For some, gambling is 'hidden addiction'

Unfortunately the excitement of taking risks and winning fast money can sometimes get out of control for gamblers. Countless individuals find themselves mired in insurmountable gambling debts. Addiction can burden gamblers with difficult problems unless they take the road to recovery. Gamblers Anonymous' representative and former gambler "Rob", who asked that his real name not be used, called compulsive gambling "a hidden addiction." He explained compulsive gambling often cannot be detected. "If a buddy of yours is whacked out on booze or drugs, you would probably notice the physical signs," Rob said. "There are none with compulsive gamblers." Generally compulsive gamblers will pretend to be "big shots" and "will do anything to stay in action to feed his habit," he said. The gambler is covering up "a lot of self-loathing" and "a low self-esteem." The American Psychiatric Association classifies compulsive or pathological gambling as a psychological illness in which the gambler has an "uncontrollable preoccupation and urge to gamble." The Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey Office Manager Tom Herity said people who have this "preoccupation with gambling" usually have a serious problem. "Compulsive gamblers are always wanting to go somewhere related to gambling," said Herity. "[Gambling] may preclude them from doing other things." According to statistics complied by the Compulsive Gambling Council Executive Director Arnold Wexler and Deputy Director Ed Looney, seven percent of the phone calls answered at the 1-800-GAMBLER hotline were made by students. And Gambling Counselor Tony Milillo said he has been helping troubled college students for 16 years. Students with gambling problems find their "school work going down the tubes" and the illness "corrupts and disrupts every aspect of their life." Milillo had one college student who had to drop out of college because he lost all of his tuition money. But for many students the consequences of the addiction do not have to be so severe if the compulsive gambler looks for help. Milillo said normally the first step to recovery is attending a Gamblers Anonymous meeting. The compulsive gambler will most likely have to attend meetings with a therapist to reach a long-term solution to the problem. Some gamblers will still need further counseling through treatment centers five days a week, eight hours a day on an out-patient basis. The most pressing cases may require intensive in-patient care for anywhere from 21 to 28 days, Milillo explained. Rob said he has had experiences with students who have gambling addictions. He said he often found that the parents will "financially bail out the student" without dealing with the problem. The Compulsive Gambling Council estimates that five percent of the general population are compulsive gamblers. Students who think they need help with a gambling problem can reach Gamblers Anonymous by calling 468-1991.