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...
I hope and pray you can keep away from the casino. You are the most important person to you at this point. Take care of you.
My parents are the only people I've told that I have a gambling problem. I'm not sure how seriously they take me considering they asked me if I would be joining them at the casino. When I said I couldn't, they didn't ask me again.
My sister gets out of control at a casino but at least she's open about it. I'm sneaky.
I can completely identify with you, because I too have parents who gamble. In fact, I would say my entire childhood I watched my mother specifically go gambling. I even remember at one point she left us in the car while she went inside the track to gamble. When we were old enough, she brought us to Las Vegas. We were to be impressed with her VIP status, free room and comps etc. She was then and still is in denial. My dad also gambles, but not to the level she does. In some ways, his participation enables her. But I think it's because he loves her, despite her addiction.
I've been struggling with my addiction for about 8 years now. It was around the same time that Indian Casinos started popping up everywhere. Easy access to that triggered my addiction, although at the time, I wasn't aware that I could be addicted. In fact, the years I had prior to that I remembered resenting my parents for being neglectful due to their addiction. Sadly now I understand what that means, and how difficult it is to overcome it. When I told them that I was a compulsive gambler, my Mother's response about her own behavior was simply " I am not that way. I have control". Which of course is an absolute lie, and an obvious denial.
Now that they are retired, they are VIP at their local casino. I've slowly had to watch them deteriorate in both health, personal upkeep and of course their finances. In the past, they worked hard and had a beautiful well kept house. Now they live in a small apartment, with clutter everywhere. It's strange to watch the rise and fall. But I've come to realize that, just like it was when I was a child, I can't control who they are or what they do. I've inherited the same addiction, and I have to overcome that first. I'm hoping that by doing so, they will come to realize the same for themselves. Either that, or actually snap out of it, and see what they are doing to themselves.
I wish you the best moving forward. Know that I too am in the same shoes, and I imagine there are others out there as well. Try to visualize who you want to be in the next five years, and focus on that. Despite the occasional relapses, I remind myself that there is a long term goal towards personal fulfillment in my life.
I think there will come a day when you will feel strong enough to tell your parents. They may or may not understand. I think you will feel strong enough if you continue your abstinence and you will know when that is. You will know that regardless of how your mother reacts you will be able to stand up for yourself and be firm about your recovery. You will gain the strength through healing, grace, self care to know you are on the right path. I can visualize you being able to stop your mother in mid sentence from being critical, Saying something like: "Mom, what I need now is kindness and support and if you cannot refrain from criticism I will need to limit my contact with you."
For me, I know, the more people I told the freer I felt. In fact, oddly, to expose my secret to all of my loved ones and friends somehow made the gambling less powerful. I was fortunate enough to only have one person in my social circle that was unkind, judgmental and unsupportive, they are no longer part of my inner circle. It was nice to find out before I trusted them with any more of my soul.
Sadly, we all usually have to come to our own realizations about our addictions and we cannot run other people's recovery programs, not our parents', children's, siblings' or friends'. You can confront them in your most loving manner out of concern for their well being. But my experience with interventions is they only work if the addicted person is ready to change. You can also show them by example if you are willing to tell your secret and demonstrate that a good life without gambling is possible. You could anonymously send them education materials about gambling addiction. You could ask your mother the "20 questions" or give them to her so she can ask herself. Here is a link:
(http://www.gamblersanonymous.org/ga/content/20-questions)
I suggest you do not get too embroiled with your mom's recovery or anyone else's until you feel strong in your own recovery.
I apologize for the length of this post but I post it in the attempt to give you something helpful.
Prayers of strength and hope sent your way. Have a great gamble free day.
I leave you with a joke that seems appropriate:
How many counselors does it take to change a light bulb? (A: Only one, but the light bulb has to be ready to change.)