Drug Rehab

Question by : Gambling addiction help please.?
Hi, i will try to keep this short as possible.
so my best friend has been suffering from family issues for about 9 years.
she has been through dramatic depressed days in her life.
both of her parents would go to the Casino from morning to pass midnight leaving her and her younger sibs to take care of.
it starts to get worse her mother got more addicted and starts to really disappear from her life and family. She would take
her husband paycheck and gamble it all in the casino, she would ask her friends, her children, and her children friends
for money when she does not have any. She would return things that she bought for the family or herself to just go and have money
to play in the Casino. Because of that , she told me they had to move to diff rent houses now because they cannot afford to pay the mortgages.
my best friend went through not having no power or gas at random days
then to having nothing working in the house for about 2 months because her family cannot pay the bills, they no longer cant afford there own house.
they are just renting, but because of the mother is continuously taking the fathers pay check its a tight battle.
her father cannot do anything about it , he stops going to the Casino and only plays poker online in the house while helping my friend and her siblings with school.
but her father is addicted on the computer 24/7 weekends and after work weekdays.
her family cant afford to divorce.

My best friend has been suffering through all this , and i want to get her help.
she has been very sad and frail whenever she see’s her mother going to th Casino and just leaving her family.
i am typing this for her , because if she would type it herself she would just breakdown.
i really want to help her so bad, i don’t like how her and her family is suffering.
i have seen really good answers on yahoo , and im hoping i can receive answers that can help my best friend.

P.S
from the start of there gambling in would just be machines and blackjack poker etc.
but for now up to no power or electricity , renting houses etc. is just by playing poker tournaments.
she told that her parents called this there ” second job ”
i personally dont agree how they would call this there second job when it is just wasting money from
what they worked hard for then to gamble it gone. it is really effecting there way of life. They say they win, but she dose not see were the money is being spend on or going if they win

im sorry, if this is to long but thank you for taking your time.

Best answer:

Answer by Assistanc3
Sorry to hear about your friend, as a poker player myself I do see this all the time.

Intervention is what is needed at the start, to gather friends and family to tell the person, that their gambling addiction is effecting everyone.

Financial/debt counseling, after getting psychological help (sometimes, in fact most times require drugs as treatment because the situation has been going on for so long) money management is needed. DO NOT just pay off their debt, or loan them the money, that just encourages them to gamble again with a clean slate.

I don’t agree it is a second job, not if they are losing money and having to downsize and not have heat or hydro. If there is large amount of money being lost, I suggest putting them loses on their taxes and have it considered a job. (yes poker players can deduct loses) Getting some of it back is better then nothing.

Best of luck to them and your friends family. Good to see your taking the initiative to do something about it now.

edit: added some links

Answer by mr.longshot
Right.. Gambling addiction is extremely cruel. I did not.. And don’t like all these casino’s popping up everywhere. Casino gambling belongs in Nevada and Atlantic City. I hear you.. There are thousands if not tens of thousands of these situations going on. The Gambler has to hit their own “Bottom”…..

Carpenters union wins ruling against Waterloo Region
A toilet handle was fixed in an addiction treatment centre in Cambridge. A garden shed was put up at a library in Baden. A neon sign … “It seems likely it will cost thousands of jobs for workers in Waterloo Region.” Kitchener-Conestoga MPP Michael …
Read more on MetroNews Canada

York Co. death raises questions about regulation of 'Sober Homes'
She couldn't wait to get back and get a job, her own place and get her two kids. She was doing this,” said Tetesco … There are people out there who not only don't get any treatment, but the sober living homes in a lot of instances are in the same …
Read more on FOX43.com

Therapist Jobs| Create Your Profile | Thepostingboard.com – Create your user profiles to search therapist jobs or to post an job in your addiction treatment program. Visit the Thepostingboard.com.