-4700, www.ncpgambling.org.

Co-Dependents Anonymous: 12-Step support groups and information for people stuck in unhealthy relationships with addicts or others, 1-602-277-7991, www.codependents.org.