"You BET Your Life"  - Gambling Addiction

How many of us can remember when Groucho Marx first made that remark on radio in 1947?  WW II had come to an end, most of the soldier boys had returned from overseas and life was good.  The only problem was, there was so much money around that people didn’t know what to do with it so they began BETTING, not on their lives, but anything else that had odds. 

Today, we are facing an epidemic of problem gamblers.  People are looking for the easier softer way to make their fortune so they are BETTING on the stock market, the horses, the video games, lottery tickets, etc.  College kids are blowing their tuition money and the elderly are blowing their retirement nest egg at the casinos, the track or in front of the computer.  And when they lose it all, many are losing their lives to suicide. 

Serenity House now has a certified Compulsive Gambling Counselor on staff who can help people before they get to the point of suicide.  People get a chance to look into their family history of gambling, the reasons why they continue to gamble and where their life is going.  The counselor will meet with clients regularly and introduce them to the “Little Yellow Book” which is the main reference for Gamblers Anonymous participants.  She will also help the client learn about the 12 steps of GA which are similar to the 12 steps of AA.  The counselor will work with the families and friends of the compulsive gambler and will have private sessions with the family as needed.  Statistics have shown that people with substance abuse problems are more prone to gamble as well, and just as it is often difficult to stop abusing substances, it is also difficult to stop gambling.  People need to be willing to give over any available money to a friend or relative until they have truly stopped gambling.   They need to be willing to go to Gamblers Anonymous and get a sponsor who has been through similar circumstances.  Serenity House is looking to incorporate an outpatient component in its program to service a larger population. 

Many of the clients who enter treatment aren’t ready to give up gambling but the counselor can supply them with information that they can take home and read for when they are ready.  Want more information?  Contact Serenity House, Wallingford, Vermont at 802-446-2640.   

Wondering if you might have a gambling problem or addiction?  Try the self-assessment tool at www.stopgamblingnow.com/sogs_print.htm to see if you could benefit from professional assistance.