Gambling addiction is a disease, and as it gnaws away at the self-esteem and self-respect of the person, it is as debilitating and potentially lethal as cancer.
Through my stories, I hope the reader understands the insanity the addicted gambler succumbs to, even in a very short time. They lie to themselves that they have a problem. They become dysfunctional, both personally and socially. And, as the last of my stories illustrates, they are dishonest with their own kind.
If you know of someone who has a gambling addiction, there isn’t really much you can do for the person, other than pray. That and should the person begin to demonstrate suicidal thoughts or tendencies, professional help needs to be called in to intervene. The only person, how unfortunate the truth, who can help the addicted gambler is the gambler himself. There are organizations, like Gamblers Anonymous, that can help gamblers control their addiction, but like the alcoholic the gambler has to realize he has hit rock bottom and effect a change in his life and in his thinking.
By the grace of God, I was able to stop gambling. The incident in Thailand was both a setback and a warning. To maintain my sanity and my happiness in life, I can never be tempted to gamble again.