How Does Gambling Addiction Affect the Family?

Families of Those With A Gambling Addiction

When a family member has a gambling addiction it can effect the entire family unit negatively. The family member with the gambling problem creates tremendous tension within the family unit that can effect all members of the family in a variety of ways.

Children of those with a gambling addiction tend to suffer the most. In severe cases, children of those with a gambling problem are brought to the casino and are waiting on the sidelines for hours while their parents are in the casino gambling. In more extreme cases, many children are left in the car while their parents are in the casino throwing out all of their hard-earned money.

Studies have also shown that the family member with the gambling problem can also become extremely verbally, physically, and emotionally abusive due to the stress of the addiction. This can be devastating to young children and adolescents as they are trying to succeed academically and socially.

The financial ramifications for families can also be devastating as well. Money that is supposed to be used for food, gas, shelter, medical bills, and other necessities becomes unavailable as it is squandered away by the gamblers. Debt piles up very fast, and the financial future of the family becomes severely threatened.

Many families who file for bankruptcy have been the result of having a compulsive gambler in the household gambling away all of their savings and credit. It is a tragic state of affairs that leads to homelessness, despair, and worse of all suicide.

If you have a loved one who is in the grip of this horrible addiction, intervention is imperative. The first thing you can do is reach out for help. I put some resources below that can help you get started so you can help your family get on the road to recovery.

Gam-Anon: gam-anon.org

1-877-727-5050

Gamblers Anonymous: gamblersanonymous.org

1-877-727-5050

National Council on Compulsive Gambling: ncpgambling.org

1-800-422-5700

Michelle Tee is a self-help coach and author on the subject of gambling addiction . If you are looking to stop gambling and have not had success in the past, visit her site today.

Gambling Establishments Negatively Affect More Then Just The Compulsive Gambler

At one point in time people welcomed the gambling establishments in hopes that they would help revive their community, increase jobs and increase economic development. As each placed opened, it did just that. They created jobs, increased revenues for local businesses and created construction jobs as they began to grow. It was a positive influence in the community, but as time went on more and more people began to spend their money on a chance to win, the gambling establishments grew and local businesses began to suffer.

People never realized the negative affect the gambling establishments created because local politicians supported these places. People were not given all the facts.

There are states that had the statistics, but still went ahead and welcomed the gambling establishments with open arms.

The gambling ling establishments attracted a large percentage of their employees from an estimated fifty mile radius negative affecting local business establishments.

The gambling establishments are able to have better benefits and hourly wages then local businesses.

Communities hear that a thousand construction jobs have just been created due to the local gambling establishment's expansion. What people don't realize is this new expansion once completed will take more jobs from our local businesses. One place grew so big they began to transport employees by bus that lives over fifty miles away.

No one ever took the time to realize that these places could not expand if people didn't lose their money gambling. These places are parasites and leeches that have no concern for those lives and businesses they have destroyed.

The gambling establishments are here to stay as long as local governments depend upon them for tax revenue. Once gambling hits epidemic proportions where tax payers and businesses can no longer make their tax payments nothing will ever change. It's unfortunate the governments are playing a wait and see game before they will react.

Mr. Howard Keith has an extensive background in dealing with compulsive gamblers, relatives and friends of gamblers and teenage gamblers. Mr. Keith believes there are many alternatives to aid in the recovery of a gambling addiction verses a twelve step program. A large percentage of his emails were from compulsive gamblers looking for an alternative to Gamblers Anonymous and twelve step programs. Gamblers Anonymous also helps a significant number of people each year but there is a large percentage that they are unable to reach.

For more information on gambling addiction and stop gambling you can check out
I Stopped Gambling So Can You http://www.istoppedgambling.com/

Gambling Establishments Negatively Affect Our Community

Gambling establishments continue to negatively affect our community by taking needed resources for personal gain. Since legalizing gambling, our society is addicted in one form or another.

The following has situations have occurred since legalizing gambling:

1) Illegal gambling increases even though gambling has been legalized.

2) Gambling addiction is escalating with no end in site.

3) Gambling addiction rates are double for those living near a gambling establishment.

4) Personal bankruptcy rates are higher in countries that have gambling establishment.

5) Crime rates are on the rise due to desperate individuals who are trying to recover gambling loses.

6) Fraud and embezzlement become common among formerly hard-working and highly trusted people.

7) Suicide rates among addicted gamblers are greater then any other addiction.

8) Local businesses have lost revenues and or have gone bankrupt

9) Families lost all their resources due to a spouse having a gambling addiction.

With every day that passes more and more people realize someone around them lost their savings at the gambling establishment.

My town is twenty nine miles from the nearest gambling establishment. On my block alone more then fifty percent of the people know some one who lost their life savings. On the same block only twenty percent know someone close who has a drug addiction.

As you educate yourself you start to realize there is a problem and something needs to be done before it gets out of control.

Governments need to take the time to realize that gambling addiction is a silent addiction and the negative affects are never felt in the short run. It's up to them to implement procedures to halt this addiction if it's not too late.

Mr. Howard Keith has an extensive background in dealing with compulsive gamblers, relatives and friends of gamblers and teenage gamblers. Mr. Keith believes there are many alternatives to aid in the recovery of a gambling addiction verses a twelve step program. A large percentage of his emails were from compulsive gamblers looking for an alternative to Gamblers Anonymous and twelve step programs. Gamblers Anonymous also helps a significant number of people each year but there is a large percentage that they are unable to reach.

For more information on gambling addiction and stop gambling you can check out I Stopped Gambling So Can You http://www.istoppedgambling.com/