Can family members help a gambling addict?

[Baofeng]

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.

I don't think there's much difference though, if you are addict then no matter what, you will be expose as you will change your behaviour and everyone will take notice of it specially your families.

As for the question, obviously, there's none better to help you than your immediate families. They are the first to be with you and see that you really needs help as you are addict already. Addicts will not admit it, that is the first sign that you are addicted, but the issues will surface and they are the one who are going to support you emotionally and financially. I have seen gambling addicts recovery thru intervention by their family specially the wife and the father and the mother of the addicts.

[1715194425]

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[1715194425]

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[passwordnow]

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?

I think it's best to let the family know and give them a hint so that they're aware of what their family member is going through. Being addicted to gambling can make him a different person and that might surprise them upon finding out that they've become one.

Can the advice of loved ones even help?

Yes. I do believe that the help and advice of loved ones can help that addicted person. Because if no one is going to listen to him then he'd just find another friend of his to lean on to tell his gambling problems.

But if there are his relatives or family where he can tell his problems about gambling then they'd be there to help him for sure.
He only needs to be vocal about it and don't shy out because that will worsen the situation.

What is the most effective way of going about gambling addiction.

Using your time to find another activity that will make you happy.

[rachael9385]

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.

Even till now I am still keeping my gambling habits as secret from my family members but only few of my friends knows that an gambling (although they it's just 2 of my friends that know I am gambling). As a friend if you can't keep secrets it shows you are not indeed a trusted person.
You can't tell the family if the person in quote is not a gamble addict, it's only if your friend is an addict you might tell him/her family members, and that's if you have advised your friends and he didn't listen. You can just jump to a conclusion and report your friend if he's gambling and he's not an addict.

[ultrloa]

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.

Why not? They are the one who need to know about the situation we are going on and just say it on your friend will not result to anything since for sure they can't help us in this situation and for sure we will fight our own battle if we keep it a secret to our family. So its better to discuss this issue if you feel that you are in this state so that you can get a proper guidance from our parents and they can do something that can help us to escape addiction. I know that there are times that its hard to discuss this condition since we are.afraid that they might not understand our situation and we can get pure discouragement words from them, but if we are sincere on our confession then for sure they would understand that we need serious attention and they should do something to step up in this situation.

[Fivestar4everMVP]

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.

Well, if I have a friend who is addicted to gambling and keeping it a secret to his or her family and loved ones, friends are actually supposed to keep each other's secrets but not when that secret is about or going to destroy that friend if it's not let out so that possible help would come, keeping such secret simply means that you really are not a good friend to that person.

For me, like I was saying, if it happens that I have a friend who is addicted to gambling and doesn't want his or her family or loved ones to know about it, I will first of all, try my best to make sure he or she comes out of that gambling addiction, I will do all I can, sacrifice all I need to sacrifice, but in the end, if my effort is not yielding any positive result, I will let the family and loved ones of that friend know that their son or daughter is a gambling addict, and I've done all I could to bring him or her out of it, but it's not working, so, they possibly should find a way to help him or her.

And for the best approach towards gambling addiction, I think this differs for different people, and also depends on the level of addiction.

[Gozie51]

What is the most effective way of going about gambling addiction.

But a true friend is like a family and he should know ways to assist his friend like a family would do. I think family may take more subtle ways to trying to bring their brother out of addiction and by that measures that they are suppose to take they may not or procrastinate over it.

However, a friend should know the kind of family that his friend has and so if at all he wants to involve someone from the family, he would know the appropriate person to work that with who may be discreet about it yet do take proper remedy for his brother. It depends actually if the friends have tried what they could without succeeding then it can be revealed to a family member who can handle it rather than exposing the situation to members who can only be sympathetic and not have solution.

[coin-investor]

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?

As a friend, I have a responsibility to tell his loved ones about his condition, so they will know what course of action they will take and they will not be surprised by his actions and manners, the family also suffers if one member of their family suffers from addiction, they are the one who can help because they know very well the member of his family and if they decide to rehabilitate their addicted loved ones they will be the one to should the cost and spend the time, so they have the right to know the condition

Can the advice of loved ones even help? What is the most effective way of going about gambling addiction.

It can help because of their ties with one another, and the only effective way to cure addiction is through rehabilitation, it is the only way to take out the symptoms, the rehabilitation center has a facility conducive to those who want to take out addiction to their system.

