Advice Please **posted by Jimbo62**

Lethe - I am beginning to accept this I guess but there's always something in my head that is forever questioning and trying desperately to understand. I think I seem to accept alcohol and drug addiction easier because there is a physical addiction and initially a high but when I try and put myself in the position/mind of a gambler the first time I lost money which lets face it would be very soon I would be devastated even if a small amount. Ironically I gave up smoking over twenty years ago as I felt guilty as a father wasting money on an unecessary addiction. That was when cigarettes went up to £2 a packet. Never been tempted since.

I guess I've got a lot to learn and must try and seperate the condition from the individual. But its difficult because if I am honest and say that I worry about lapses and it happening again I instantly and often forcibly get accused of being negative and making matters worse. I have to be honest though and whilst I hope with all my heart that this curse can be beat it is obvious from the recent input I have had from this forum that scepticism and a realistic view of how powerful the problem is must be the only way to try and deal with it.

Hi Jim
You have the common misconception that physical addiction is somehow worse.

I have often heard, well at least youre not a drug addict.

Gambling addicts have a higher rate of suicide than all other addictions combined. Partners of gambling addicts are also 3 times more likely to take there own lives than the co-dependant of people with other addictions.
Gambling addiction is brutal. Do not underestimate it as some fluffy silly addiction.

Heroin, alcohol, gambling, food, s*x etc are the symptoms. Addiction is the disease. Its not particularly difficult to rid yourself of the physical need. Its getting rid of the emotional need of addiction that requires the real work.

That trancends all addictions.

I didn't mean to belittle the problem but as someone who has not experienced it I was merely trying to express how difficult I found it to understand.

I wasnt suggesting you were Jim. I was just trying to explain the dangers involved

Fair enough - Thanks.

Hi Jim

There is a physical element to it in that the gambler's brain becomes rewired to crave the dopamine hit the machines and games are deliberately programmed to deliver. That said, Dan is right in that there is always an underlying cause for the gambling and the addict needs to identify then address whatever is driving the compulsion. Your son is on the right track getting support from Gamcare who offer free counselling sessions( my husband found these very helpful). He can also attend GA meetings which statistically has the best rate of any method in maintaining recovery.

Fingers crossed. Many Thanks.