Stop Teenage Gambling Education Needed At Local Schools

For the past few years teenage gambling has been increasing at an exponential rate. The increase in gambling can be contributed to family members who gamble, multiple television programs like poker tournaments and skillful advertising from the gambling establishments. It’s becoming an epidemic among our teenagers with no real solution being presented to the educators of our schools systems.

The new stream of commercials related to stop gambling has had very little affect. The commercials are geared towards helping people stop gambling but are not geared towards the individuals who have not experienced gambling at this point in time. The stop gambling commercials have not been able to reach the teenager with a compulsive gambling addiction. They however may reach the parents who may realize their child has a problem.

The only way to help our youth is to educate them in the classroom and at home. I remember years ago in health class they educated us on smoking and drinking. This was very effective on those individuals who never started. But the ones that were already addicted the educational programs were unable to reach them.

There following educational curriculums will be available to ship by August 2005 in order to give teachers the proper resource tools to deal with this growing problem:

a) Helpful Resources for identifying teenagers who may have a compulsive gambling addiction.

b) Helping Teenagers identify their compulsive gambling addiction

c) Educating teenagers on compulsive gambling addiction. This one is my favorite because this has the best opportunity to prevent a teenager from gambling, helping teenagers identify the signs of compulsive gambling addiction and if the teenager has a problem with gambling.

d) Giving Teenagers the tools to identify others who may have a gambling addiction like their parents. This one has to be handled sensitively. I have received numerous emails from teenagers who did not know where to go, who to talk to in order to help a family member.

e) Educating Teenagers on the resources available to get help by giving them the local stop gambling telephone numbers and helpful stop gambling websites.

f) Understanding Compulsive Gambling Addiction

g) Practical exercises for teenagers with addictions to learn about self esteem, trust and more.

The above educational curriculums are to be used as a guide for professionals who want to educate the teenage population. The curriculums were based on real life situations. It’s their goal to reach these students at the age where gambling is most likely to affect their future and to help teenagers who have a compulsive gambling addiction.

More educational information can be found at the website [http://www.teenage-gambling-addiction.org].

Teenagers that have been negatively affected by compulsive gambling addiction exhibit signs of self destructive behavior and an apathetic view towards school. By noticing the warning signs early, helps a teenager’s recovery to accelerate.

Our future is in our children. By giving them a good education and family foundation we will help them to survive in this world.

Another website that deals directly with compulsive gambling addiction and also has stop gambling resources is the I Stopped Gambling So Can You http://www.istoppedgambling.com/. This website can help the family members and friends of gamblers. It also has self help books available.

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.

Problem Gambling Effecting Local Economy

Political leaders are approving gambling establishment developments in hope to raise needed revenue with out consequence to their constituents. Political leaders are aware that a significant number of people already have a problem gambling and the likelihood of more people developing an addiction is likely to increase. It's unfortunate but these same leaders refuse to do anything about it since the increased revenues from the gambling establishments helped to fund many state needed programs.

Political leaders look at the short run, because they are continually being tested to see what they can do for their voters. These leaders are not elected for life and usually serve for two years unless they are elected again. Once they are up for re-election they tell the voters this is what they have accomplished during their term. It's unfortunate but these gambling establishments slowly deplete the economy. By the time all the negative affects are felt either the political leader is no longer in office, up for re-election with all new promises or another source of revenue is found. This political game continues until enough people put pressure on their leaders. Problem gambling is a silent addiction and very few people are willing to admit they have a compulsive gambling addiction, lost all their money to gambling, stole from their employer so they could gambling and or are embarrassed to let their love ones know they had a problem. Once again the political leader win and their voters and the local economy lose.

People are gambling excessively. A gambling establishment could not expand at the rate they are growing if people weren't losing their money. These same people cut their spending at their local shopping centers, personal entertainment like movies and cut spending for everyday staples. I met one mother who stopped buying milk. She figured she could save twenty dollars a month and this would give her more resources to gamble. Now that she stopped she can't believe that she could do such a thing to her family.

The gambling establishments created an empire. They opened gift shops, entertainment concert halls, gas stations and unique restaurant inside their entertainment complex. They give every patron a tracking card that earns them points only valid at their gambling complex while they gamble. They then use these points to eat, entertainment, hotel and or purchase gifts. This past holiday a significant number of people saved some of their points to buy family gifts. Once again the gambling establishments win and the local businesses and shopping centers lose.

Not everyone has a gambling addiction, but a good majority of people enjoy recreational gambling. It's unfortunate but even a casual gambler gambles more then they expected. These casual gamblers people also will have to cut back their spending for a short time. They may not go out to their local diner because they cn eat for free at the gambling establishment. In all these situations, the local economy suffers. People who live with in fifty miles of a gambling establishment are more like to be negatively affected.

It's time to find a solution to this growing epidemic. Political leaders need to step up to the plate and stop the abduction of the people. Recently their have been a significant number of commercials dealing with gambling addiction. Everybody applauded this first attempt to deal with gambling addictions. Unfortunately it appears the leaders are too late. An acre of land on fire can not be distinguished with a cup of water.

The only solution to stopping the problem gambling is to regulate the gambling establishments and or consider closing them down until a solution is found. No matter which direction the political leaders choose they need to pick up their pace.

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/