My son commited suicide due to his hidden gambling adiction and I am trying to get the Government to regulate the gambling industry. Have a petiton that I would like people to sign and would like to know if I can put a link on this forum?
Good luck with it jack56
The gambling industry is powerful they make large donations to all partys.
They like to stay in the shadows, they hate publicity about the true extent of this horrible addiction.
Hi Jack, First of all may I offer you my sincere condolences on your sad loss . As a father of a 20 year old son myself , I cant begin to understand how you must be feeling . Its such a pointless loss and only goes to prove what a terrible illness this is and what it does to your mind and body . I'm 54 myself , old enough to know better but it certainly got hold of me , I've only been in recovery for 6 days and am already feeling better for stopping . I obviously dont understand what this site allows with regard to petition's and such , that would be a matter for the admin team , who Im sure will be in contact with you when they read the message you have posted on the forum . I can assure you that I would be more than happy to add my name to any such petition should it be allowed , Once again I'm so sorry for your sad loss . You are in my thoughts . With kind regards Alan.
Hi
Jack
Dreadfully sorry to hear of your loss. Pretty sure gamecare wouldnt tolerate the link but post it anyway, the worst they can do is take it down.
Suicide & compulsive gambling is a very real issue that everyone seems to want to avoid. The limited data on it suggests more people commit suicide with a gambling addiction than all other mental health orders combined. Also partners are 3x more likely to take their own life than the co-dependents of any other addiction.
I wish you well Jack. There are a few anti gambling forums out there where you may find some help(Stop the FOBTS is one)
hi jack
so so sorry to hear your dreadful loss , the fact he kept it secret is so sad and never asked for help as this forum does , the fellowship of problem gamblers can help gain momentum for your petition as with the accerlation of the internet , gambling i feel will only attract new a batch of youngsters
Hi jack,
Really sorry to read about your son, I can only summize the pain you are going through.
Kind regards to you and your family.
Dear Jack
We are so sorry to hear about your son. It is so sad that he kept his problem hidden as there is help out there.
We know this is not the answer you were hoping for but we can confirm that it's not permitted to post links to petitions on the forum. Here is an excerpt from the forum rules and etiquette:
"Please note: The GamCare Forum and Chatroom services are not spaces for organizing political action or recruiting other service users for the purposes of doing so. Should you wish to petition the Government about a political matter concerning problem gambling, please visit http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/ or write to your MP and do not use GamCare’s online services to recruit other petitioners."
You can read the full rules and etiquette here: http://www.gamcare.org.uk/support-and-counselling/frontline-services/chatroom/chatroom-and-forum-etiquette
We hope that you and other people who care about your son are receiving bereavement support. GamCare's Helpline, Netline and this forum are all there for you as well. You can call us on 0808 8020 133 8am to midnight every day.
Sincerely,
Forum Admin
Hello again Jack and others,
It's been decided that on this occasion what we can do is to put anyone interested in the link in touch with Jack direct.
If any forum user would like to be put in touch with Jack, please email Forum.Admin@gamcare.org.uk. Then we will pass your email address to Jack. This keeps Jack's email address private and keeps Jack in control of who he gets in touch with.
We hope this helps you.
Jack, you are more than welcome to contact us on the helpline on 0808 8020 133 if you would like some support. We're available on the Netline too if you prefer webchat. Both are open 8am-midnight every day. Also, Cruse Bereavement Care offer support to anyone affected by the death of someone close, including support groups for people who have been bereaved through suicide.
Sincerely,
Forum Admin
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.
