Grades Were Fine, Depression Was Not. Games were a piece of my heart and soul, but my school life remained intact. My grades were great, I talked to people (although being shy) and had a minimal social life outside academic walls. When I got transferred to another school at 14 years old I met a new friend named Depression. We held hands for 6. 'I was expecting to find that the depression led to gaming,' Gentile told me. 'But we found the opposite in that study. The depression seemed to follow the gaming. As kids became addicted—if you.
Over 80 percent of American adults gamble on a yearly basis, and three to five gamblers out of every hundred struggles with a gambling problem (source). Gambling addictions are traumatic, painful, and soul-destroying – not only for those experiencing them, but also their families and friends. Here Ashley shares her gambling story.
This post is part of My Sweet Home Life's Overcomers series – where we look at women whose lives haven't turned out quite how they expected.
We feature women who have struggled with abuse, addictions, unexpected loss, and challenging circumstances.
Problem gambling and depression For more information www.beyondblue.org.au or beyondblue info line 13 1 of 4 This fact sheet looks at the links between depression and gambling problems, and highlights some ways to identify gambling problems and seek help and treatment. Gambling is common in Australian society – nearly 75 per cent of. Gamers Fighting Depression GFD is a supportive community for gamers of all platforms, modes, and styles who have or are suffering from mental health issues, and welcome those who empathize and understand how difficult it can be.
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Each of these women have come through their experiences with lessons learned – lessons that can help us all as we navigate this crazy thing called life.
Today we share Ashley's story of overcoming gambling addiction.
Trigger warning: Suicidal ideation.
TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF
Hi! My name is Ashley Marie. I am thirty-seven years old.
I live in a small town in Arkansas, where I have lived my whole life.
I have three living kids that are my world, one angel baby, and a step-son. I am newly married to the love of my life.
Currently I am waiting to get accepted in to the LPN program while taking basics for RN at my local college.
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I am new to the blogging world, though I have always had a passion for writing. My blog is mostly personal, but I am trying to narrow down my niche to provide more value to my reader and support my family.
I would love for you to check out my blog at Her Heart Out Loud.
HOW DOES YOUR STORY BEGIN?
My first marriage was neither good nor easy. I suffered from a ton of abuse of all forms and was constantly put down.
But I stayed in there by being focused on my kids. Doing things for them and with them made me happy. I did not believe in divorce and I swore I would never put my kids through all that came with the end of a marriage.
However, in 2015 it became almost unbearable.
He started dragging my kids into our fights and would be cruel to them.
As a result, they wanted to be at home less and less. They started spending most of their time with family and friends, which I could understand as I for sure did not want to be there!
I started looking for ways to not be home as well.
What started out as a simple girl's night out turned into a big problem.
WHEN DID YOUR GAMBLING PROBLEM BEGIN?
I can remember how it all started. From time to time, that day still haunts me.
I went to the casino with a friend. I took forty dollars with me and played until it was gone.
After then, I went and sat in the dining area and read a book until she was ready to go.
However, she ended up winning a nice sum of money.
I remember thinking how that would be nice. I could sure use the money! So a few days later, after my now ex-husband and I had been fighting all day, I decided I had had enough and I was going to go back to the casino and try to win.
I took one-hundred dollars and away I went.
I honestly can't tell you if I won that day or not. What I do remember is that I forgot all my troubles while I was there. I didn't stress about things at home and for me that was huge.
At this point gambling became my escape.
If my kids weren't home, I was at the casino.
Then it came to the point I was at the casino no matter if they were home or not.
WHEN DID YOU REALIZE YOU HAD A PROBLEM?
Six months in I started thinking maybe I had a problem, but still tried to convince myself that I was in control.
I got paid on Friday, left work, and went straight to the casino. I lost my whole pay check that day in a matter of about thirty minutes.
I cried all the way home.
Then I called the 1-800 number on the back of my casino rewards card (if you feel you have a problem they offer advice, put you on a list and are suppose to kick you out when they see you – but they don't).
This same thing happened for the next several weeks.
All too soon I was broke, all my bills were due and my kids needed things. Still all I could think about was ways to get money to go to the casino.
I called an agency about trying to get counseling, but my insurance would not cover it. I did not have the money to get the help I truly needed.
A friend of mine was a counselor. I talked to her a little, but because she was my friend, I found myself not being completely honest. She could not help me when I was lying to her and not doing what she told me to do.
I found myself lying to loved ones so they would let me borrow money.
Once I was borrowed out, I started asking strangers for money. I was amazed at how many people at the casino gave it to me.
One guy was going to give me money to sleep with him.
Thank God, I never did anything like that.
WHEN DID YOU REACH BOTTOM?
Because of gambling I lost my car and a ton of friends and family, had my utilities turned off, and destroyed my relationship with my kids.
I often found myself googling ways to kill myself. I believe the search was 'how to quickly and painlessly end your life.'
I wanted to die; I felt I deserved to die, but I was too big of a chicken to do it. I just couldn't pull the trigger or swallow the pills.
I kept thinking how bad it would hurt and that my kids had been through enough. They didn't deserve to live without a mom. Their dad was terrible – who would take care of them if I was gone?
A year in my sister and mom started trying to help me.
I can remember yelling at them, tell them to mind their own business and just ignore them all together. But thankfully my mom, sister and kids never gave up on me.
In 2016 my marriage ended very badly.
I knew that if I didn't get help I was going to lose my kids.
I turned to the few people I had left in my life and the journey began.
It was the most challenging thing I have ever done, and took much longer than I ever would have imagined.
