Gambling is like a fatal disease, it kills you slowly, but you’re not the only one suffering. You may be addicted, but the whole family suffers with you each day. Gambling addiction has a particular impact on family members because of the debt it causes.
Stumbling and staggering I reached at the door in the middle of the night. Like other weekends, it’s just another one full of misery. I lost again today, and this is becoming a permanent issue. Drunk and disappointed, I am a gambling addict. I can’t tell anybody about it, at least not now. These are the expressions of every gambling addict out there. Gambling is a severe addiction and according to stats,
- Half of the gambling addicts are involved in crimes one way or another.
- Over 80% of the addicts become Alcohol or Drug addicts as well.
They want to reach out for help, but many few of them dare to do so. Thankfully, I was one of them. I have been a gambling addict for more than 2 years, and during this time, I have neglected my family and friends in many ways.
In this article, I will share with how gambling addiction affected my family and my friendship.
Emotional Impacts and Isolation
This is what I call the first phase of addiction. When I started losing money, it took a toll on my mind. As an addict, I always denied these feelings because, for me, Gambling was a cure for all the unpleasant feelings. I left my loved ones behind and started to ignore them. Isolation is eminent under such circumstances. I just wanted to be alone and think about my next bluff. As a result, I developed feelings of anxiety and depression over time. Being irritated to everyone and even violence sometimes. After my recovery, from what I have observed, there are 3 main things an addict faced.
- The partner of an addict doesn’t want to get close to him/her as he/she always feels scared around him.
- Gambler remains in denial, and for this reason alone he isolates himself from others and cut out his love and support.
- Friends of an addict leave in the end and mostly due to the unpaid debts.
Mental Stress
When I started gambling everything was excellent in the beginning. Sometimes I got out with lots of cash and other times I lost some. I always took it as a sport for recreation, but I didn’t even realise how and when I got to the deep end. As I began to lose more games, the stress increases each time. This stress not only confides with me but also with my loved ones. When they see me stressed and depressed, it affected them, and they got scared for me. They always want to have a close watch on me like I am going to suicide. Sometimes, my mind took me there, as well. Fortunately, it wasn’t a long duration, but for 2 years, I stopped living and felt like I am falling in a never-ending pit of depression.
Financial Impact Of Gambling On Family
Gambling is a predictable game and trust me when I say; You Can’t Be The Winner Forever. How can I say? Well, I am saying this with experience and after lots of losing. In the end, it will affect you and your family financially and to a very critical extent.
After I got settled in Finland, I worked hard and saved myself some money to start a new life with my fiancé. But the Gambling ate all my desires and funds. So, I am saying this with full confidence if you remain on the track to gambling it will cost you a fortune. I have seen families destroyed, and fathers separated from their loved ones over this addiction. In the end, some addicts become so financially helpless that taking their own life is the only solution they can think of. Gambling never dies, but you can’t say the same for an addict.
It Devours Your Friendship
Have you seen a real-life monster? Gambling is just the image of a fierce one. Before I was an addict, I used to live in the happiest circle of friendship. We care for each other, and in harsh times we supported each other. But Gambling took all of them one by one while I was standing there listening to the crocked voice despair. Please stop and save my soul. My inner voice was shrieking out of misery, but in the end, I was alone on this path.
Final Thoughts
I will not say that I am not a lucky person. I had someone who took care of me even when all hope was gone. My fiancé supported me and gave me hope for a better life. While I think of those past days, I shook with fear to know how far I was in this pit. But sadly, not everyone has such caring souls. So, it’s better to face this on time and seek help. On my website gambling-addictions.com I share my story and stories of many other addicts. This helps them to find help and hope. Share your story with us to be heard and helped.
Gambling Addictions 