Can family members help a gambling addict?

[Moreno233]

Many people are going through gambling addiction but they manage to keep it a secret from their families and loved ones. The only people that know about their gambling activities are their close friends. In the event that you are one of those close friend to a gambling addict, do you think it is right to tell their loved ones with the intention that they will be able to talk to him and help him overcome his addiction? Can the advice of loved ones even help? What is the most effective way of going about gambling addiction.

[Z-tight]

Addicts hide their addiction from their family members because they do not want them to feel sorry for them or to worry about them so much, but in my honest opinion, it is better to tell your family about it and see how they can be of help to you, or maybe if you see them feel the pains your addiction is causing them, it may help the addict to control it.

Professional help is also an affective way of helping addicts, that is if the addiction is so serious and is already ruining the life of the addict, therapy may be a solution and it is something people should try more often.

[Davidvictorson]

If you want a gambling addict in the family to be open to you in such a manner that you can help them , the initial step is empathy. Once they see that you put yourself in their shoes and try to understand their addiction from their own point of view rather than from your own then you would have opened up a pathway to helping them break free from the addiction. Addiction could be the result of so many factors and you as a family member need to know which of the factors that makes them to keep.going back to gambling. Some of these factors could include loneliness, coping with work life stress, pain or sickness, abandonment. There are so many. Once you know which is which you can help.. mostly this help is in form of talking and just being there for them. But you need to know the level of addiction first. At some point only professional help can do. And that will cost money.

[Oshosondy]

I will prefer not to tell his family but I will advice him as a friend. If he can not listen to me, I do not think he is going to listen to his family. Also if he finds out that I tell his family, he may be angry with me. But I know what to tell him that can discourage him not to gamble again which I think will be better. Addiction is just a disease that he needs to fight and there are events that bad things happened to gambling addicts. All those are enough to discourage him if I show him. If I see him not changing, and gambling is still taken much from him and making his life miserable, he gives me no option than to tell his family to know what to do and help him out of the addiction.

[crwth]

Do you know why addicts keep it a secret? It's probably because they are ashamed of what they are doing and do not want their families to know his/her agenda when it comes to those types of things. It may not be gambling but it still indicates that they don't want them to know because of those things.

I don't think loved ones or family members could help a gambling addict. Maybe in terms of helping with daily necessities or something related to that but not to the point that the addict will quit. It's going to be a support thing IMO.

[Cryptoprincess101]

Sure, as a friend to someone who is so addicted to gambling and you have tried your best to convince him on the need to limit his gambling addiction but you see that your efforts are not yielding fruit, what you need do is to let his family know about his habits at least when he is aware that his family is aware of his gambling habits he would be so ashamed of himself and even if he will continue gambling he will not be comfortable anymore because he may be afraid his family might meet him in gambling shop one day. I know of a gambler that whenever he enters a gambling hall he will be so restless and will not even spend much time there because he is afraid of his wife meeting him there playing gambling. So informing the family may not really stop the gambler from gambling but there is going to be a reduction in his gambling activities and there at times too when advice from his family can change his mindset.

[Ultegra134]

I've never had it happen to me or anyone I know. There's no right or wrong answer here, and it depends on several factors, such as how understanding their family is or how addicted they are. It's not that straightforward. On the one hand, if you were to tell their family members without their consent, you'd be breaching their privacy and potentially ruining your friendship; you'd be breaking their trust and you're unaware on how the other person is going to react, which is why I mentioned that there's no straightforward process to handle this. On the other hand, it could potentially be the move to finally break free from their addiction by seeking help from their family and a professional.

I personally wouldn't get involved, unless there were hints of excessive compulsive gambling behavior that was putting the person's well-being at risk, and even then, I'd perhaps take other precautions without involving others.

[Mr.suevie]

Many people are going through gambling addiction but they manage to keep it a secret from their families and loved ones. The only people that know about their gambling activities are their close friends. In the event that you are one of those close friend to a gambling addict, do you think it is right to tell their loved ones with the intention that they will be able to talk to him and help him overcome his addiction? Can the advice of loved ones even help? What is the most effective way of going about gambling addiction.

What I believe about addiction is that the addicted person will first need to accept that he is an addict because if the person is still in the phase of denial, it would be very hard to solve the problem and moreover their is a reason why this particular quote is popular "a problem shared is a problem solved" so admitting and sharing your problem is the first and bold step to solving them and when you talk about advice to addicts I believe they have a shell which rejects it except the person himself have thought and given himself the advice that's he needs.

[alani123]

Family is the primary support network of anyone and those don't having adequate support from their family will more likely than others end up addicted.

