by Heather Sewell

Created on: September 06, 2009

Ernest Ernie Scherer III lived a high and fast life as a professional poker player. An incredible poker player who played in several high-end poker tournaments, Scherer seemed to be on top of the world. At only 29 years old, Ernie finished in the money in all twenty three of the poker tournaments of his career. At final count, his winnings were reportedly over three hundred thousand dollars. Ernie seemed to have it all; a young wife and child, an exceptional lucky streak and dazzling lifestyle. In a case of problematic gambling gone horribly awry, Scherer's parents met their untimely demise at the hands of their own son in his desperation to pay off upwards of one million dollars in debt. Scherer stood to inherit 1.5 million dollars in a trust fund his parents had set up for him and his sister when they turned 30.

Scherer's case is an extreme example of the dangers of problematic gambling, but it is a problem that affects hundreds of thousand people each year. Unlike a person suffering from a drug or alcohol addiction, a person who suffers from problematic gambling typically does not possess any physical symptoms so detection of this problem may be harder to pinpoint. A gambling addiction can fly under the radar far more often than a drug or alcohol addiction, but the results can be just as devastating, not only for the addict, but for the people close to them.

Ernie Scherer exhibited most of the tell-tale symptoms of gambling addiction, but they did not come to light until it was too late. Because of the lack of actual physical evidence of an addiction, it can be very difficult to detect the problem within someone. There are a few warning signs which may be indicative if someone is suffering from a gambling addiction. They are:

-Increased preoccupation with gambling

-Become increasingly defensive about gambling

-Lying about activities and whereabouts

-Have trouble controlling the impulse to gamble

-Secrecy about gambling activities

In addition to the aforementioned warning signs, the psychological processes of a gambling addict are very similar to that of an alcohol or drug addict in that they will experience withdrawl symptoms. The addict may become increasingly agitated if they abstain from the activity for any length of time. The gambling addict often uses the act of gambling to escape real life, akin to an addict who has a substance abuse problem. A gambling addict may also experience an inability to control their gambling impulses and resort to more extreme measures, such as illegal activity, seeking bailout or borrowing money to cover expenses from family and friends, or becoming apathetic to the relationships with others by alienating those close to them.

In summary, a gambling addiction is just as devastating as a substance abuse problem, and in some cases, can be more physically damaging to the people close to the addict. There are many resources out there geared to help individuals and families of addicts who are potentially suffering from a problem with gambling. If you suspect yourself or someone close to you has a gambling problem, go to: www.healthyplace.com/addictions/gambling/symptoms-ga mbling-addiction. Seek help before it's too late.

Works cited:

www.healthyplace.com

www.helpguide.org

www.bluffmagazine.com/.../ernest-scherer-iii/.../pla yer-profile.asp

www.pokerati.com

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