Materiał chroniony prawem autorskim
Data oryginalnej publikacji na forum www.hazardzisci.info 2008-01-27, 01:30
ONLY ONE QUESTION 2008-01-27, 01:30
“The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop gambling…”Combo Book”
I was searching on the Internet tonight again. I was looking for informations on GA.
And there I was. Wikipedia – free internet encyclopedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gamblers_Anonymous
And I could read there:
‘Gamblers Anonymous (GA) is a twelve-step program for problem gamblers…’
Am I a problem gambler? I asked myself a question and I search the next page:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compulsive_gambling
‘Problem gambling (ludomania) is an urge to gamble despite harmful negative consequences or a desire to stop. Problem gambling often is defined by whether harm is experienced by the gambler or others, rather than by the gambler’s behavior. Severe problem gambling may be diagnosed as clinical pathological gambling if the gambler meets certain criteria…”
‘…Problem gambling is characterised by many difficulties in limiting money and/or time spent on gambling which leads to adverse consequences for the gambler, others, or for the community…’
Yes, I was once a problem gambler according to those criteria.
So I had to look at the term ‘pathological’ gambler.
As defined by American Psychiatric Association, pathological gambling is an impulse control disorder that is a chronic and progressive mental illness.
O my God – I was thinking. Am I mentally ill? I have decided to be onest with myself and to remaind myself how it was when I was gambling.
And I have decided to do the test:
Pathological gambling is now defined as persistent and recurrent maladaptive gambling behavior meeting at least five of the following criteria, as long as these behaviors are not better explained by a manic episode:
1. Preoccupation. The subject has frequent thoughts about gambling experiences, whether past, future, or fantasy. MY ANSWER – NO
2. Tolerance. As with drug tolerance, the subject requires larger or more frequent wagers to experience the same “rush”. MY ANSWER – YES
3. Withdrawal. Restlessness or irritability associated with attempts to cease or reduce gambling. MY ANSWER –YES
4. Escape. The subject gambles to improve mood or escape problems. MY ANSWER –YES
5. Chasing. The subject tries to win back gambling losses with more gambling. MY ANSWER –YES
6. Lying. The subject tries to hide the extent of his or her gambling by lying to family, friends, or therapists. MY ANSWER – ? anybody hardly knew.
7. Stealing. in order to seed their gambling addiction MY ANSWER -YES
8. Loss of control. The person has unsuccessfully attempted to reduce gambling. MY ANSWER -YES
9. Illegal acts. The person has broken the law in order to obtain gambling money or recover gambling losses. This may include acts of theft, embezzlement, fraud, forgery, or bad checks. MY ANSWER -YES
10. Risked significant relationship. The person gambles despite risking or losing a relationship, job, or other significant opportunity. MY ANSWER –YES
11. Bailout. The person turns to family, friends, or another third party for financial assistance as a result of gambling. MY ANSWER –NO
O my God – I am mentally ill – I was thinking. Very ill. I had 7 positive answers. Shit! So I was trying to lower the rate. Question 7 and 9 ‘stealing’ and ‘theft’ looks the same for me. Question 2 and 5 as well.
So I had 5 positive – sick or not?
Yes I was once a pathological gambler according to those criteria.
So I have decided to go to GA 20 Questions –my femalegambler history – and there I was – 19 positive anwers!!! Ekstremally sick.
And then I could read in Combo Book
“…We are convinced that gamblers of our type are in the grip of a progressive illness…”
What type? I asked myself a question? Who am I ?
‘…Our primary purpose is to stop gambling and to help other compulsive gamblers do the same…”
OK I have answered 19 Questions positive so I was a compulsive gambler.
“The Gamblers Anonymous concept is that compulsive gamblers are really very sick people who can recover if they will follow to the best of their ability a simple program that has proved successful for thousands of other men and women with a gambling or compulsive gambling problem…”
No I was just a gambler – can you see above? What a relief!
Actually I was lost. Who am I ?
I was sitting and smiling.
Because I was happy. It has been more then three years since I have gamble for the last time. I can’t even remember today when it was. I don’t care. For me quality of my recovery is important. Not a quantity.
I was sitting and saying to myself – It is so good that I have trusted GA at the time I have rich my bottom. Thanks God for WHW and Marilyn Lancelot.
I was sitting and smiling because of a question 18th of 20 Questions (Combo Book).
THE ONLY ONE QUESTION IN PRESENT TENCE:
18. Do arguments, disappointments or frustrations create within you an urge to gamble?
And my answer was –NO.
And it was “NO” for a long, long time.
Recovery it is a GIFT. But in order to get it you have to know that “HONESTY, OPENMINDEDNESS, and WILLINGNESS are the key words in our recovery’. I had it all.
And that is the answer to the one of the topics “Reasons not succeeding in GA” from an article “Recovery in Gamblers anonymous”(Journal of Gambling Issues issue 17 — august 2006) http://216.239.59.104/search?q=cache:Gdg8awjCMJEJ:www.camh.net/egambling/issue17/ferentzy1.html+
And take a look – I was a gambler, problem gambler, pathological gambler, compulsive gambler. All of it ! Can you believe it? And who am I now?
I am a recovering gambler and it really don’t matter what type of gambler I was.
The only thing that matters is that I found a way to stop.
I become a page 17th of Combo Book.
And one of GA’s.
GA – thank you for everything
And thank you especially for question 18th.
And for Marilyn L. – my internet sponsor.
Iwona –Isia
PS Question 18th it is a God’s gift. As Recovery is…