"Know when to stop, know when to fold them, know when to put what money you have left away"... should be every gambler's mantra.
But when it comes to gambling on Video Lottery Terminals (VLT's) or the slots, words can have little impact.
VLTs are the "Crack Cocaine" of Gambling
A Statistics Canada study using data from the 2002 Canadian Community Health Survey investigated the prevalence and impact of gambling addiction. It concluded VLTs are the "crack cocaine" of gambling, with 25 per cent of all players at risk or already a problem gambler.
Problem gambling not only impacts the gambler, but also has far-reaching effects on families, friends and on the communities where they live and work.
Published findings for the mid-1990s set the rates for problem gambling at between 3 and 5 per cent, according to an article prepared by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health for the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse.
What Does a Gambler Look Like?
There are the myths and misconception that you can tell who has an addiction by their appearance, but looks can be deceiving. He or she could look like you or me... In other words, they could be you or me. They could be your grandmother or grandfather, mother or father, your brother or sister, they could be your friend or colleague, spouse. How would you know they have a gambling addiction? More often than not you don't know.
"Stereotyping is a big problem and one of the biggest obstacles to diagnosis initially... and then patients are unwilling to accept the diagnosis," explains addiction, behavioral and community medicine specialist Dr. Raju Hajela from Kingston. Ontario. He is Chair of the Standards Committee for the Canadian Society of Addiction Medicine (CSAM).
Gambling has an allure which is part of the seduction and also part of the addiction, explains Dr. Hajela. "The seductive image creates an illusion of a sense of control... the feeling of being on top of the world... that is really a loss of control - inability to stop chasing illusions"
Suffering in Silence can be Deadly
For a pathological gambler, suffering in silence can be a deadly cocktail. Consulting staff physician at Bellwood Health Services in Toronto, Ontario, Ray Steinman concurs. "In many incidences, one of the identifying factors of a gambling addiction is attempted suicide... twenty-three per cent of gambling addicts, in the late stages, when they go from the desperation to hopeless phases, will attempt suicide.
That is twenty times the normal population."
Addiction is a Disease
Addiction is a disease that goes beyond the use of substance(s) to many behaviors. "In active addiction, the relationship between the drug(s) and/or behavior(s) of choice takes precedence over any other relationship, including oneself," says Dr. Hajela. "In fact, the craving, ritualization, compulsivity, and obsession for 'more' take on a life of its own."
The control in any addiction means the drug or the behaviour controls the person not the other way around. Gambling addiction is much more hidden than other addictions and family members, while often sensing that something is wrong, are unaware of the problem. This leads to a large shock for many spouses when they discover the extent of the problem and the money that has been spent.
Unlike a hangover from binge drinking a gambling hangover can last years. In fact, it may often take a person 5 to 7 years to recover financially.
