What advice would you give to a compulsive gambler?

If someone close to you came to you and told you they had a gambling problem, that they couldn't control it and that it was ruining their life. What would you say to them? Would you understand? Would you sympathize, or would you criticize?





(Be very honest as how you would handle it. How would you truly react?)What advice would you give to a compulsive gambler?
someone is right - you have a rarity! you have a good situation- dont screw it up on your end -





you have a gambler who hasnt hit rock bottom but is crying out for help!





most gamblers are great at self denial - and making things out to be rosier than they are!





if they admit they have a problem and its bad and they feel they cant control it, you have to sympathize - if you dismiss the notion, they can really lose it and spiral down a self destructive pattern. You can criticize and argue personal responsibility another time, there is help groups and things to occupy your friends time that will limit the opportunites he will have to gamble





Not saying meetings and groups are are a cure all or even are for everybody, but if he really thinks and admits its ruining him and he cant control it , the meetings and support groups would probably do someone with that mindset some good!!!!!!





Hope this helps:)What advice would you give to a compulsive gambler?
I have learned from my great amoutn of time spent in casinos, that you cannot reason with a compulsive gambler. I Feel the best approach woudl be forcefull intervention.





I would keep a close watch on their wearabouts, and whiel doing it, i would make them learn the concept of house advantages, and how an incresed number of trials yeilds a probibility of losing that approaches 100%.





In addition, i wou point out how, and why compulsive gamblers are ostracised form the world, and disliked by others
I would tell them that this problem is too big for them to try to fix by themselves. I would suggest they get with a therapist, and join a local support group like Gambler's Anonymous (GA).


I'd suggest they visit the GA website and ask themselves these questions from the site:


TWENTY QUESTIONS





1. Did you ever lose time from work or school due to gambling?


2. Has gambling ever made your home life unhappy?


3. Did gambling affect your reputation?


4. Have you ever felt remorse after gambling?


5. Did you ever gamble to get money with which to pay debts or otherwise solve financial difficulties?


6. Did gambling cause a decrease in your ambition or efficiency?


7. After losing did you feel you must return as soon as possible and win back your losses?


8. After a win did you have a strong urge to return and win more?


9. Did you often gamble until your last dollar was gone?


10. Did you ever borrow to finance your gambling?


11. Have you ever sold anything to finance gambling?


12. Were you reluctant to use ';gambling money'; for normal expenditures?


13. Did gambling make you careless of the welfare of yourself or your family?


14. Did you ever gamble longer than you had planned?


15. Have you ever gambled to escape worry, trouble, boredom or loneliness?


16. Have you ever committed, or considered committing, an illegal act to finance gambling?


17. Did gambling cause you to have difficulty in sleeping?


18. Do arguments, disappointments or frustrations create within you an urge to gamble?


19. Did you ever have an urge to celebrate any good fortune by a few hours of gambling?


20. Have you ever considered self destruction or suicide as a result of your gambling?





Most compulsive gamblers will answer yes to at least seven of these questions.


Source(s):


GA Website
My advice is probably the wrong advice to give and it might not help so take it with a grain of salt. What I would tell them is if they are losing they need to stop gambling and save their money. Do not double down or any foolishness like that trying to remake the money you've lost. Listen, why put more money on a losing system. Only, only, only, only gamble when you are winning. Never bet it all, or more than you can afford to lose. Just get it through your head, if you are losing, you have a losing system. Wait until you have a winning system and can prove it's a winning system before you bet.
You've got more power than you know. This is a HUGE step for someone like this to admit this to you.





Tell them you will go WITH them to a few meetings if you're really a friend. Work together with them to find help. This is not an easy problem for them. They could easily continue down this path until they are completely ruined.





Your friend only THINKS they are at rock bottom right now. It can always get worse.





If you're a friend, help them out. Find some help and get them to some meetings.
I would tell them to stop the gambling and haul their a** to alcohol's anonymous and that I would even take them and stay with them throughout the meeting.


Sometimes even the ones you care for need tough love...
';you need a cash out,, and stop tearing the town, don't be a baby remember what you told me...';





oops,,,did I just sang ';waking up in vegas';... lol