Compulsive gambler's life was devastated by gambling and now seeks alternatives to help his addiction before he loses everything. This seems to be a common trend among compulsive gamblers. They realize there’s a problem but don’t know where to go in order to get help.
Many people have tried Gamblers Anonymous but stopped after a short period (usually two weeks) because it was awkward and uncomfortable. These people who gambled had a private addiction and were unwilling to let the world know they had a serious problem. In some situations people would run into friends and, or former co-workers at the Gamblers Anonymous weekly meetings. All of a sudden their world came crumbling down and they did not know where to hide. At first they couldn’t understand why people didn’t stay there for help. They now understand that their addiction is a private one. You can not tell who’s a gambler by just looking at them.
These individuals who quit Gamblers Anonymous are now searching for another alternative to stop before their lives became more destructive.
Due to modern technology there are now private stop gambling chat rooms and self help manuals available that have helped thousands and thousands of compulsive gamblers beat their addiction. Any search engine on the internet will help compulsive gamblers find a treatment that best fits their situation. The key is to take the time to see what works for you and modify the programs to fit your needs.
It’s unfortunate that usually a loved one wife, husband or partner of a compulsive gambler is the driving force that pushes the gambler to seek help. In most cases it comes in the form of a threat. They threaten to leave the person if they don't change their behaivior. In order to please their loved ones they agree and make a good attempt at stopping. In a majority of cases these people fail miserably. It’s up to the gambler to make the choice to stop. After many broken promises the loved one prepares to divorce and or leave the gambler in a last ditch attempt to save the relationship. At this point I have noticed a large percentage of gamblers realize they want to quit but still do not know how.
When you start to look at how a compulsive gambler thinks, you realize that there are similar personality traits. The major one is the ego. When you affect some ones ego you are personally affecting their self esteem. Getting recognized at a Gamblers Anonymous meeting is extremely devastating to the Gambler. An alternative program is needed to keep what’s left of Gamblers self esteem in order for them to take the first step on their road to recovery. As they begin to recover life gets better and better and these people are able to live very productive lives once again.
It’s important to educate yourself, if gambling has negatively affected your life in one way or another. Each of the following websites deals exclusively with Compulsive Gambling Addiction and has help thousands of people and they hope to help many more:
I Stopped Gambling So Can You! http://www.istoppedgambling.com/
Stop Gambling Books http://www.stop-gambling-books.com/
Mr. Howard Keith has an extensive background in dealing with compulsive gamblers, relatives and friends of gamblers and teenage gamblers.
Mr. Keith believes there are many alternatives to aid in the recovery of a gambling addiction verses a twelve step program. A large percentage of his emails were from compulsive gamblers looking for an alternative to Gamblers Anonymous and twelve step programs. Gamblers Anonymous also helps a significant number of people each year but there is a large percentage that does not stay. These are the people Mr. Keith is hoping to reach.