Horse Racing, Football, Eurovision and even betting on royal baby names. How something may look and seem like a small impulsive act can turn into something unbelievably sad and dangerous over time. For the majority of people we maybe very lucky to never have to experience addictions of any kind but this does not prevent us from experiencing it with someone close to us especially in our generation today.
Betting is everywhere and all around the world, granted in Middle–Eastern countries it will not be money you will be betting but they too, still have an incentive for you at the other end. These days the majority of big sporting clubs are all sponsored or are in partnership with betting firms which they emphasise to gamble aware. But what is it that pulls people into getting caught up in such a dangerous circle? This I have witnessed first hand.
Something can start just for fun; a small £5 pound on a horse race at one of the many racing events held over the country, in time can gradually increase to placing large amounts of money on a roulette table at a casino. It’s the addiction and the buzz of both winning and losing for a gambler as you will find people who gamble and win will place more bets and when they lose, they are chasing the money that they have previously lost and sadly this is where the dangerous cycle continues. This addiction will build and grow as time moves on but for the majority sadly it causes un-repairable damage and can lead to strong struggles with mental health or even worse outcomes.
Living with a gambling addict just like any other addict you will see the clear signs and a patterns developing each time. It doesn’t matter what they gamble on but for many men football and sport in general is one of their main go to areas. Gambling addicts know no boundaries or if they do they can not stop as it is technically a form of disease that it is hard to break away from, which intern can have a detrimental affect on your relationship, theirs and your mental state along with your finances.
Having previously been in a relationship with a professional sport personnel this addiction cost me at the time , a lot of hurt, pain and sadness. As the saying goes the more you earn the more you spend and this I have known to be true, especially in the hands of a gambler. The hardest part of witnessing and being caught up within this toxic environment was feeling that I was unable to help. For some you may question as to why but sometimes that person can come across to be very manipulative and controlling and leaves you feeling helpless no mater how many times you pick them up from their knees. After time goes on your sympathy will move to frustration that the same pattern repeats over again and when things start becoming even more serious like unpaid bills for months on end this will slowly start to push you to a breaking point and may feel as though it is your problem you have to now take onboard.
Being witness to countless lies, disposable money and a lot of unpaid bills there comes a point where you have to take a stronger stand then before. My ex partner visited his first AA meeting at the age of 20 years old so to push to seek further help was proven at the time challenging and difficult as being a grown man he didn’t want to listen and take advise from others, he wanted to drown the noise and go it alone.
In the society we live in today gambling plays a big part within our world. Not just men are victims woman are just as equal it just might not be that sport they choose as their choice drug. The damaging mental health affects are saddening but this can be prevented with opening up and acknowledging your illness whether it is to a professional or someone close to you or both. Allowing yourself to open up and discuss your thoughts and feelings to find out what is the route cause of what triggers this addiction, this will help you seek new ways to help you overcome your addiction and allow you to make adaptations to your environment that will keep those demons at a distance. Speaking out doesn’t make you look like a coward or setting yourself up for negative backlash from others it shows strength and encouragement and to be able to stand not only as someone who has overcome this addiction but someone who today is not that same person for the better.
If you or if you know anyone who is suffering from a gambling addiction the help is there to have a private and confidential discussion with a registered professional. For the people witnessing these happenings GamCare is an organisation that has been set up to offer support to family, friends and partners within these troubling times. If you would like to talk you can do so via the website https://www.gamcare.org.uk/?cn-reloaded=1 for further discussions.
