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...
There are many celebrities who had or have serious gambling addictions, from Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, to Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley. A celebrity I read about this weekend is Rob Lowe, who was a serious alcoholic but who has been sober for 25 years. I like how he refers to it as having the "gift of alcoholism" and that being in recovery gave him everything he has of value: integrity, honesty, gratitude, etc.
I had terrible coping mechanisms for stress. I had issues connecting with others and some degree of social anxiety. I felt like I was never doing enough in my personal life or business and longed to "escape" for a few hours.
It was dealing with those issues that was the gift for me. By starting to meditate and go for walks to deal with stress. By seeing my true friends more often and saying no to seeing people who I don't genuinely like. By acknowledging I am doing the best I can at home and in business, even if sometimes that means I am a little lazy or apathetic -- that's where I am right now, and I am growing and improving everyday. No longer beating myself up all of the time.
That was the gift for me.
Hurray for beating back addiction! Hurray for the rest of life! Hurray for gaining sanity and freedom!