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 US population, gambling is a serious problem.
Compulsive gambling is a progressive disorder, 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. Although not all compulsive gamblers exhibit the same signs and symptoms of addiction (there are differences in gender, age or cultural backgrounds), 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 US population, gambling is a serious problem.Compulsive gambling is a progressive disorder, 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. Although not all compulsive gamblers exhibit the same signs and symptoms of addiction (there are differences in gender, age or cultural backgrounds), 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 issue, not an emotional problem.
- 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,
like drug addiction and alcoholism, creates increasingly unmanageable life issues for the gambler & 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,
like drug addiction and alcoholism, creates increasingly unmanageable life issues for the gambler & 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 disorder.
Every compulsive gambler
negatively affects
at least 8-10 other people.
Seniors & teens are
the two fastest growing groups
of problem gamblers.
Upcoming events...
Watch this space for new announcements!
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're experiencing problems caused by your compulsive gambling, awareness is your first step toward a happier, healthier life.
Are YOU Practicing
"Safe Gifting?"
"Safe Gifting?"
Ever tucked a lottery ticket into a child's birthday card or a teenager's graduation gift? Put a handful of scratchers into a youngster's holiday stocking? Authorized an upgraded reward purchase for a child or teen who plays mobile/video games?
Many of us do so without a thought. It's easy, convenient and inexpensive. It's harmless fun, right? Or is it?
Something as seemingly benign as discovering a winning ticket, scratching off a $1 game card, or opening a video game loot box could stimulate the pleasure center of a young person's brain and send a subtle message of social acceptability and adult approval.
Please, think before you gift!