“But why?" you ask, "Why should I see a therapist? Do they have the secret to curing my gambling addiction?" No, they don't. There is no secret, no magic pill that will overcome your addiction. But let me ask you this: Who are you able to talk to about your gambling? I already know the answer for 99% of you. The answer is no one. Am I right? Of course I'm right; gambling addiction is without any doubt the most secretive mental disorder that exists. Gamblers have so much shame and guilt that they cannot discuss their fears, the consequences, or even their suicidal thoughts with anyone. They are certain that no one they know will ever understand it, because they don't understand it themselves.”
Quote by Kurt Dahl
“Not only do [gambling addicts] avoid letting anyone know about their addiction, they can also easily get away with this extreme secrecy. They don't pass out, they don't smell bad, there are no urine tests that show they have recently gambled and for the most part they don't miss work. They gamble alone.”
Source: Gambling Addiction: The complete guide to survival, treatment, and recovery from gambling addiction.
“Slot machine addiction is a solitary undertaking. It is not a social event like drinking or drug use. Slot machine addicts can gamble compulsively for years without family or friends even suspecting.”
Source: Gambling Addiction: The complete guide to survival, treatment, and recovery from gambling addiction.
“In their solitude, the gambling addict lives a life completely alone with their fears, consequences, dark thoughts, and often, depression. They have no one to help, no one who will listen, no support at all. They are alone in this secret place - unless they seek help. I know. I've lived there for many years. This is why gambling addicts need to get into therapy. They desperately need someone to talk to, someone who will not judge them, someone who is trained to listen to them share their pain and confusion. The fundamental benefit of therapy for a compulsive gambler is simply that - someone to talk to.”
Source: Gambling Addiction: The complete guide to survival, treatment, and recovery from gambling addiction.
“Most gambling addicts have other addictions, or suffer from depression, or are dealing with PTSD, or something else that is causing them difficulty. This, of course, is another important reason to seek treatment. You may well have other problems that you need to deal with.”
Source: Gambling Addiction: The complete guide to survival, treatment, and recovery from gambling addiction.
“Many insurance policies do not cover therapy for gambling addiction, but they might cover alcohol treatment or treatment for depression. So, seek help for those problems (if you think you have them), get a therapist, and then open the discussion about your concerns with your gambling.”
Source: Gambling Addiction: The complete guide to survival, treatment, and recovery from gambling addiction.
“However, of all the useless jobs you couldJu do in the boarding house, the worst was the plate carrier. Carrying a plate...for another human being that is walking beside you, going to the same dining hall. Just an ordinary plastic plate. This indisputably, must be the height of power. Forget about all the mundane jobs one had to do for seniors, being a plate carrier was the worst.”
Source: German calendar no December
“That's a 40 to 1 ratio of substance abuse sufferers seeking treatment vs. gamblers seeking treatment. In other words, substance abusers are 40 times more likely than problem gamblers to seek treatment - i.e., to find a therapist, or an inpatient program, or to attend an AA meeting. It's likely that this ratio is also accurate (if not higher) for GA attendance vs. AA attendance.”
Source: Gambling Addiction: The complete guide to survival, treatment, and recovery from gambling addiction.
“When was the last time you went 30 days without gambling? I'm guessing years, right? A thirty-day inpatient program at a facility dedicated to gambling addiction is worth a try simply for that experience alone. Thirty full days without gambling (and thirty days of not drinking, or drug use) will allow your brain to return to the normal state that nature intended. You will get to know "clear thinking" for the first time in years.”
Source: Gambling Addiction: The complete guide to survival, treatment, and recovery from gambling addiction.
“Our governments are complicit in gambling addiction. They make millions of dollars by supporting gambling (unlike drugs, for example), so they owe it to you to help you recover from your addiction.”
Source: Gambling Addiction: The complete guide to survival, treatment, and recovery from gambling addiction.
“There are just 59 beds for 5 million problem gamblers. In contrast, over 2 million people received inpatient treatment annually for substance abuse in over 15,000 facilities across the country.”
Source: Gambling Addiction: The complete guide to survival, treatment, and recovery from gambling addiction.