Need Help and Advice

Hi there,
I’ve been dealing with a gambling addiction for the last two years...it has significantly become worse since last December. I have a ton of debt now and no savings. I really don’t know what to do and how to stop. I only gamble at the casino, I know logically that I should self exclude, but then that would mean people I know would find out as we have been enjoying the ‘benefits’ that come along with spending all that money there.

I just need some advice...Does this addiction ever go away? I hate it and I’m miserable every day as before this I never had debt my entire life. I feel like I can’t stop. When I win I practically spend it all. Keeping this addiction a secret is also becoming tiring.

Thanks for reading this and I appreciate any help.

Welcome to the forum Angel,

To answer your question, the addiction and the threat of relapse never goes away. However, can you claim your life back and have a sense of 'normality' (if normal exists..)? Definitely Yes. I think you nailed your first step right on the head. Self-exclusion is a very powerful tool for a casino gambler. It is true that the casino throws lots of perks towards you since you go frequently, but are those perks and the risk of people finding out about your problem worth all the lies, debt and worries? You probably know that you have lost more than what those perks are worth. I think a nice way to say to your friend that you can't go to the casino anymore would be that you are "trying to save up for a .... (vacation/car/house/etc) and you can't afford the casino these days".

Other things you can do other than self-exclusion is attend a GA (Gamblers Anonymous) meeting. You can find support there and meet people who understand you and have been where you have been.

If the people are close friends than you should be honest: you are loosing money and you have to stop.
If they are not close persons and you don't feel comfortable talking about it than just tell them you are saving for a trip.

Coming out about your problem it's a huge progress. You become accountable in front of other persons, not only in front of yourself. It's a huge relief also. The addiction wants to stay in the dark.