“Another trait that gamblers possess is optimism. All gambling episodes begin with the positive belief that this time they just might win. Optimists generally don't prepare themselves to consider suicide. On the day that I walked into the casino on that day that led to my high-speed search for a concrete wall, I was happy, excited, looking forward to playing the slots.”
Source: Gambling Addiction: The complete guide to survival, treatment, and recovery from gambling addiction.
“As I walked into the casino committing suicide was the very last thing on my mind. Yet twelve hours later it was the only thing on my mind.”
Source: Gambling Addiction: The complete guide to survival, treatment, and recovery from gambling addiction.
“Can someone actually prepare for such an unexpected, unanticipated, overwhelmingly emotional experience such as the decision to commit suicide? The answer is yes, of course.”
Source: Gambling Addiction: The complete guide to survival, treatment, and recovery from gambling addiction.
“The essential idea of this book is that the problem gambler must anticipate, even expect that in the course of their quest to stop gambling they will at some point face that horrible decision. That at some point they will seriously consider killing themselves.”
Source: Gambling Addiction: The complete guide to survival, treatment, and recovery from gambling addiction.
“On principle, she believed that anyone who really wanted to know her should be willing to do some work.”
Source: Evensong
“The first step in that preparation is to simply accept the fact that they might relapse. This is not intended to plan for or give an excuse to relapse. It is instead an acceptance of the fact that before they will be free of their gambling problem for good, the odds are that they will relapse.”
Source: Gambling Addiction: The complete guide to survival, treatment, and recovery from gambling addiction.
“Studies have shown a very high level of relapse for problem gamblers, some as high as an 80% chance of relapse following their first attempt to stop. Relapse is a completely expected event for the compulsive gambler.”
Source: Gambling Addiction: The complete guide to survival, treatment, and recovery from gambling addiction.
“The benefits of talking and thinking about a potential suicide far outweigh the misconceived concept that “suggestion” will lead to a dangerous outcome. Suicidal thoughts need to be discussed. They need to be brought into the light and understood.”
Source: Gambling Addiction: The complete guide to survival, treatment, and recovery from gambling addiction.
“I’ve seen eight different therapists in the course of my quest to stop gambling, and even these professionals never brought up the topic of suicide. They never asked if I was thinking about it.”
Source: Gambling Addiction: The complete guide to survival, treatment, and recovery from gambling addiction.
“The overwhelming obstacle you will face after walking out of the casino, broke and despairing, is that your brain isn’t working properly. Your brain is under the influence of a tidal wave of its own chemicals created by your gambling episode. Think of what you have just done to the three pounds of grey matter between your ears. You’ve spent 4, or 8, or 12 hours (or more) sitting, still, frantically pushing a button thousands of times, and watching a screen of complex symbols and sounds flash into your senses every few seconds – for hour upon hour upon hour. The CIA could not come up with a better form of brain-altering torture – yet you do it willingly!”
Source: Gambling Addiction: The complete guide to survival, treatment, and recovery from gambling addiction.