In January 2018, I met the man of my dreams. Telling him about my addiction was hard but I knew he had to know if he was going to be in my life.
Then in February, I told myself it was going to be the last time I went to the casino. However, I had said that before, so I didn't even believe myself.
My mom took over my bills: I set my check up to go direct deposit and gave her the only card I had.
My sister would come by my work and home to make sure I was there. Both her and mom called me several times a day at random times.
Once, I snuck over to the casino and I didn't answer the calls when they came through so they knew where I was. They called the casino to see if I was there, and then headed over to get me.
Thanks to my mom, my sister, and my new husband, I am where I am today.
I have the best support group ever. Are there times I still want to go? Yes! People talk about it in front of me or invite me to go with them and it is hard to say no but I must.
I cannot let my loved ones down.
I can't let myself down.
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOMEONE WHO THINKS THEY, OR A FRIEND OR FAMILY MEMBER, MAY HAVE A GAMBLING PROBLEM?
My advice to anyone facing addiction would be turn to the people you know will never turn their back on you.
You need to get help at the first sign of a problem.
The longer you wait the harder it is to stop.
Gambling Depression Reddit Sites
Look at your kids! Look in the mirror! Is this the life you want; is this the life they deserve?
Dig deep and find the willpower inside of you to take control of your life.
To the loved ones of the addict, don't give up on them. Ever!
They will be mean to you and they will push you away. The addiction will make them do and say horrible things.
Don't turn your back on them.
If my family would have turned their back on me I would either be broke, still battling addiction, or dead.
Concluding my story of overcoming gambling addiction
Addiction can happen to anyone.
Judgement is not the answer; helping each other is.
I never thought it could happen to me.
No one wakes up and says, 'I think I will become an addict today.'
That's why I wanted to share my gambling addiction story so you can see how easily it happens.
Please never be afraid to ask for help. Please never turn your back on someone asking for help.
Need help? Call the National Problem Gambling Helpline: 1-800-522-4700.
Want greater connection in your relationship?
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It's called the KISS connection and it's a FREE 4 step everyday practice that will bring back that loving feeling.
Hit the pink button to get your free copy today.
Depression is a serious mental illness that can have a devastating impact on a sufferer's physical well-being and overall quality of life. Therefore, it's no wonder that so many people turn to antidepressants to help them manage the symptoms of chronic depression.
In recent years, however, critics of these types of drugs have spoken out about their potential drawbacks and questioned their overall effectiveness. In fact, many studies have shown that antidepressants can in some cases worsen depression and cause a range of effects like nausea, weight gain, fatigue and insomnia. In addition, there appears to be a troubling new side effect that is making medical providers hesitant to prescribe antidepressants: gambling addiction.
Gambling Addiction and Antidepressant
A quick search of the Internet reveals countless studies and anecdotal accounts that show a startling link between the use of anti-depressants and compulsive gambling. People who were only casual gamblers or who had never stepped into a casino before all too often find themselves compelled to overspend at gaming tables, at the slot machines and on online gambling websites.
Scientists believe that the link between gambling addiction and antidepressant use lies in brain chemistry. Certain antidepressants cause changes in levels of a brain chemical called dopamine, with these changes having been linked to uninhibited behaviors. Not only could this cause problem gambling, but it could also lead to other consequences such as reckless driving, unprotected sex and binge drinking.
Asa result, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued a statement verifying that there is a link between antidepressants, dopamine levels and gambling addiction. Nevertheless, more research is needed in order to determine who is most at risk of developing a gambling addiction due to antidepressants, and to find out if all types of antidepressant drugs pose similar risks for the problem.
Consultation Before Prescription
Gambling Depression Reddit Best
In the meantime, it's important that people who are on or considering taking antidepressants for depression and other mental health conditions talk to their doctor first about the risks of gambling addiction. Doctors may subsequently recommend other treatments for those individuals who have a history of addictive behavior, or are already struggling with gambling addiction. Furthermore, people with a family history of addiction or problem gambling may also be advised to explore other treatments.
It is also important to realize that for those people taking antidepressants, and experiencing symptoms of gambling addiction, help is available. Most US states and countries that have legalized gambling, for example, offer toll-free numbers for addicts to call and receive assistance. It's also possible to place a self-imposed gambling ban in many US states and countries, with one type of ban available enabling a person suffering from a gambling addiction to be denied access to online gambling sites permanently, or alternatively for a set period of time.
Depression Statistics
In 2016, the UK's National Health Service prescribed a record number of antidepressants to its patients, while the World Health Organization has said that the previous year over 322 million people suffered from depression, representing around 4.4 percent of the worldwide population. Even more concerning is the fact that the past decade has seen the number soar by 18.4 percent across both the developed and developing world.
The worrying trend seems to fly in the face of a more connected digital world in which people are able to gain quicker access to goods and services leading to a pathway towards greater happiness.Tackling the important subject, Robert Lustig, a paediatric endocrinologist, has written a book recently called The Hacking of the American Mind, and as an article on the subject that appeared in the Financial Times explains:
'Part of the issue, according to Dr Lustig, is that in the modern age we have come to conflate pleasure with happiness. Pleasure, he notes, is all about the phenomenon of reward. This can be achieved by way of everything from impulsive shopping sprees to outright substance abuse. Happiness, on the other hand, is a state of general contentment that requires little in the way of a trigger.'
Addressing that point, while antidepressants do seem to help some people, those concerned about gambling addiction must carefully weigh the risks and benefits for themselves under the guidance of their doctors as science works to learn more about the link between the drugs and problem gambling.
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