Stories of Hope.
Published: December 23, 2019
Overcoming Problem Gambling is Possible.
This holiday season – we want to give anyone struggling with problem gambling the gift of knowing that things can get better. At Before You Bet, our goal is to connect people to the resources they need when it comes to prevention and treatment. Sometimes, the most important resource we can connect them to is other people.
Gamtalk is an online community that helps people with gambling issues share their experiences and ideas. As part of that community of support, Gamtalk features a section called “Stories of Hope.” In it, visitors can read about the lives of real people who have been through the struggle – and, in doing so, learn that they aren’t in it alone.
Some of the successes currently featured include:
- Bernie’s Story – Bernie became a compulsive gambler after playing scratch-offs to escape from stresses in his life. After attending a Gamblers Anonymous meeting, Bernie realized that he had to change. Through studying to understand his addiction and by helping others, Bernie was able to turn his life around.
- Casey’s Story – Casey started gambling at the casino for fun, but she just kept on chasing her losses, started binge gambling and ended up thinking that if she “worked hard” at gambling she would get ahead. Recently however, Casey has been going to GA meetings and reads other people’s recovery stories to get inspired and stay away from gambling completely.
- Arnie’s Story – Arnie began gambling as a small child but his first big win at age 14 was when it started to get out of hand. Later he got into a lot of debt and began stealing to gamble. Eventually, Arnie found out that he was not the only one with a gambling problem, and with the help of some friends he gained hope and was able to stop. Arnie hasn’t gambled in 38 years.
To explore more stories about how people took charge of their recovery and made a new start for themselves, visit https://www.gamtalk.org/stories-of-hope/.
To learn more about responsible gambling practices, visit BeforeYouBet.org.