People with a gambling problem can find help-regardless of how long they have been gambling or how many financial or legal problems their addiction has caused. The National Council on Problem Gambling, which offers a 24-hour problem gambling helpline, says one of the first steps is to recognize the signs of problem gambling. They include:

• Gambling for more time and/or more money than intended.

• Gambling more to try to win back what you’ve lost.

• Lying to loved ones about the amount of time or money spent gambling.

Gambling can be considered problematic, and no longer recreational, when it causes a disruption in any major area of a person’s life.

Finding Help

It’s estimated that 2 to 3 percent of the U.S. population is living with a gambling problem. It can affect men or women of any age, race or religion, regardless of social status. If you think you or someone you know might have a problem, the National Council on Problem Gambling may be able to help. Its mission is to increase public awareness of problem and pathological gambling and to ensure the widespread availability of treatment for problem gamblers and their families. It also operates the 24-hour National Problem Gambling Helpline, a link to treatment, recovery groups and other resources for problem gamblers and their family members.

A gambling helpline proved invaluable for Jane Skavinsky, a grandmother whose gambling problem began with simple bingo games, spiraled out of control and ended with her spending her 50th birthday in prison.

“My gambling addiction led to my losing focus on anything that didn’t have to do with bingo. Soon I was spending my whole paycheck on it,” Skavinsky explains.

Eventually, Skavinsky began embezzling money from her office to help fund her habit. She was sentenced to a year in jail for stealing a quarter of a million dollars.

“It was only after months of mental anguish that I called the helpline. I did not realize that my gambling was the root of all my problems,” she explains. Through its referral to treatment and self-help groups, the helpline helped Skavinsky begin to recover. Today, she works to spread the word about problem gambling and helps others beat their addiction.

“If you’re living with a gambling you don’t need to wait to ‘hit bottom’ before asking for help,” says Keith Whyte, executive director, the National Council on Problem Gambling. “And because so many addicted gamblers are in denial and will never call, we offer our services to the nongamblers as well. When their problem is your problem, you can call the Helpline to learn what help is available.”

To learn more or to find help, call toll free (800) 522-4700 or visit www.ncpgambling.org.

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There are many vices lurking in the society today. One of which is gambling.

What’s even worse is the fact that people who are so hooked up with gambling have the tendency to get addicted to it.

Addiction is a serious social issue that society is still trying to muster. With gambling addiction, gamblers just don’t lose money but life and family as well. That is why it is extremely important to solve the problem.

In reality, there are available measures and methods so as to treat gambling addiction. Some of which are:

1. Through medications.

Usually, gambling addicts are treated through medications in the form of anti-depressants or what medical experts call as Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors or the SSRR. This medication has been proven to treat pathological gamblers or those who feel the blow whenever they win.

2. Through psychological treatments.

Most psychologists contend that the problem of gambling addiction is often associated with a problem on their cognitive behavior. Hence, it would be better to let the gambling addicts undergo cognitive behavior therapy.

In this process, the gambling addicts are taught how to get rid of the negative ideas and replace them with positive ones.

3. Through group therapy.

Group discussions are also effective in treating gambling addiction. Through this method, gamblers will get to interact and discuss their own personal problems that led them to gambling.

One great advantage of this therapy is that gamblers get to listen to other gamblers stories. They will be able to understand some angles that may sound just like their very own situations but were unable to identify them because of the feeling of rejection or shame.

Gambling addiction must be stopped at once. It has already dominated the society and even perpetuated the problem among college students. In 2004, the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania has reported that 11.4% of their male students are fond of betting cards at least once a week. This was deemed alarming because they had only 6.2% on the previous year’s report, which made it an increase of 84% in just one year.

Moreover, according to the Journal of Gambling Studies, gamblers who are college students make up 1.6% of the total population. It may seem little at first but the fact that the percentage is gradually increasing is enough to cause alarm.

So, the best way to cure treat gambling addiction is to lessen the chances of playing. This is because the more people can play the greater chances they get addicted.

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