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 was reading a response by eastwester in the thread "down in the dumps" where he said the following:
"We'll always seem to find a way to get some money to feed our addiction. Often, we'll use less than honest methods to do so. Often we'll find ourselves doing things we thought we would never do."
It reminded me of one of my lowest moments in my life. I have had a few, and all were because of gambling.
But the one I am going to talk about here happened after a few huge losses. I had maxed out my credit card, was far far away from pay day and just had no money to do anything. My mind was desperately searching for ideas on how to make money.
Then it clicked.
I would make casino chips. I told myself it wasn't that hard. I bought some meshable plastic, black spray paint, and figured I could go from there. I even did a test one in my garage, which turned out deformed. I then stopped and asked myself what exactly I was doing. I was doing something illegal. I reflected on my life - I had somehow gone from law graduate to a criminal. All because of gambling. So I stopped there and now I'm a year gambling free, my finances are better, and I'm advancing in my career which means more money.
But could you imagine the alternative, if I had gone ahead?
I would've nervously walked into the casino, hoping for my life the security guards wouldn't ask me to empty my pockets. If I passed that, I would've had to desperately act casual, placing a chip on the table.
I did some research, and some casinos have computer chips embedded inside their gambling chips, so it is very easy for the "eyes in the sky" to detect a fake chip. I'm sure the chances are, as soon as I placed it onto the table, a bunch of security guards would've surrounded me.
I would've been taken to the backroom and god knows what would happen there. The police would've been called. I would be charged, get a criminal record, and not only lose my job, but my licence to practice law.
That'd be my life, down the drain. But let's rewind all that and go back to the point where I was in my garage making the test chip.
Now I'll let you choose your path.
"We'll always seem to find a way to get some money to feed our addiction. Often, we'll use less than honest methods to do so. Often we'll find ourselves doing things we thought we would never do."
It reminded me of one of my lowest moments in my life. I have had a few, and all were because of gambling.
But the one I am going to talk about here happened after a few huge losses. I had maxed out my credit card, was far far away from pay day and just had no money to do anything. My mind was desperately searching for ideas on how to make money.
Then it clicked.
I would make casino chips. I told myself it wasn't that hard. I bought some meshable plastic, black spray paint, and figured I could go from there. I even did a test one in my garage, which turned out deformed. I then stopped and asked myself what exactly I was doing. I was doing something illegal. I reflected on my life - I had somehow gone from law graduate to a criminal. All because of gambling. So I stopped there and now I'm a year gambling free, my finances are better, and I'm advancing in my career which means more money.
But could you imagine the alternative, if I had gone ahead?
I would've nervously walked into the casino, hoping for my life the security guards wouldn't ask me to empty my pockets. If I passed that, I would've had to desperately act casual, placing a chip on the table.
I did some research, and some casinos have computer chips embedded inside their gambling chips, so it is very easy for the "eyes in the sky" to detect a fake chip. I'm sure the chances are, as soon as I placed it onto the table, a bunch of security guards would've surrounded me.
I would've been taken to the backroom and god knows what would happen there. The police would've been called. I would be charged, get a criminal record, and not only lose my job, but my licence to practice law.
That'd be my life, down the drain. But let's rewind all that and go back to the point where I was in my garage making the test chip.
Now I'll let you choose your path.
I have worked in the criminal justice system for over a decade, and I've seen attorneys throw their careers away for addictions, and it's so sad because you know they are good people, but they got caught up in bad things. I'm so glad that you looked in the mirror and saw what you were becoming. You've come back from the brink and came out on the other side...hang in there...365 and counting...you're rocking it now!
Kudos for having the balls to share publicly a slice of the madness created and nurtured by an additive thought process.
I've printed this post and will read it every day. Thank you for this gift.
Just like the old saying "All things are possible." You proved that!
Awesome!
xoxoxoxoxoxox
mamabear21