It is difficult to admit that we have faults. It is, at times, the last avenue for us-admittance that we have problems and that we need help. If you believe you have a gambling addiction then your reading of these words is the all important first step. If you don’t think that you have a gambling problem, read on and, then at the end of this article, see if you feel the same way. Think carefully! Do you or someone you love need to overcome the real problem of gambling addiction.
Three Clues
Clue # 1 You think gambling is going to make you rich.
Big mistake! If you have this mentality then you will be spending a long time in the dregs of addiction. Here is a little fact: most professional gamblers are not rich. Sure there are some who are, but the majority just gets by (look this up if you are skeptical). Sure they live off their winnings and don’t have to work a 9-5 job, but they are professionals, they have dedicated their lives to the art of entertainment gambling. And besides, professional gamblers are moderate in that they do not gamble compulsively.
Clue # 2 You think that your gambling will help pay your bills.
Have you ever had a friend who thought that they were going to gamble his/her way back to solvency? I have and it was not a pretty sight. My friend came to me after a weekend in Atlantic City and asked me for a small loan (some friend). If you think that gambling is going to pay your bills then you have a gambling problem. If you think gambling may be able to make you an extra hundred or so bucks then you are realistic in your assessment of what you might make as an entertainment gambler.
Clue # 3 Your loved ones (family, friends, colleagues) are affected by your gambling.
Part of life is giving up what you know you can no longer possess for the benefit of something else you can’t afford to lose. When your family, friends, and/or colleagues are negatively affected by your gambling sprees, it is time to realize that you have a gambling problem and need help to control your addiction. If you have kept your gambling a secret and your loved ones are unaware of your problem then ask yourself this question: Are they being affected by my penchant for gambling. Remember, your loved ones don’t need to be consciously aware of your problem in order to be affected negatively by it.
Life is too wonderful to be enslaved to any addiction. But don’t worry, you are not alone. The first step is to call this free and private hotline 1-800-522-5700, or find a G.A. near you on the web.