Arizona Council on Compulsive Gambling, Inc.
ARIZONA HELPLINE 1-800-777-7207
TAKE "THE TESTS"
WHAT IS COMPULSIVE GAMBLING?
For most people, gambling is a harmless recreational activity. However, for an estimated 2-3% of the U.S. population, gambling is a problem.
Compulsive gambling is a progressive disease, much like alcoholism or drug addiction. In many cases, the addiction is hidden. Eventually, the addict cannot function without gambling and begins to withdraw from all other activities. Not all compulsive gamblers exhibit the same signs and symptoms of addiction (there are differences in gender, age or cultural backgrounds). However, most will:
FACT: Compulsive gambling is a psychological disorder, as difficult to arrest as addiction to drugs or alcohol.
MYTH: Gamblers are just lazy, low life degenerates.
FACT: Gambling addicts have healthy and unhealthy personality traits, just like the rest of us.
For most people, gambling is a harmless recreational activity. However, for an estimated 2-3% of the U.S. population, gambling is a problem.Compulsive gambling is a progressive disease, much like alcoholism or drug addiction. In many cases, the addiction is hidden. Eventually, the addict cannot function without gambling and begins to withdraw from all other activities. Not all compulsive gamblers exhibit the same signs and symptoms of addiction (there are differences in gender, age or cultural backgrounds). However, most will:
- Use gambling as a coping strategy to mask underlying emotional pain.
- Rely on the "excitement" to make themselves feel good.
- Wager increasing amounts to win back their losses.
- Believe that a big win will rescue them from mounting debt.
- Hide their gambling from family, friends and colleagues.
- See their gambling as a financial problem, not an emotional one.
- Eventually become emotionally, mentally, spiritually and physically distressed.
SOME MYTHS AND FACTS
MYTH: Gamblers can simply stop if they really want to.FACT: Compulsive gambling is a psychological disorder, as difficult to arrest as addiction to drugs or alcohol.
MYTH: Gamblers are just lazy, low life degenerates.
FACT: Gambling addicts have healthy and unhealthy personality traits, just like the rest of us.
THE INVISIBLE LINE...
An invisible line separates
the majority of individuals
who gamble recreationally from
the small minority who cannot.
HAVE YOU CROSSED IT?
Compulsive gambling addiction,
like drug addiction and alcoholism, creates increasingly unmanageable life issues for the gambler
and his/her family.
Ask yourself
the following 8 questions:
ARE YOU PREOCCUPIED WITH THOUGHTS OF GAMBLING, OR URGES TO GAMBLE, ESPECIALLY AFTER EMOTIONAL UPSETS?
DO YOU USE GAMBLING TO
SOLVE FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES
OR TO ESCAPE FROM
WORRIES OR FEARS?
DO YOU PLAN LEISURE ACTIVITIES (LIKE FAMILY VACATIONS)
AROUND GAMBLING OPPORTUNITIES?
WHEN YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO GAMBLE, IS YOUR MOOD OR BEHAVIOR NEGATIVELY AFFECTED?
ARE YOU DEFENSIVE ABOUT YOUR GAMBLING BEHAVIOR WHEN OTHERS ASK YOU "WHY?" OR "HOW OFTEN?" OR "HOW MUCH?"
DO YOU MINIMIZE OR JUSTIFY
YOUR GAMBLING TO YOURSELF,
AND THEN HIDE IT OR
LIE ABOUT IT TO OTHERS?
ARE YOU NEGLECTING YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES,
ISOLATING FROM FAMILY AND/OR
AVOIDING YOUR FRIENDS?
HAVE YOU TRIED REPEATEDLY
AND UNSUCCESSFULLY
TO CONTROL OR STOP YOUR GAMBLING?
If you answered "yes"
to any of these questions,
call 1-800-777-7207
the majority of individuals
who gamble recreationally from
the small minority who cannot.
HAVE YOU CROSSED IT?
Compulsive gambling addiction,
like drug addiction and alcoholism, creates increasingly unmanageable life issues for the gambler
and his/her family.
Ask yourself
the following 8 questions:
ARE YOU PREOCCUPIED WITH THOUGHTS OF GAMBLING, OR URGES TO GAMBLE, ESPECIALLY AFTER EMOTIONAL UPSETS?
DO YOU USE GAMBLING TO
SOLVE FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES
OR TO ESCAPE FROM
WORRIES OR FEARS?
DO YOU PLAN LEISURE ACTIVITIES (LIKE FAMILY VACATIONS)
AROUND GAMBLING OPPORTUNITIES?
WHEN YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO GAMBLE, IS YOUR MOOD OR BEHAVIOR NEGATIVELY AFFECTED?
ARE YOU DEFENSIVE ABOUT YOUR GAMBLING BEHAVIOR WHEN OTHERS ASK YOU "WHY?" OR "HOW OFTEN?" OR "HOW MUCH?"
DO YOU MINIMIZE OR JUSTIFY
YOUR GAMBLING TO YOURSELF,
AND THEN HIDE IT OR
LIE ABOUT IT TO OTHERS?
ARE YOU NEGLECTING YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES,
ISOLATING FROM FAMILY AND/OR
AVOIDING YOUR FRIENDS?
HAVE YOU TRIED REPEATEDLY
AND UNSUCCESSFULLY
TO CONTROL OR STOP YOUR GAMBLING?
If you answered "yes"
to any of these questions,
call 1-800-777-7207
Are you aware that...
Two to three percent
of the US population
(almost 9 million individuals)
is at risk for developing
a gambling problem.
Every compulsive gambler
negatively affects
at least 8-10 other people.
Seniors & teens are
the two fastest growing groups
of problem gamblers.
Two to three percent
of the US population
(almost 9 million individuals)
is at risk for developing
a gambling problem.
Every compulsive gambler
negatively affects
at least 8-10 other people.
Seniors & teens are
the two fastest growing groups
of problem gamblers.
Upcoming events...
2017 DPG Symposium
Monday, March 6, 2017
Black Canyon Conference Center
9:00 am to 4:00 pm
Phoenix, AZ
www.problemgambling.az.gov
Gambling Got You Down?
If you're a woman
, click on Female Gamblers. If you're a man, click on Male Gamblers. Male or female, young or old, if you are experiencing problems or are affected by compulsive gambling, awareness is the first step toward a happier and healthier life.
Are YOU Practicing
"Safe Gifting"?
"Safe Gifting"?
Ever bought a handful of scratchers for a child's holiday stocking? Or tucked a lottery ticket into a youngster's birthday card?
Many of us do so without a thought. It's convenient and inexpensive. It's harmless fun, right? Or is it?
Something as seemingly benign as scratching off a $1 game card could stimulate the pleasure center of a child's brain and send a subtle message of social acceptability and adult approval.
Please, think before you gift!