Gambling and Alcoholism: An Addict's Perspective

Similar to Alcoholism yet Unique

Like alcoholism, the current wave of gambling addiction is considered a disease. Yet, like alcohol and drug addiction, there is still a mindset in our society that it is a battle of wills, rather than an affliction that makes a person powerless to its driving nature. Certainly alcoholism has become recognized as a debilitating disease given the wealth of recovery available to those needing help. Gambling appears to be at a birthing point similar to the initial years of 12 step programming that began the most successful manner for people to overcome their dependency on alcoholism.

I have had the fortune, or in some circles of thought the misfortune of experiencing both diseases in my life. I would say fortune because the outcome of my recovery today, has led me down a far saner path than when I was consumed by each addiction. However, gambling brought about the misfortune that wreaked havoc upon my life until recently. The manner towards which I fell into action playing texas-holdem online was quite similar to the pattern and level of out of control behavior that brought me to understand my powerlessness to alcohol and drugs.

Several months after my drinking had ceased, I discovered gambling to be an outlet for my desire to escape my reality. Known as cross addiction whereby the addict's unsatisfied need to find gratification latches onto a new self-destructive path. I was well into a serious addiction to gambling within months and the similarities were quite haunting; my priorities changed, my job became secondary to my habit, my family suffered the most, and we nearly lost our home to financial ruin. I remember initially believing that gambling would be a way to recoup our financial losses due to poor money management and the damages my drinking had caused. However, soon into the lifestyle, I began to simply enjoy gambling, without a care about anything but getting back into a game and letting the hours fly bath with little regard for the outcome. Gambling became an easy escape from my daily stressors.
An alcoholic in full practice will sacrifice all that is important in their lives for that last drink before bar-time, or that last bottle in the fridge or liquor cabinet. The compelling nature of drinking brought me to my knees on several occasions until finally through consequence I was able to recognize my life was out of control. I realized that everyone around

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