[piebeyb]

I have seen my friend gamble, he almost often commits violence against his family, meaning his partner because he doesn't give him money to gamble. I know that his wife, his life partner, sells small cakes in front of his house, so her husband always asks his wife for money but never gives it and her husband often once committed violence until finally he was abandoned by his wife and children, I think from this point I already know that it is difficult to advise a gambler, even a wife he used to love, including his children, is no longer cared about.

I don't know the role of his other family such as his mother or father, whether it is possible to stop his addiction, but it seems difficult to cure addiction through those closest to him because gambling addicts must really stop gambling starting from themselves, it is not easy to cure gambling addiction through those closest to them, even even a professional, because of the habits that have stuck, will be difficult to cure unless it starts from himself to stop gambling, there are several of my friends who were able to stop gambling after a long time of isolating themselves from the internet and also from busy life, they were able to successfully stop gambling, all depending on the addict's wishes.

[m2017]

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 loved ones can't help people with gambling addiction, unless there are professional specialists among their loved ones who provide assistance to people with gambling addiction. This is a disease that needs to be treated. Talking to a gambling addict can't solve this problem, but will only worsen relationships with loved ones. Moreover, attempts to convince the patient to stop gambling will be perceived negatively, which will alienate him from loved ones and, as a result, it will be more difficult to convince the patient of the need to provide professional medical care.

Until the player realizes his addiction and understands the need for outside help, helping him (trying to get him out of gambling) is useless.

The most effective way to get rid of gambling addiction is very simple and difficult at the same time - to stop gambling.

[panjul07]

I would say that it depends on 2 factors:
¹ Level of the addiction, if the addiction is already in the highest level, I doubt family members can help much.
² How good is the relationship between family members because being family does not mean that the relationship is healthy enough to talk about something.

In the worst case, when the addiction is already affected the whole family economically (no more money left), it will even harder for family members to help.
There was a real story that has just happened few weeks ago in my country where a whole family (father, mother, son, daughter) decided to suicide together by jumping down from their apartment in 22nd floor.
The reason of the suicide is still not clear but many people guess that it is related to economical issue.

[slapper]

Do you think bringing family in is wise? I'm okay with that. The key is your approach. Addiction is like a shadowy beast. The harsh light of facts and allegations rarely works long-term. It drives the monster deeper into hiding

Families are powerful because they provide connection, which addiction hates. Support doesn't come in a box. Understand your loved one's wants. Some find the proper therapist. Others just need someone to say, "I'm here, I see your suffering, let's figure this out". Only support, no judgment

This war won't be quick. Patience is important, but not enabling. Tough love and boundaries are okay when done with empathy. So you move the focus from addiction to helping the person below it

[Solosanz]

Do you think they hide it from their parents without any reasons? if their parents are open minded, willing to listen and accept their child's decision instead of getting mad and completely forbid the thing that the parents don't agree, I'm sure they won't keep their gambling addictions secret from their parents.

If I were their friends, I wouldn't tell it to their parents because it will ruin our relationship, if it's serious, I probably brought them to the professional.

[robelneo]

Families have the most concern because blood is thicker than water, and the family always be the one to be on your side through your best and worst, so if you have a friend that has an addiction, you as a friend should tell the family because if you do not, you're not a true friend and you tolerated his addiction to gambling.

As a friend, we have to do something if one of our friends is indulging too much that may harm his personal life and thinking.
There are a lot of available methods to cure addiction the best people to think of that are his family.

[Beparanf]

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.

Any problem is solvable by the family. There’s only an exception if your family has a toxic environment but normally family usually help each other especially in Asian country since we always live together even if we are already adults unlike American that parents let their children become independent.

All of my problem is known by my parents before when I’m still living with them. But right now, I shared all of my problems to my partner so that he can support me whenever I’m down. Soloing your problem will just make you mentally stressed in long term unlike if you shared it because it can be solved immediately. So always share your problem to your family or love ones.

[Jody.Drummer]

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.

Yes I agree with you that it is a fact that gambling addicts usually keep their gambling habits a secret from their families including their loved ones and usually they only tell a few close friends who are usually gamblers too, but as for the suggestion of whether it is a good idea to tell their families about their addiction then I think this is an idea that will only cause problems between you and your addicted friend.

