Love Someone Who Gambles Too Much?

Everyone — family, friends, colleagues — can be negatively impacted by the extremely difficult challenges of living with addiction. Most cannot fathom why the addicted person continues making bad choices—an inevitable consequence when this disorder hijacks the brain. Their frustrations are often compounded by feeling the need to act as the sole breadwinner or single parent to children.

Clearly, families need help too. They struggle with persistent anger and an overwhelming sense of mistrust and betrayal. They experience higher rates of domestic violence, divorce, financial crises, and stress-related illnesses. Their children are more likely to exhibit behavioral issues as well.

FREE help is available for loved ones. Call MARYHAVEN now. 614-324-5425

Help for Families

What is Problem Gambling?

Every gambling addiction is different. For most people, gambling is entertainment. They know they will likely lose and only bet what they can afford. Problem gamblers, however, cannot control their gambling and will continue to gamble no matter their losses.

Problem gambling is any type of gambling that disrupts other areas of your life, or the lives of the people around you. This includes work or school, relationships with family or friends, or your own physical and mental health. Problem gamblers often need to bet more and more to feel the same thrill, and continue to gamble despite serious negative consequences.

Where to Get Help

Let Maryhaven help you (for FREE) by calling 614-324-5425 (9:00am – 5:00pm Monday – Friday) or Ohio’s 24-hour Gambling Helpline 1-800-589-9966. You can also request an appointment using our online tool here. Thanks to funding from Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Service and the ADAMH Board of Franklin County, Maryhaven’s Gambling Intervention Program offers counseling and prevention services for problem gamblers and their families throughout Central Ohio. We can create a plan just for you:

  • Individual and Family Counseling
  • Outpatient Group Therapy
  • Prevention Talks for Teens and Young Adults
  • Intervention and Screening to Know if You Have a Problem

Our team can also offer referrals to additional services (such as financial help) and support groups (like GA & GamAnon).

Overcoming Anger & Betrayal

Statistics show that as many as 10 other people are impacted by someone’s problem gambling.*

Living with someone else’s addiction – ALL addictions of which gambling is one – can take a toll. Pathological gambling is linked to higher incidents of divorce, stress-related illnesses, child behavior issues, chronic anger, depression and deepened isolation. The gambler can’t seem to hear you and you’re often too ashamed to tell others.

*Ladoceur, 1993, Florida Council on Compulsive Gambling, et al.

If you’re a Franklin County resident, you may eligible for personalized free help from Maryhaven. Call our experts at 614-324-5425 or request an appointment online. You can choose from one-on-one counseling, small group discussions, Gam-Anon or a combination of all three. Information and support groups are available for free through Gam-Anon.org.

Help with Finances

Garnished wages. Foreclosure. Bankruptcy. Gambling addiction often leaves families seeing red — and not just red ink. You may feel betrayed, angry, and unsure of how to best protect your family.

Maryhaven’s trained counselors can help you put together resources and work through your anger and grief. FREE financial help is available to Franklin County families, via Apprisen, thanks to the ADAMH Board of Franklin County. Contact our team of experts today at 614-324-5425 or request an appointment online.

A Special Note about Domestic Violence

Numerous research studies document higher rates of domestic violence when gambling addiction is present. Don’t wait to get help. If at immediate risk of violence, call 911 or the CHOICES 24-hour crisis line at 614-224-4663. Or seek more information through Choices or the Center for Family Safety and Healing.

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