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A Day in the Life of an Addict 8/19/2019 4:13:57 PM
Do you ever wonder what goes through a gambling addict’s mind when they wake up in the morning. I’m sure they don’t wake up thinking that they are going to go out and gamble. In their mind, they believe today is going to be a better day and they’ll be strong enough to avoid gambling — until they go out the front door. They aren’t even safe in the confines of their homes because they are itching to go out and gamble. Unfortunately for the addict, they lie to themselves and all the people that are close to them. If the gambler says, I’ll be back in two hours, know they are not coming back any time soon. Although, in their mind when they say it, they really believe it. It’s like the old tv shows when the dad said he was going to the store for a pack of cigarettes and never came back. It’s similar with the addict, they say they are coming back and they will, it’s just a matter of when. When they do come back, it’s as if it’s no big deal and they’ve act as if they have only been gone for five minutes.
ADDICTION IN MODERATION??
I heard on the news the other day, someone said that Demi Lovato (the singer that overdosed on drugs) believed the myth that addiction can be done in moderation. There is no such thing as moderation with an addict. Would an alcoholic go to a bar and think that he could have one drink? Would a drug user shoot up and think they can walk away? No more than a gambler can go to a casino and think they could pull the slot handle once or play one hand of Black Jack and walk away. They are addicts just like any other addict they just aren’t taking something in their bodies. An addict is an addict no matter what the vice. You are either in or out, you can’t live on the edge. If you are willing to take rent money to gamble with then there is no telling what else you will do or take from your family when the urge hits.
THE AFTERMATH
Then comes the aftermath! Once the addict comes home after being out all night, then the addict ends up sleeping all day and ignoring his family and friends. He’s so tired from being out and getting no sleep that he can’t help but sleep all day. It catches up with them and they hit the proverbial wall. The behavior upsets the household and makes the family angry with the addict. Unfortunately, the addict thinks that everything is okay and everyone should treat the addict as if nothing is wrong. The addict also seems to think that it’s okay to treat the family any way and everyone should be okay with it. The addict doesn’t even think that staying out all night is disrespectful because they aren’t doing anything wrong. How do you reason with that? The addict is thinking about when they are going to their next poker game. They are thinking about whether or not they can control not going out to gamble. They are thinking many things but mostly about gambling. Above all, gambling is their primary thought. Even though they know that the gambling impacts the family life and his relationship with his friends and family, they can’t help themselves.
Eventually, the aftermath will have the addict ending up alone. They end up alone because they have pushed everyone that cared about them away. The people that are close to them are no longer a priority. They don’t realize the hurt they are causing and I’m not sure they really care, at least not at the moment when they are gambling. It’s makes for a sad situation and unfortunately nothing can be done to help them save themselves.
TRYING TOO HARD
Because of the guilt that the addict feels, they try very hard to make up for the wrong that they’ve done, but they can’t. No matter how hard they try, their family and friends have been hurt and betrayed. They are tired of the lies and the dishonesty. The addict pushes until they can push no more and they push those closest to them over the edge. It’s like the abusive husband that buys his wife jewelry or some other trinket to say how sorry he is but will commit the same act over and over again. It’s not different with the gambling addict, they like to come home and act as if nothing has happened or changed. When you try to talk to the person they hear and don’t hear a word that is being said to them. It’s very hard, almost impossible I’d say to talk to someone that is still in denial even though they say they own it and they know they have a problem. This is definitely when the old adage comes into play that actions speak louder than words.
FINALITY
When do you call it the end? It’s a hard call to make. Harder than most might think. People always wonder why someone in an abusive relationship doesn’t get out. Until you’ve walked a mile in their shoes, don’t judge. It’s not always as easy as one might think. You continue to hope and pray that the person will change and you’ll get your life back the way it was – because that’s what you want. You want the person that you knew before they became an addict, but unless the person wants to change you will never have that person back, at least not the way they were. There are just some things that you can’t change. God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; the courage to change the things I can; and the wisdom to know the difference.