I understand that your goal is good and I also understand that usually the closest people especially family have an influence on the change of a person but the problem here is that if the addicted person does not want their family to know about their gambling habits then I think it will only cause problems between you and your addicted friend, So far they have always kept it a secret from their family but you are telling their family, I think there have been quite a lot of cases like this because I have also heard that they ended up having problems in their friendship, and I would say that the most effective way to overcome gambling addiction is when the person has the desire, willingness and determination to stop.

[Crypto Library]

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.

You are actually right that most of us hide our gambling habits from family. But I think here that it is possible to keep it hidden until someone is completely addicted to it. Because if you become addicted to gambling, its effects will definitely be noticed by outsiders such as spending extra money, not keeping proper account of money and suffering from various hypertension. Finally, it will be seen that no one else knows the problem of gambling addiction of that person, but family members will know exactly that he is addicted to gambling. Although no one else can change the habit of an addicted gambler if he didn't want to, the first people who can help change it are his family members.

[Nwada001]

If you know, as a friend, that you have not given them any serious helping hand that can help them stop their gambling addiction, I don't see anything wrong with telling the family about it. 
 
The only thing I will do if I'm the person in question is to know how I can get through to the parent so they won't have to react harshly to the matter. The approach that the person will use to discuss the matter with the parent really matters a lot. 
 
The family, if they are aware, can help him get out of the addiction, and with the help the gambler will also be getting from his friends, it will now be support from both family and friends, which might help the person heal faster.

[Cookdata]

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.

One thing about gambling is this, someone who is addicted might not really know that he's even addicted, don't you think that we all love ourselves and we don't want to see ourselves in bad condition. I will be hard on myself if someone close to me tell me one day that I'm addicted to gambling without finding out the red flags before anyone. If a gambler is addicted and didn't want his family member to know is not because he is hiding the addiction, he is hidding the fact that he lose all the time and it's not something palatable to speak with your families on how you loss money consistently in gambling.

As a friend, my duty is too talk to him one on one, as in man to man and not go around making him look like a culprits that is guilty of a crime. I will try all my best to make him stop if I found one addiction on him but if he doesn't listen to me as a friend, with time there is going to be some physical actions that the family will see and they will talk to him about it if they care about him.

[Fivestar4everMVP]

If you know, as a friend, that you have not given them any serious helping hand that can help them stop their gambling addiction, I don't see anything wrong with telling the family about it. 
 
The only thing I will do if I'm the person in question is to know how I can get through to the parent so they won't have to react harshly to the matter. The approach that the person will use to discuss the matter with the parent really matters a lot. 
 
The family, if they are aware, can help him get out of the addiction, and with the help the gambler will also be getting from his friends, it will now be support from both family and friends, which might help the person heal faster.

This I think should depend on the type of friendship you have or share with the addicted gambler, like I said in my previous comment, being true friends is not just about doing things together, going places together or sharing things together, it's also about keeping each others secret because trust exist between the both friends or group of friends.
If a friend who is addicted to gambling asks that non one of his family members know about his or her involvement in gambling, and you as a friend who is supposed to treat that information as confidential, goes ahead to let the parents of the friend know that their son or daughter is a gambling addict, then you have just betrayed your friend and broken the trust you both share.

But then again, I did say that keeping such secret can be disastrous for the friend, and as a friend who really cares a about the welfare of each other, it is important to play your part in trying to bring the friend out of that addiction, do your best first, and after having tried, and you can see positive result, then don't just proceed to telling the parent, but first let your friend know that you've tried your best for him to come out of his or her gambling addiction, but no positive result, and you just can't continue to watch him or her waste away, that you are going to tell the parents so they can as well help him.. Let the friend know this, and listen to what he or she has to say before you then proceed to telling the parents about their son's or daughter's to gambling.

I believe this is the best way to treat such a case so you don't end up destroying the trust your friend have in you.

[Awaklara]

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.

If a gambling addict has a family, I doubt any part of the family doesn't know about his activities. especially if the activity has been going on for a very long time, the family will know about the gambling activities being carried out.
if you get a blow to your finances that affects family harmony. However, the role of the family is very important in the process of controlling gambling activities. The requirement is to be more open with whatever is done so that it will build the family's trust in the addict.
However, the most important thing is the intention to be a better gambler that you must have. If it is not serious, it will be difficult to suppress unhealthy gambling activities.