Im glad I have found this site and realise this is not just happening to our family. my brother is 22, has a stable job and a loving girlfriend who is expecting their first child.
Throughout his childhood my brother as always shown addictive behaviours, at first we put it down to OCD but as he has grown I have come to realise he just has an addictive personality. Sounds crazy but as a small boy he got addicted to trying to pull his teeth out for the tooth fairy to come, then as a teenager and still now he is a hyper-chondriac and even went through getting a surgical procedure because he convinced the doctors something was wrong.
We have always brushed it off saying oh his so dramatic and laughing it off - but now we have found out his gambling and even took a bank loan to do so. Im worried its spiralling out of control, he knows he has a problem but has lied to me in the past. His not a bad person or nasty he needs help and I don't know where to start!
I don't want to mother cuddle him but would anyone recommend him going to a meeting to see first hand exactly the effects this can have if he doesn't seek help? he says he is phoning a help line today but I feel I cant truly trust him and that is what hurts the most.
Hi Emma,
Thanks for your post, and welcome to the forum. I'm glad you're finding it to be supportive, and seeing that you're not alone with this situation.
That's great that you're wanting to help your brother, and hopefully he'll appreciate your support and encouragement. It would be wonderful if he would go to a Gamblers Anonymous meeting; is that something that he's showing any interest in? That could be a supportive place for him, and he would get to see first hand the effects that long term gambling can have. You can find meetings in your area on their website: http://gamblersanonymous.org.uk/
You don't mention what type of gambling he's doing, but there are other options for him, as well, such as self exclusion from betting shops and casinos, or blocking software from online gambling. We're able to point folks in the direction of individual counselling, also, if that's something he might want to try.
We would also be happy to speak to him if you wanted to pass along our number. We can be reached on the Helpline at 0808 8020 133, or the Netline ( http://secure.gamcare.org.uk/netline/ ) from 8am to midnight every day. You're also welcome to call us if you have any questions or just want some support.
Hope this helps,
Travis
We are available 24 hours a day, every day of the year. You can also contact us for free on 0808 80 20 133. If you would like to find out more about the service before you start, including information on confidentiality, please click below. Call recordings and chat transcripts are saved for 28 days for quality assurance.