Imagine the discipline you'd have to have to keep your cool while being sad and completely alone. No one to talk to, no one to return to, no one to stay with, have cooked food from etc. Just think about it, if someone is already addicted, having good support from his family can really help him put off that habit. Having a good support network means that kicking a habit and maintaining a healthy life can be done more reliable.

If a family has an addict in their blood, they should really get together and treat him with love and affection to try and save him. It's the best way possible.

[btc_angela]

Many people are going through gambling addiction but they manage to keep it a secret from their families and loved ones. The only people that know about their gambling activities are their close friends. In the event that you are one of those close friend to a gambling addict, do you think it is right to tell their loved ones with the intention that they will be able to talk to him and help him overcome his addiction? Can the advice of loved ones even help? What is the most effective way of going about gambling addiction.

Of course, if there is someone that can help those addicts, usually it's close friends and family members. There are stories that the gambling addicts will obviously hide it from their families. But we all know that you can't hide it forever. And with that their families will be concern to the point that they really wanted to help them.

There is one method that I watch in youtube, or at least shared by an addicts that he wanted to please his families and so he goes with them. But without knowing that they will be going into a rehab. So the addict doesn't have options but to go with the flow and now he has recovered already.

[qwertyup23]

Many people are going through gambling addiction but they manage to keep it a secret from their families and loved ones. The only people that know about their gambling activities are their close friends. In the event that you are one of those close friend to a gambling addict, do you think it is right to tell their loved ones with the intention that they will be able to talk to him and help him overcome his addiction? Can the advice of loved ones even help? What is the most effective way of going about gambling addiction.

Definitely- in fact, family members are the closest people that can help you overcome with your problems in general. They are the people who know you personally and they also have the most level of understanding and compassion in dealing with these types of problems. In the end, friends have the tendency to forsake or betray you, but family will always be family.

Though this may be the case, you must also establish a good relationship with your family members. You must also acknowledge that you want to overcome your addiction as it is always a two-way effort.

If despite the efforts of your family, you still suffer from addiction, then the problem lies with yourself and not with your family members.

[Fiatless]

Many people are going through gambling addiction but they manage to keep it a secret from their families and loved ones. The only people that know about their gambling activities are their close friends. In the event that you are one of those close friend to a gambling addict, do you think it is right to tell their loved ones with the intention that they will be able to talk to him and help him overcome his addiction? Can the advice of loved ones even help? What is the most effective way of going about gambling addiction.

Gambling addicts usually don't accept that they have a problem. They will give several reasons why they had to gamble excessively. Most of them hide their struggles from family members especially if they think they would be subjected to discrimination for exposing themselves. But the case might be different if they know that the family will give them some support.

If my friend confides in me about his gambling addiction and doesn't want me to expose it to his family members I would ensure to keep it secret. But if the addiction is becoming excessive and has started affecting him negatively and I have done all I can to reduce his struggles, reporting his case to his family will not be a bad decision. This is because you might be blamed for not telling the family members if anything negative happens to him.

Yeah, loved ones' advice could be very effective. Counselling for parents and other siblings can be effective because they know the best approach to use on the addict. Family members can go to the extent of spending money to get help from professionals.

[_act_]

Gambling addicts usually don't accept that they have a problem. They will give several reasons why they had to gamble excessively. Most of them hide their struggles from family members especially if they think they would be subjected to discrimination for exposing themselves. But the case might be different if they know that the family will give them some support.

Discrimination is not the reason gambling addicts do not let their family know. They do not let their family know just because gambling is taking much from them and if the family knows that, they may not give him money as they use to. I mean the parents. If it is spouse, they will not let him or her know because it is also taking much from them. If they are winning huge amount, they will let their family know. But they are losing, they do not want to stop gambling and they see no reason why family should know.

Yeah, loved ones' advice could be very effective. Counselling for parents and other siblings can be effective because they know the best approach to use on the addict. Family members can go to the extent of spending money to get help from professionals.

This is just the best thing to do. Do not tell his parent but advice him. If he is still addicted and not change for better, tell his parent. He can be mad at you but he will later understand that you are still a good friend. It is a good friend that will do something like that.

[Findingnemo]

Many people are going through gambling addiction but they manage to keep it a secret from their families and loved ones. The only people that know about their gambling activities are their close friends. In the event that you are one of those close friend to a gambling addict, do you think it is right to tell their loved ones with the intention that they will be able to talk to him and help him overcome his addiction? Can the advice of loved ones even help? What is the most effective way of going about gambling addiction.

Advice from a friend can help to some extent depends on the severity of the addiction, while it's indeed to let know about the loved ones as soon as possible about the struggles can help to relieve from the battle that he is fighting inside his head on the other hand it can jeopardize the relationship with that friend but in my opinion it's better to save someone from their addiction and lose their relationship if that's what cost is better than watching them lose themselves while being around.

