Gambling Addiction & Recovery Support Group

During the first couple years of my recovery I was deeply affected by "depression". I went to the doctor and tried a series of different anti-depressants.......none of them seemed to help, and most seemed to have undesired side-effects.
Eventually, as I continued on the road of recovery, not feeding my addictions and seeing to my growth by working the steps and dealing with my issues, the "depression" faded away. It has not returned.
Today, looking back, I believe that the "depression" was not the cause of the addiction. Actually, the addiction was causing me to feel depressed. I had fed my addiction in order to "escape" from feelings that I wasn't comfortable with, and when I removed the addiction those uncomfortable feelings flooded to the surface. As a defence, my sub-concience "depressed" these uncomfortable feelings......hence, the "depression". The solution, for me, was not drugs......but instead, to work my recovery as others did and learn how to deal with my issues in a healthy manner.
It took some time, a lot of work, and some days it seemed pretty hopeless....... "How am I expected to get better when I feel so crappy, and don't even have the will or strength to get up mornings?", is how I felt at the time.
Recovery, I've learned, ain't easy and it don't happen quick....... but I just needed to think about the alternative, about how bad it once was, and get myself through one more day without feeding the addiction........ and, like they promised, it eventually got better.

Finally, I need to say this. I AM NOT A DOCTOR. I'm an addict, and I only know what happened to me. DEPRESSION IS A SERIOUS DISEASE and I do not reccomend that you take my story as the final word on this matter.......... talking to your doctor certainly isn't going to hurt anything.....investigate, keep an open mind, learn all you can, DO WHAT IS BEST FOR YOU.

Hi CynCan, It has been a while long while since I have been on here and thought I would just pop in to see what was new with everyone. I also months ago asked this same question. I had gotten some great advice, all which basically said though you need to work thru the addiction there is no magic pill. Which I agreed with to a certain extent. After going back and taking to my DR about the cycle of addiction he firmly believes that all addictions are from a deep pain of trying to escape something else. He said to me once I get to that place to figure out what that is only then can I truly beat my addiction and sometimes thinking more clearly (HENCE THE ANTI-DEPRESSANTS) will help with that. It was a god send for me!!!!!!I was stuggling HARD with stopping my addiction. With the medication I was able to think more clearly and have been gamble free since joining this site monthes ago. I have no desires to gamble anymore. I do believe I was in the worse of the worse of some of the thing I have done not only to myself but to my family to keep my addiction going. They were right there is no magic pill. BUT if you truly have hit your rock bottom and TRULY in your heart want to get better taking anti-depressants will not hurt. Good luck with your battle I feel for you and pray you get the help you need whatever that might be!

Cyn, depression came first for me. I've suffered from depression for many years, even before the term bi-polar came to be, back then they call it Manic depression. I was UP, I was DOWN, I was UP, I was DOWN. Extreme HIGHS and extreme LOWS, I craved both. Even today I still crave the extreme, maybe that's why compulsive gambling became an addiction, for me, it's always been, ALL or NOTHING. I'm on anti-depressants right now, and have been since I stopped gambling, and started caring about myself. I've taken them since I was 19, for the record, I'm now 53. I've had a few periods of time where I wasn't taking them, they don't have to be a forever thing, however, there isn't any shame in taking them for as long as needed. If you really don't need them, they won't change much of anything. Sometimes depression is normal, sometimes it's not. Talk to your doctor. Yes, there are side effects, but to me, the benefits out weigh the side effects. I did go through a period of my life, where I struggled with the idea of being weak because I needed them. That was silly. My mom always told me that she didn't agree with me taking them, that it was a sign of weakness. I love you, mom...may she rest in peace. I didn't lose a humongous amt of money, I didn't have a humongous amt of money! But the addiction is the same, it resides in my mind. I don't have to gamble unless I allow myself to. I know it's only gonna' hurt me, I have 100% positive proof. Today I chose not to gamble. Actually, I'm embracing it, knowing it's okay to be a person who no longer gambles. Talk to your dr, Cyn, I'm not a dr, lol...I just thought about the fact, that if I was a dr I would be in a much worse situation than I am. I'd be filing for bankruptcy, I'm almost 100% sure of it. But, I"m good. As long as I don't gamble, I'm good.

Thanks for your comments. I don't feel depressed, I like a lot of things about my life, but the counselor said that there have been links between soritonin shortage and slots addiction. I did find a bit about it on the internet, but I think at the end of the day you may be right, no magic pill. If I felt depressed, I would absolutely seek medication, but I don't really feel I do. Anxious this past week (yesterday was 1 week!!), but I feel it subsiding a bit. I am going to talk to the doctor, anyway, to see what he thinks, but as always I appreciate the comment I get here.

Tonight, my first GA meeting! I am nervous ...
Cyn