The 8th Annual Problem Gambling Awareness Week campaign, a grassroots public awareness and outreach campaign is being held this week - March 7-13, 2010. The goal of this campaign is to educate the general public and health care professionals about the warning signs of problem gambling and raise awareness about the help that is available both locally and nationally.
I admit it – when I think about addictive behaviors, gambling simply doesn’t sound as serious as other addictions. Of course, gambling has never been my addiction of choice, hence my naivete.
Then I read this:
Pathological gambling has the highest suicide rate of all addictions," said Jerry Criss, a clinician at the Center for Problem Gambling.
Plus, gambling addictions are easier to hide than many other addictions. There are no physical signs – often one’s partner doesn’t even know until financial problems hit critical mass.
Could it be you?
Research shows that 2%-3% of the US population will have a gambling problem in any given year. That’s 6 million to 9 million Americans, yet only a small fraction seek out services, such as treatment and self-help recovery programs.
The National Council on Problem Gambling suggests that if you or someone you know answers yes to any of the following questions, it is likely that gambling has become problematic.
1) Have you gambled until your last dollar is gone?
2) Have you often gambled longer than you had planned?
3) Have you lied about your gambling to friends or family?
4) Have you used your income or savings to gamble while letting bills go unpaid?
5) Have you made repeated attempts to stop gambling?
6) Have you broken the law or considered breaking the law to get money to gamble?
7) Have you borrowed money to finance your gambling?
8) Have you felt depressed or suicidal because of your gambling losses?
9) Have you been remorseful after gambling?
10) Have you gambled to try to get money to gamble more?
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