[Fiatless]

Gambling addicts usually don't accept that they have a problem. They will give several reasons why they had to gamble excessively. Most of them hide their struggles from family members especially if they think they would be subjected to discrimination for exposing themselves. But the case might be different if they know that the family will give them some support.

Discrimination is not the reason gambling addicts do not let their family know. They do not let their family know just because gambling is taking much from them and if the family knows that, they may not give him money as they use to. I mean the parents. If it is spouse, they will not let him or her know because it is also taking much from them. If they are winning huge amount, they will let their family know. But they are losing, they do not want to stop gambling and they see no reason why family should know.

Do you know that in some religions gambling is forbidden, but some persons secretly engage in it? Now how do you think such an individual will be seen in a home that is filled with religious fanatics? In some extreme cases, he can be sent packing out of the house because they can view him as a sinner who will defile the home.

It could also lead to financial discrimination in the home. Such a person might not be given access to funds like others. I have seen a man who refused to include his son's name in his will because he felt that he would waste his inheritance on gambling.

[Frankolala]

It depends on the level of addiction, and if the gambler stays with his family, that would make him keep it secrete and they would not know that he is addicted. If his addiction just started, it is better that I advice him and keep it secret from his family members.

If he is a compulsive gambler, there is no way that his family members staying with him will not know. If they are not close to him, they might find it difficult to know. So in this case, I will open up to his family, so that they can put their heads together, and help him out of his addiction through any means possible.

[Rockstarguy]

Many people are going through gambling addiction but they manage to keep it a secret from their families and loved ones. The only people that know about their gambling activities are their close friends. In the event that you are one of those close friend to a gambling addict, do you think it is right to tell their loved ones with the intention that they will be able to talk to him and help him overcome his addiction? Can the advice of loved ones even help? What is the most effective way of going about gambling addiction.

What I just know is that as a gambling addict that needs help and want to get rid of the challenge, keeping this challenge to yourself is not the best. The best way to come out from being an addict is to let people know what you are going through, doing this their will be a remedy of overcoming this addiction. Many gamblers that have trying to come out of addiction have always keep this challenge to themselves,  and struggling to come out from it but still it is too difficult for them.

If one is shy to tell people about their gambling challenge it is always difficult to come out from it. The reason why people keeps addiction problem to themselves is because of they are shy of what people will say about them, but I think keeping it secret is not the best. Family members are the best to let know when in a problem like addiction.

[tsaroz]

Many people are going through gambling addiction but they manage to keep it a secret from their families and loved ones. The only people that know about their gambling activities are their close friends. In the event that you are one of those close friend to a gambling addict, do you think it is right to tell their loved ones with the intention that they will be able to talk to him and help him overcome his addiction? Can the advice of loved ones even help? What is the most effective way of going about gambling addiction.

They can. Depends on how comfortable you are sharing it with them. People tend to share about their addiction to friends but not with family cause it would be a larger shock and could immediately affect your relation and living style. Most people don't admit they are in addiction and even if they do, they are not entirely sure if they want to get out of it. Giving your family a hint means they could just cut off your access to gambling places/sites or your own money source, or at worst disown you. But if you really want to leave gambling for good. Your family would help you, they might be a bit harsh but it would work.

[_act_]

Do you know that in some religions gambling is forbidden, but some persons secretly engage in it? Now how do you think such an individual will be seen in a home that is filled with religious fanatics? In some extreme cases, he can be sent packing out of the house because they can view him as a sinner who will defile the home.

This is true. My opinion is based on countries where gambling is legal. But in countries that are full of Muslims that gambling is not legal, people can be strict against gambling.

It depends on the level of addiction, and if the gambler stays with his family, that would make him keep it secrete and they would not know that he is addicted. If his addiction just started, it is better that I advice him and keep it secret from his family members.

If he is wise, he needs not to keep it secret at all. Also if it is taking much money from him, he can just quit. That is the best. Or he can reduce the money he use to gamble in a way that if he lost it, it can not lead to financial problem.

[HelliumZ]

Many people are going through gambling addiction but they manage to keep it a secret from their families and loved ones. The only people that know about their gambling activities are their close friends. In the event that you are one of those close friend to a gambling addict, do you think it is right to tell their loved ones with the intention that they will be able to talk to him and help him overcome his addiction? Can the advice of loved ones even help? What is the most effective way of going about gambling addiction.

A gambling addict's family may play the most important role in helping a gambler to change his or her habit because the family members closest to a gambler may be family members. Family members can learn what an addicted gambler needs to love and keep them from gambling. When a family lends support to a gambling addict, it becomes easier for him to quit gambling. The gambler does not need rehabilitation and does not need a psychiatrist if his family members are supportive.