Your attitude towards players with addiction

[Lena M]

How do you feel about players who have an addiction?
Personally, I have several acquaintances whose family includes a son, brother or husband with a gambling addiction. So, the loved ones of these people blame gambling establishments, the authorities, employers and even neighbours, anyone but their relative who has this addiction. In my opinion, this is a rather strange and narrow-minded position. Personally, I perceive such addicted gamblers as people who need help, as sick people, but I also believe that their addiction is a problem they have created for themselves through their irresponsible attitude towards money, through a lack of patience and discipline. There are people who live disciplined lives, for whom gambling is a form of entertainment that brings them pleasure, and there are weak people who cannot play in a disciplined manner, cannot control their emotions and therefore cannot control their lives. I think such people will find themselves a problem and create an addiction, if not to gambling, then to alcohol or drugs, because such people do not have the inner strength to live responsibly and disciplined.

 

[najisami]

Actually, this is a very tough subject you're tackling here Lena.

1st of all, I believe that everyone has some sort of addiction. It could be anything. From coffee drinking to sex or whatever. But some addictions are not considered like others depending on the societies, their traditions and cultural heritage.

It could be that a drug addict or a degenerate gambler needs the same exact treatment as someone who plays video games 10 hours a day. But most people don't look at it that way....

I'll stop here before I say something stupid , I'm no expert.

 

[seiya1989]

Families often blame someone outside because they can't believe that their son or daughter can be like that on their own. No one puts a gun to their heads to force them to bet every last penny. While there is too much advertising about gambling, there is also advertising about thousands of other things. And you don't get addicted to all the advertising you see. Generally, people addicted to gambling don't usually ask for help until they get into serious problems with debt or other things, when they can no longer hide their lies or their loss of money. What do I think of these people? I think that many of them, beyond winning or losing money, are looking for the adrenaline of the moment, that moment when they hit the sports bet or the number on the roulette wheel or whatever.

 

[Flyer35]

There are people who live disciplined lives, for whom gambling is a form of entertainment that brings them pleasure, and there are weak people who cannot play in a disciplined manner, cannot control their emotions and therefore cannot control their lives.

Gambling in a disciplined manner seems kind of an oxymoron. People with gambling addictions probably see this better than most of us. "If you're going to do something, do it right." Is there a "right" way to gamble? I don't see it myself. I'm the kind of person who could get addicted to gambling if I let myself. My wife knows this which is why when we go to a casino she keeps me on a very short leash.

So what do I think of players with an addiction? I feel sympathy for them, to a point. If they see what they're really doing to themselves and their family and get help, I'm in their corner. But if they don't. I'm their worst critic.