|
| MORE COMPELLING facts about gambling! |
|
| |
I have another blog named "The Good About Casinos and Gambling????" However, I found this information today that has even more compelling facts about gambling and how it affects the gambler, family, and other people when there is a gambling addiction. There may be three or four of the symptoms already included in my first gambling blog, but this information in this on is WORTH reading!
Today, December 22, there is an article in The Town Talk (link provided below) with an interview with a recovering addict. Very interesting information in this article. The information in this blog is also included in the newspaper article from The Town Talk.
Interesting story 12-22-07 in newspaper, interview with recovering addict (Click here)
****I am adding attention to this blog, written earlier by me. Today it is March 10, 2009. During these harsh days of uncertainty and unstable economic times, more and more people may be tempted to turn to gambling, as a quick fix to their problems. Please read this blog and the other one I wrote about gambling--for help for others or yourself, if you are tempted to "try" gambling.****
TWELVE STAGGERING FACTS, BY THE NUMBERS!
Pathological gamblers have a suicide rate 20 times higher than non-gamblers.
Women comprise one-third of pathological gamblers.
Nearly 50 percent of pathological gamblers borrow on or use up the cash value of their insurance policy.
Forty-two percent of 14-year-olds gamble, 49 percent of 15-year-olds, 63 percent of 16-year-olds, 71 percent of 17-year-olds, 76 percent of 18-year-olds and 89 percent of 19-year-olds.
Eleven percent of gamblers' spouses attempt suicide.
Twenty-five percent of children of problem gamblers have significant behavioral problems.
Sixty-five percent of spouses' of problem gamblers give their spouses their personal savings to gamble or pay debts.
The average among of money owed when a problem gambler seeks help is $43,150.
Almost 75 percent of compulsive gamblers admit that they had thoughts of suicide, 17 percent attempted it.
Nearly 80 percent of problem gamblers say they committed a felony because of their gambling, 22 percent cashed bad checks and 18 percent embezzled money.
More than 10 percent of compulsive gamblers are physically abusive to their spouses and are two times more likely to be abusive to their children.
The average amount of debt for a compulsive gambler ranges from $54,000 to $92,000.
Source: Earl Reed, director of Avoyelles Gambling Recovery Center
TWENTY MORE THINGS WORTH NOTING, BELOW!
Can't stand boredom
Blames others for problems
Has other addictions
Poor money management skills
Addicted to action
Lost significant amount of weight
Doesn't think clearly
Restless and not sleeping
Short-term memory loss
Just talks about the wins, never the losses
Irritable
Poor concentration
Moodiness
Often borrows money or gets paycheck advances
Sells valuable items
Caught stealing or sneaking money from family or friends
Unexplained need for money
Uncharacteristic phone usage
Exaggerated displays of money or other possessions
Unusual interest or reaction to a sports game
Source: Earl Reed, director of Avoyelles Gambling Recovery Center
For HELP: Web sites: www.thegamble.org, http://www.gamblersanonymous.org/or http://www.dhh.state.la.us/ |
|
| To add a comment to "MORE COMPELLING facts about gambling!" |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| December 23, 2007 |
 |
|
|
| You tell them sister! |
|
|
| December 23, 2007 |
|
|
|
GREAT POST
We all need to know this so that it will be of great help to someone who is trying to over come an addition of any kind, some of the same signs come from using drugs also. |
|
|
| December 23, 2007 |
|
|
|
| This is excellent information! Thank you for sharing it! |
|
|
| January 01, 2008 |
|
|
|
Brenda, thank you for your comment! Yes, I've researched gambling and I've seen first hand what it brings to people. I am not a gambler--as you know--but, it is something I have seen first hand--the problems associated with it!
The lure of the instant gratification, easy money, fun, and excitement proves much more complicated and destructive than many people can imagine. I know many people do not become problem gamblers but those who do did not start out to become a problem gambler nor did they start gambling for the end result they were left with!
I have two blogs that talk about some of the wonderful (?) things a person might expect when they expose themselves to gambling. Of course, a lot of people don't care to know about this because it might "rain on their parade" and spoil them having a little fun. Well, it's not so funny in the end!
I started the gambling blogs because Brother Johnny is doing research about it to try to keep gambling out of the state of Kentucky. We have it in Louisiana and you, Brenda, know from living in Louisiana, that all the results have not been wonderful! I get really sad to think states will depend on gambling tax and in order to get more taxes--actually encourage more casinos and other gambling thinking it's going to help the state. In the end, they have to build all the recovery centers to help the population RECOVER from the problems they developed with it. Then, you have all the broken people, homes, communities, crime, and other things mentioned in my blogs to deal with.
Satan is a deciever. One of the huge deceptions is that there is good in gambling and wonderful things come from it! The casinos are the WINNERS and that's the bottom line. Not the people, not the state, and not the United States.
|
|
|
| January 01, 2008 |
|
|
|
 
Thank you for your informative comments, Brenda! You really pointed out some very interesting "wonderful" (?) things that did happen (if you call suicide, stealing, and the woman losing her large inheritence for herself and her children--plus creating an unnecessary burden on her children to have to help--WHEN it could have been so different had she lived wisely) as well as what did not happen, as promised. Yep, all that stuff you hear about the good gambling does sounds great but is NOT the reality! I'm sure your daughter is quite disappointed in the lies about well deserved raises for teachers that that good old casino revenue was gonna bring! Whoopee!
Are you listening, students?????? We are talking first hand knowledge of what gambling really does and of course the addicted ones did not first go into the casino and say, "Well, I think I'll become addicted to gambling!" No, they thought they were having fun, hurting nothing, and it would not happen to them! |
|
|
| January 22, 2008 |
|
|
|
Thank you, Doyle for your star and comment to this blog. I appreciate it!
I don't mean the blog as condemnation to anyone, but it's a DANGEROUS thing to dabble with. Thank GOD I was never "into" gambling, but I do know, first hand people that were. It's very, deceptive--the way it happens and is a real destroyer! It can seem as innocent as playing little video games, at first--but so many times it does not end up so harmless. |
|
|
Follow this blog
