The thread on here regarding stress management hits home with me and the financial stress that is overwhelming. Shirl38 mentioned it a few days ago and I feel that we are not alone in feeling it is vastly overwhelming.

I know that GA frowns on "bailouts" or "bankruptcy". I will include a portion of what it says on "Isn't compulsive gambling basically a financial problem?" "No, compulsive gambling is an emotional problem." Further along in the paragraph it says this: "Of the many serious difficulties created, the financial problems seem the easiest to solve. When a compulsive gambler enters Gamblers Anonymous and quits gambling, income is usually increased and there is no longer the financial drain that was caused by gambling, and very shortly, the financial pressures begin to be relieved. Gamblers Anonymous members have found that the best road to financial recovery is through hard work and repayment of our debts. Bankruptcy, borrowing and/or lending of money (bailouts) in Gamblers Anonymous is detrimental to our recovery and should not take place."

Back in January 1957 when the two men that founded GA met, life was much different. People were not able to get the loans they can today. People were not able to put thousands upon thousands of dollars of cash withdrawals on their credit cards, as credit cards were just coming into existence and were not a universal way of buying things. Yes, there were loan sharks, still are. Cash advance establishments in my opinion are loan sharks, but they were not around back then either. I think the ability to totally financially bankrupt ourselves is much easier today then it was back then. You couldn't get on your computer, fill out a form, and a week later get another card that you could charge up until you can't charge anymore - because of an overwhelming addiction.

So, here is the question. At what point does a person decide that the financial stress is more than what they can deal with and that it is actually detrimental to their recovery? Is there such a time? Yes, it is due to our own actions, but I believe there is a time where a new beginning may be the "best" thing for our recovery. That is not to say our debt is not our responsibility, it is. But, I think there are some of us that started out with excellent credit before the addiction took hold and we were able to charge so much that there is no feasible way of repaying it with the interest charges and fees so high. This stress of not being able to go forward financially, I feel is much more detrimental. For me, it affects my self esteem, it immobilizes me in making clear decisions as to who I pay and who I don't, therefore, never getting ahead. The constant worry is debilitating. It is a constant reminder of how badly I have failed. The debt itself is hurting our family in many ways. For our situation, I am currently unemployed, so that heightens the inability to pay.

Yes, we no longer are losing the money to gambling, but amazing since I have stopped, how many more things have cropped up financially that outweigh what I was spending at the casino, so we are not feeling any relief in the financial area, as one might hope.

I welcome everyone's thoughts on this. I believe at some point in time, filing bankruptcy may be the only answer. Not so we can go back and do it again.
But rather so we have a chance at starting over, doing things differently and living a different life.

Thanks in advance for your input!