National Problem Gambling Awareness Week

The week of March 6th through the 12th marks National Problem Gambling Awareness Week. This is the 8th annual National Problem Gambling Awareness Week. It is presented by the National Council of Problem Gambling which is headed by Keith Whyte the Executive Director.

As a side note I have had the privilege of meeting with Mr. Whyte at the American Gaming Association's (AGA) Problem Gambling Conference in Las Vegas this past December. Prior to that I have communicated with Mr. Whyte via email and telephone. He is a very good man and has helped me tremendously as I have sought help with my compulsive gambling addiction and also has proved to be a great resource for materials on problem gambling.

One of the benefits of reaching out for help has been meeting great people such as Mr. Whyte. His organization is very busy this week getting the message out about the "hidden addiction" of compulsive gambling. You may notice more news stories on radio and television this week in regards to problem gambling. I believe this is a very good thing and it is ashamed that it is only one week.

I guess we have to start somewhere and another disconcerting fact is after checking the National Problem Gambling Awareness Week website I notice a woeful contingent of sponsors. You can click here to see the list of sponsors. I know the web page states 2004 but it is associated with the 2006 program. Hopefully, this will be updated in the coming days and there will be more sponsors.

I do know the American Gaming Association hosts a "Responsible Gaming Education Week" in August for the past 8 years. Unfortunately their website is not yet updated for this August because I am very interested to see how this "Education" week is presented. All of these types of programs are very good and the word does need to get out in regards to problem gambling.

I have detailed before how I have worked in the Gaming Industry for 12 years yet I succumbed to the addiction of compulsive gambling. I don't recall attending any of these types of "awareness weeks" but I am sure that would not have stopped me from living in denial. My particular situation unfortunately had to happen the way it did or I would still be living in denial. When I first admitted I was powerless to gambling and my life had become unmanageable was my first step in recovery.

I denied this fact for so very long because I thought I was better than everyone else and I could handle my gambling. The fact of the matter is my gambling handled me for as long as I gambled. Now it has been 371 days since my last bet and I am a much better person. I am a much better person not because I don't gamble I am a much better person because I have made the decision each and every day to NOT gamble and live a better life with a positive purpose.

Awareness, abstinence and education are great but the awareness had to happen in my brain before I could get help with my gambling problem. I can make my situation very public in order to help someone else with a compulsive gambling problem but I cannot make anyone get help. This decision rests solely on the individual just like it did me. I know it took me way too long but I am so glad to have made this decision because I am becoming the person I am destined to be.