“I was standing in the way of my gambler's recovery by treating his symptoms with bailouts and sympathy, taking on his responsibilities and softening his consequences. He couldn't feel how bad his illness was because I was helping him numb the pain it caused him.”
Source: GAMES COMPULSIVE GAMBLERS and WE PLAY Second Edition
“I thought, "How could I NOT cover the checks?" I didn't want him to ruin his credit.”
Source: GAMES COMPULSIVE GAMBLERS and WE PLAY Second Edition
“My husband lied to me about why we needed money and in turn I lied to my father about why we needed money. My father took out a bank loan to give us the money and gave the payment book to my husband. When my husband missed a payment, I lied to my father, telling him that I forgot to pay it.”
Source: GAMES COMPULSIVE GAMBLERS and WE PLAY Second Edition
“The gamblers withdraw from participating in normal interactions and relationships and eventually are assumed to be incapable of taking on family responsibilities or exhibiting socially acceptable behaviors.”
Source: GAMES COMPULSIVE GAMBLERS and WE PLAY Second Edition
“[The gamblers] are seen as withdrawing from conversation, isolating themselves, or refusing to attend family functions. They often retreat to gaming, watching sports, etc.”
Source: GAMES COMPULSIVE GAMBLERS and WE PLAY Second Edition
“The non-gamblers come to believe that the gamblers are not capable of better social conversation, better social interaction, or involvement in worthy pursuits. They may attribute this to reasons that have nothing to do with gambling, such as exhaustion from work, bad childhood experiences, lack of confidence, etc. The unacceptable behavior becomes the norm in this environment, and the non-gamblers settle into believing the gamblers are ‘incapable’ rather than ‘ill.”
Source: GAMES COMPULSIVE GAMBLERS and WE PLAY Second Edition
“Pam is cute and loves to work out. When her marriage ended, she found a new companion on an Internet site called Fitness Singles. At the moment, the two of them are bicycling through Italy.
When I divorced, I looked for women who lazed around after poetry readings.”
Source: Essays After Eighty
“My aunt remarked to me how silent my husband always seemed to be. He never participated in dinner discussions and often retreated into the bedroom when the family was together. Once in recovery he emerged as a man with the ability to join in conversation and not run off to his private world. I had come to believe he was incapable of socializing. I came to understand that retreat was what he did as a gambler.”
Source: GAMES COMPULSIVE GAMBLERS and WE PLAY Second Edition
“I had lost all respect for my husband. I came to expect nothing from him and nothing is what I got.”
Source: GAMES COMPULSIVE GAMBLERS and WE PLAY Second Edition
“The gamblers' fantasies may range from grandiose plans for the future to desperate dreams of solving a financial or emotional crisis.”
Source: GAMES COMPULSIVE GAMBLERS and WE PLAY Second Edition