Gambling Addiction & Recovery Support Group

Compulsive gambling is an urge or addiction to gamble despite harmful negative consequences or a desire to stop. A preferred term among many professionals is problem gambling, as few people described by the term experience true compulsions in the clinical sense of the word. Problem gambling often is defined by whether harm is experienced by the gambler or others rather...

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Drug addiction VS gambling addiction

Dracona
Dracona
My friend and I, made a pact, after losing money the other day in the casino, we had a few drinks, went out, and barred ourselves, from where we work as dealers, and from any casinos close by. my roomate, was arguing with us, was angry with us that we didnt have that self control, said she was addicted to the worse kind of drugs, and could walk away, that it was all about self control... and decisions, i tried to explain to her our problem, that we couldnt just do that, especially when we work in the business. she argued that we could if we wanted to. i stopped arguing with her, but why do people think that being addicted to drugs is so much worse? gambling can destroy your life as sure as heroin... or any other drugs out there. but why the scorn for someone who has a gambling problem, like we are weaker, like we are just whining and could stop anytime we wanted. this doesnt apply to everyone, but me and my friend, sat down and were making lists and plans, of things we would do together on our days off besides gamble. things to save up for. things to better our lives. and she kept piping in about how we just needed self control. thats the hardest part about gambling, is losing that.

so what does everyone think?
Dracona
Dracona
thanks mike... i think i might have read that post when you wrote it, i been on this site a while now. and thats exactly how i feel, every addiction is bad, and we just have to get through them together.
i just don think its right for someone to have gotten over something, to never look back, good for them, but they shouldnt think that anyone can just stop that way, and put their nose down to people who cant and pretty much call them weak for not having self control. we should help each other do whatever we need to do. but its not the first time ive heard this type of stereotype. that people believe that gambling really isnt an addiction, that we just want attention or something. i knew your post would be insightful because you have definately been through the ringer.
congrats and hats off to you again
deleted_user
deleted_user
I think an addictive personality type will become addicted to whatever masks the pain, and one is really no better or worse than the other. I think getting to the bottom of the pain, in some way, is what eventually stops the cycle.
I don't know if your friend is simply fooling herself, or just using whatever means necessary to keep from losing gambling buddies' But the loss of self control, wow- that in my case just adds to the self-loathing, which in turn increases the addiction..and on and on.
Eastwester, your story touched me deeply. And gave me a renewed sense of commitment. Thank you
deleted_user
deleted_user
Self-control....hmmm....

Self-control, I believe is the cause of any addiction...
At first, it is always someone's choice to either gamble, drink or smoke crack. But then when other factors come into play such as, depression, loneliness, etc. self-control goes out the window. Behind alot of addiction hides emontional problems.
I have been addicted to drugs, and gambling. And the drugs were easy to stop using. But drugs create a physical dependence, whereas gambling does not have a physical dependence-it's purely mental. So when one is at war with one's own mind, how is self-control even revelant. When you gotten to the point that we have abstinence is the only way. We only wish we could control ourselves,
deleted_user
deleted_user
I personally went through a 30 day program for gambling 13 years ago and stayed clean until this past year. A few things I learned that were surprising were 1) it is a chemical imbalance in our brain (seratonin) that causes us to have a high, which is why some antidepressants actually work for gambling, 2) most compulsive gamblers have OCD, 3) the suicide rate for compulsive gamblers is higher than addicts/alcoholics. During one group meeting (there were drug and alcohol addicts at the facility as well) the therapist (himself a recovering gambler) asked the one person who was a crack addict how long it would take them to smoke $1000 worth of crack - they replied days. He then turned to me and asked how long it would take me to lose $1000 and I replied 1 spin of the roullette wheel or approximately 2 minutes. It put it into perspective.
Dracona
Dracona
wow thanks pickin, thats good info... i was actually wondering about that. i have no idea what drugs cost vs the consumption rate. i think what people need to remember, is that these things affect everyone in a different way. and just because one person can walk away and never look back, it isnt like that for others. just because my roomate can bartend in a casino, and keep her paycheck, does not mean someone like me and my other friend who had to bar ourselves can. she kept saying just dont do it. its not that easy.
deleted_user
deleted_user
I have a lot of friends that go up the casino and lose $20 and walk away and make a big deal about the $20 loss. Or they win $20 and walk away and make a big deal about the $20 win. It is a sickness that some of us have. We would never be able to do that - hell, I have come to the conclusion that I have no respect for money. I hit two $1200 jackpots a week and a half ago. Left with $2000 - thought hey pretty good. So what did I do you ask? Went right back up the next day because I was "on a roll" or so I thought. Dropped that $2000, plus overdrew my account by $500. It is definitely a sickness.
jamesross
jamesross
I never really got into gambling, but I sure did with drinking, and drugs. What I've come to realize is that not all addicts are the same. Some quit for a variety of differant reasons, but for myself it's taken a very long road to find mine. Sure we have the comonality of basic addiction, but I believe there are varying degrees of it. For some, self controle works well, but it didn't for me, and I'm not going to fool myself about it just because it works for someone else. I think you have to be honest with yourself about Your addiction. We all have triggers, but they aren't the same for everyone. People can have their opinions all they want, but I'm the one with my addiction. Wish you all the best. James
Dracona
Dracona
there is another post, about suicide rates and gambling vs the rest. its just interesting.

try not to think about the money pickin... it makes us want to gamble again. leave the past back. dont think about how much you lost. think about the future, and things you want to do... besides gamble.
its hard. many of us have similar stories. i snapped at a kid at work the other day, he bought in 9 bucks. pushed a hand and lost a hand, and said, you are F......ing killing me... and i had a group of good customers. i told him to not act like that or speak like that.
he tried to fight with me and tell me not to tell him what to do and be a badass. i told him if he said one more thing of that nature i would tell him exactly what to do, and it would be him walking out the door. there was no reason for him to act like that. especially over 9 bucks when i had players at the table that were in hundreds.