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Gamblers
Anonymous is not affiliated with any religious, political, social,
or public organization. There are no dues or fees for membership.
Gamblers Anonymous is 100 percent self-supporting through its own
contributions. Its only purpose is to help people recover from a
gambling problem.
What
is Gamblers Anonymous?
Gamblers
Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women who meet on a regular
basis to share their experience, strength, and hope in order to
arrest their gambling and cope with other gambling-related problems.
We have found that the sharing of truthful feelings and thoughts
at meetings is an extremely powerful antidote in helping people
to stop, and stay stopped from gambling. However, even if a person
continues to wager or has periodic relapses, he or she is still
encouraged to attend meetings.
What
can I Expect at Meetings?
Meetings
are attended by people who are recovering from a gambling problem
and who wish to help others do the same. Each participant remains
anonymous, revealing only his or her first name and last initial.
Each group meets weekly at the same time and location.
At
a typical meeting, a designated Chairperson will give a short talk
on his or her gambling-related experiences and recovery. Others
are called on to speak in the order they raise their hands. There
is no interrupting or cross talk. Attendeess are encouraged to share
their feelings and to keep the focus of their therapies on themselves
and their own recoveries.
It
is usually permissible for a spouse, significant other, family member,
or friend to accompany the gambler to the first meeting. Those attending
are strongly urged not to disclose what was said at the meeting
or who was there. To find out about meetings in your area, please
click on "Meeting List" on our Web site.
Signs
you may have a gambling problem
Most
compulsive gamblers have trouble admitting, even to themselves,
that they have a gambling problem. This defense mechanism, often
referred to as "denial," can keep a compulsive gambler
stuck in the insidious gambling cycle for long periods of time.
Here are some signs that you may have a gambling problem:
- A
preoccupation with gambling; planning the day around gambling
- Spending
more time or money time than had been planned or can be afforded
- Borrowing
money to gamble
- Gambling
again as soon as possible to recoup losses or increase winnings
- Gambling
to escape unpleasant feelings or to cope with another problem
- Gambling
larger amounts of money over time
- Gambling
has negative effects on love relationship(s), family, school,
or work
- A
rush or heightened anxiety on the way to gamble
- Gambling
causes depression, anger, anxiousness, fearfulness, or irritability
- Gambling
interferes with thought process
- Being
certain that the bet next will win
- A
belief that money is the answer to solving all problems
- Gambling
has caused a decrease in ambition or productivity
- Feeling
remorse, guilt, or shame after gambling
- Recurring
overwhelming urges to gamble
- Repeated
failed attempts to stop or control gambling
- Hiding
gambling from someone else
- Someone
else has complained about your gambling
Spotting
a gambling problem in someone else
Compulsive
gambling has been called "The Invisible Addiction" because,
unlike alcohol and other drug abuse, it has no easily detectable
symptoms such as the odor of alcohol or marijuana, bloodshot eyes,
slurred speech or impaired body movement.
Here
are some signs that a person may have a gambling problem:
- Frequent
talk about gambling-related experiences
- Bragging
about gambling winnings; never mentioning or downplaying losses
- Frequent
gambling trips
- Challenging
other people to bet
- Organizing
the office betting pool
- Excessive
reading of the newspaper sports section
- Wearing
clothes with gambling logos
- Evidence
of gambling paraphernalia such as lottery tickets or race-track
programs
- Borrowing
money, repeated requests for pay advances, or other evidence of
financial hardship
- Carrying
around large amounts of cash
- Unaccounted
for tardiness or absences
- Lying
about gambling
- Excessive
use of the telephone or Internet
- Mood
swings that include being sad, angry, anxious, or withdrawn
- Argumentative;
continually needing to be right
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