Help for Family & Friends
| When gambling takes over, no one wins. Problem gamblers aren’t the only ones who suffer from this disorder. People close to the gambler often feel pain, heartache and anguish as well. At first it’s easy to make excuses for an individual’s gambling behavior – many people feel compelled to loan money in an effort to help. However, the bills soon pile up and seemingly insurmountable debts accumulate. Panic and anxiety set in. Family and friends often feel resentful and isolated, and domestic violence is not uncommon. Fortunately, there are ways to make changes in your life. Through the support of counseling and Gam-Anon®, you can learn to: •Not blame yourself for the problem, and instead take responsibility for your own life •Distance yourself from the problem behavior •Restore normal life routines •Confront and cease enabling behaviors •Reinforce appropriate actions for recovery If you are affected by someone’s gambling, please call for help. |
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