Does My Teenager Have A Problem With Gambling Addiction?

 

 

Teenage gambling is becoming more and more of a problem with each passing year. Teenagers can gamble on video games with their friends, gamble online, and engage in poker games with friends. This problem is deepening as more and more teenagers engage in gambling in one form or another.

 

Studies have shown that gambling in teenagers is on the rise and that it does not seem to be slowing down. The glamorizing of poker games by celebrities on television has had a negative impact on teenagers.

 

These teens believe that gambling is the road to easy money and huge sums of cash. They believe gambling to be an exciting dreamworld that they want to soon become part of.

 

Gambling addiction can occur very easily in these teens because of the adrenaline high that happens while engaging in a gambling activity. Studies have also shown that teens can become addicted very fast, and that it is much harder to break the gambling addiction habit when starting at such a young age.

 

The effects of a teen gambling problem are as follows:

 

1. .Cutting school, and having unexplained absences.
2. Poor grades that become worse and worse
3. Money problems and stealing money from parents.
4. Constantly needing money for poorly explained reasons.
5. Preoccupation with gambling and social isolations, except with gambling friends.
6. Engaging in forms of illegal behavior.
7. Use of drugs and alcohol.
8. Unexplained mood changes.
9. Poor sleep habits and hygiene.

 

So what do parents do when they suspect that their teenager has a gambling problem or gambling addiction? Because every situation is different, there is no “one size fits all answer”. However, there are a few things that you can do.

 

1. Insist that your teenager visits a counselor or therapist. A specialist in gambling addiction will be your best bet. Your first session will be known as an intervention.
2. Make sure that your teenager has no access to cash or credit  cards and keep your cash and credit cards locked up so your teen has no access to this.
3.  You teen will most likely not admit that he or she has a gambling problem or gambling addiction. This does not matter at the beginning, however. You are the parent and you can decide the intervention.
4. Insist that your teenager attend a Gamblers Anonymous or other 12 Step Group.  You can attend a Gamanon meeting which is usually next door to the Gamblers Anonymous Meeting

Michelle Tee

Author and Counselor

Help With Your Gambling Addiction Problem

 

When Gambling Addiction Becomes Your Best Friend

 

 

When your gambling addiction becomes your best friend, you know that you are in trouble. Gambling becomes the activity that you partake in when you are sad, happy, bored, lonely, frustrated, stressed out, or grieving.

 

The problem with this whole scenario is the fact that your gambling addiction is really your enemy, disguised as a friend. Your gambling addiction is truly your enemy, and will cause greater distress in your life than you can possibly imagine.

 

When you turn to your addiction to cope with an emotion you may be having, you create a situation where you truly lose your coping skills. In addition, you are also numbing out your feelings and thoughts through your compulsive gambling behavior.

 

When we seek out gambling as a best friend, we really need our friends and family. This is what we are truly seeking.  We are looking for love, companionship and the good company of others and we replace gambling for these true needs.

 

Humans are social beings, and if we are feeling lonely we need to seek out others to fulfill these social needs. If we are an empty nester, single, widowed, or divorced, we may have more difficulty meeting these social needs. Even if this is more of a challenge, we can try to meet these needs the best we can.

 

There are many groups that those with a gambling problem  can join to gain a sense of belongingness. Gamblers Anonymous or other self-help groups are a good choice. Meetup.com is a website with  local groups from different areas of the country , offering groups of special interests to all people.

 

Gambling is a best friend that is a devil in disguise. If you have a gambling problem and you turn to gambling to meet your need for real people, there is help available.  You can change this pattern by getting professional help, reading self-help literature, and severing contact with a very unhealthy relationship called gambling.

 

 

Michelle Tee

Help With Your Gambling Addiction Problem