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It is widely known that gambling in general and sportsbetting in particular can degenerate into psychological addiction under certain circumstances. Unfortunately, many people are suffering from this affliction. We will discuss the story of one of our friends we met when we were activating in the romanian market, we`ll call him Mike, a romanian in his late 20`s that has struggled with sportsbetting and gambling addiction for almost a decade before finally putting an end to it. It`s a common turn of events for many addicted gamblers, except maybe the ‘putting an end to it part’.
Betting recreationally since he was 15, Mike says that “it was only three years later when things started to get bad, when I was under a lot of stress before the pre-college national examinations. I was dumped by my girlfriend and had some trouble at home”. It`s usual for gambling addiction to enter one`s life in a time of personal crisis, when you are looking for an activity that will help you channel your emotions. While he was previously wagering exclusively on sportspetting, Mike began hitting the casinos with a couple of classmates, and that quickly took a turn for the worst. “I was losing a lot of money for my age, and I began to return to sportsbetting in order to chase my losses. Now I was betting in the morning, and playing roulette in the nights. I began stealing money from my parents and school was the place where you always knew you won`t find me. I was so much in debt, for the first time in my life”. Eventually things sorted themselves out, with help from his parents. Being a smart kid, Mike passed his national examinations and got into a good college, so everything seemed fine. But only for now … it was his fist descent into the valley of addiction.
“If it`s one thing I learned, it`s that addiction never stops. If you have been a gambling addict, you will be one until you die. Everyday is a chance for relapse. I wish I would have known this when I was younger”. Mike relapsed, but now he was on his own feet, so he could afford to wager more, and of course lose more. He never turned back to casinos, but sportsbetting was enough to get him broke. Like many gamblers suffering from addiction, Mike had the skills to win, he won a lot but he lacked discipline and ended up losing it all and more. That is a common obstacle for a person to admit he has a problem.
Broke and in debt, Mike started drinking to cope with his problems, another usual thing for people who suffer from psychological addiction. Betting was not enough for him anymore, so he needed another vice. That`s when his personal life started to go downhill as well. “I never let betting interfere with my job, my friends and my social activities, but when I started drinking, I lost contact with the outside world”. “I lived this self-destructing life for years. I was miserable. Working hard to make money, then drinking and betting, losing my money and money that were not mine. At one time, I was only meeting with my friends to pay them back. I was always stressed and hungover at work but I had to work in order to be able to bet and drink.”. Like most addicts, Mike wasn`t even looking to win, he just wanted the action. He was looking to win in order to have what to lose.
He lost friends, girlfriends, hurt his family, and was close to rock bottom, closer than he expected. “One alcohol-soaked night, I bet everything I had. All my money, that were destined for my livelihood. Actually, I never even held that amount of money in my hand, never in my life. I bet it all on one game! Like a nightmare coming true, I lost in the last seconds … I`ll never forget it, Mavs at Lakers 96-94 with Lakers leading until the final seconds … I was devastated and so angry, throwing things around the house. That was the moment I realized that my life would go down the drain if I continued like that. I already lost almost everything I worked for. It was pretty hard at first, but then I met this girl, and from that moment I never really felt any pressure to go back to gambling or drinking”. He always knew that what he is doing is not good for him, but this time he finally realized the real, devastating impact of gamblong and alcohol addiction. The recovery was not easy. “There was just so much debt”. It took Mike almost two years to pay-back everything he owned and return to a normal life. But things have a way of sorting themselves out when you are determined to do the right thing.
Despite all the things he has done, Mike didn`t hit rock bottom. He didn`t lose his home, he didn`t lose his closest friends. His family still doesn`t know the extent of his drinking and gambling. “For how stupid I was, I have to admit I really had it easy in the end. I was lucky to have great friends and family”.
But there are many people who lose everything because of gambling addiction. Some never recover from addiction, unfortunately. For those who do, the trigger is usually a rare clear-minded moment or a personal crisis (just like the one which made them start gambling). It may sound pathetic, but it`s not: a romantic relationship is also something that can determine someone to stop. It`s never too late to recover, but the sooner you do, the better.
Be sure to check out our Gambling addiction section if you are experiencing any kind of trouble.
