This post is sponsored by Problem Gambling NSW
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bout a month ago I published an article about my brother and how he beat his addiction to gambling. It was a pretty big stretch for me because I don’t like sharing stuff about my family because I’m greedy and protective, but the post has quickly become one of the most viewed articles this year on Smaggle and it opened up a beautiful conversation about the difficulties of overcoming gambling addictions, and my brave brother has inspired many people to seek help or continue seeking help. Such a brilliant outcome so I’m partnering with Problem Gambling NSW again this month to talk about the nature of addiction.
In a past life I used to teach kids that had experienced trauma and this meant spending lots of time with child addicts. All kinds of addicts but mainly drugs and alcohol. They used to love to talk to me about their addictions and it fascinated me. I’ve led an extremely vanilla life and it’s written all over my healthy, glowing face. These rough, hard kids would take one look at me and know they’d seen things that I couldn’t even imagine. I learned so much about addiction from these extraordinary, broken, wise and beautiful kids. I just kind of assumed that people became addicts because their parents were addicts and that’s not even close to being true. Here’s 7 little known facts that my students taught me about addiction.
It’s unpredictable
No one knows when or where addiction will strike, how long it will stick around or if it will come back again. Addiction is like a wild animal – you can’t take your eyes off it for a second, even if it appears to be sleeping.
It doesn’t discriminate
Many people falsely assume that addiction favours people in lower socio-economic areas or people that have a family history of addiction. And while these factors may be true in some cases it’s important to remember that successful and wealthy people can just as easily fall into an addiction.
It loves company
Most addicts will be addicted to more than one thing. Drugs and alcohol, shopping and gambling, smoking and drinking, sex and drugs. This is why addictions aren’t really that different from each other – it’s all too much of a thing that makes people feel good until it destroys them.
It’s more common than you think
Lots of people assume that they don’t know any addicts – but addicts are masters of disguise. All kinds of addicts can hide their addictions so well that their families don’t even know how deeply they’re in shit until they’re drowning in it.
Its definition is far more black and white than most people are willing to admit
The line between excessive use and addiction isn’t as thin as most of us make out it is… Regular use of a substance or activity to cope emotionally, socially or physically IS the definition of addiction. You don’t have to be feeding the pokies for 8 hours straight a day to be considered an addict.
Addicts rarely seek help
Addicts often don’t know they’re addicts until they’re standing in a pile of shit that used to be their life. The earlier people seek help for any addiction, the better.
It’s a disease that is treatable
It’s not easy. Ask any non-using addict (one of my mates told me that there’s no such thing as a recovering addict. Once an addict, always an addict) and they will tell you how hard it is to not give in to their addiction… It’s really hard to manage an addiction, but it is definitely achievable.
Gambling won’t fuck up your face like ice will or pickle your liver like alcohol. It won’t affect your relationship in the same way that a sex addiction will. Gambling is probably the easiest of all addictions to hide because it doesn’t show on your body but this is one of the reasons why it’s so important to get on top of it early.
The purpose of this post is to empower problem gamblers (and all addicts) and their families to make that first step towards recovery. Here are a few things you can do.
1. Visit www.gamblinghelp.nsw.gov.au for info on free and confidential help by phone, online or face to face.
2. Post a comment below (anonymously) and ask any questions you like and I’ll have them answered by a problem gambling professional.
3. Email me hello@smaggle.com and I’ll send your question through to the NSW problem gambling social media forum where it will be answered by a problem gambling professional.
Please do pass this post on to anyone who may need it.
Problem gamblers really are stronger than they think and seeking help is the perfect opportunity to show everyone what they’re made of.
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I always end posts with a question but today I’m just opening the comments for a chat for anyone who needs it…
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