Sad Stories--Powerful Message

As I read through my emails I came across another story about a young man (age 32) who embezzled from his employer due to his gambling addiction. You can read more about the story here. This is the only story I found so I don't know if this young man has children but I do know he is married. Yes, it is a large amount of money and judging by his title (former chief financial officer and vice president) I am sure he was making a good living but the addiction to gambling doesn't care it only cares how you feed it. I am sure there will be more on this story in the coming months and I sure hope this young man seeks treatment because no matter how bleak it can get life will go on and his life (like mine) without gambling will be so much better. I am so glad to see he didn't harm himself in anyway because no one is worthless no matter what they have done there is always some good in all of us.

Compulsive gambling is a horrid addiction and can lead normal people to do abnormal and sometimes illegal things. This does not excuse the behavior but it does shed some light on how and why these things happen. I can only guess what is going in this young man's mind at this time but I pray things work out for the best.

This afternoon I tuned into the Oprah Winfrey Show to watch a repeat episode of "Mother's who led secret lives", which featured three segments. The first feature was a young (36 years old) mother of three children who has an addiction to shoplifting. It was a fascinating segment because no matter the addiction (drugs, alcohol, gambling, eating, sex, etc.) it can be self-destructive. Oprah gave some staggering statistics stating 23 million people in the United States suffer with this addiction. Yes, they also have support groups such as shoplifter/kleptomaniac anonymous. Which sounds much like Gamblers Anonymous and Alcoholics Anonymous with 12 steps of recovery. The young mother had a very normal life but she couldn't stop shoplifting until she was stopped for taking a jar of dressing from a local grocery store. It wasn't as if this lady couldn't afford it; she just felt the need to steal it. I know many people find this hard to believe but I don't. I don't know what goes on in anyone's mind only my own. I am only capable of controlling myself and I do not sit in judgment of others.

People do things all of the time and sometimes these things are caused by an impulsive control disorder or an addiction or both. These are not bad people these are people just like myself who have an addiction and need help. I know there are some people who would rather take all of these people including myself and put them on an island somewhere but this is not feasible or practical. We as a society owe it to the human race to HELP people not punish people who have these types of addictions. I am not sure if the message was clear on the program but there is help available for all those that seek it whether it is drugs, alcohol, gambling, sex, eating, etc.. Help is available and there are so many people willing to help.

The second segment featured my dear friend from the Great White North (Canada) Anne and her secret life as a compulsive gambler. I had a conversation with her regarding this program and she was not to pleased how it came out and advised me to be weary when I did my interview for the Al Roker Program. I thought she did a fine job and her husband and son did very well also. Her husband was remarkable because even though he had been blindsided by her actions he still stood by her side. He is a wonderful person and can see the real Anne not the compulsive gambler Anne. I was blown away by his love for her. I know Anne doesn't like this program but the message was very clear addictions can rob your soul and make people do evil things but the inner person is still a good person and needs help. I know she has helped me so much in dealing with my situation and I am so blessed to call her a friend.

The third segment was about another mother who is a compulsive gambler who had only told her family five days earlier about the financial and now emotional devastation she had caused. Her daughter had the courage to come on the show but her husband was still reeling from the news he had received five days earlier and decided not to come on the show. I only hope and pray this woman gets help and doesn't try to do it all by herself.

I have seen it in the ten months I have been going to Gamblers Anonymous and my own compulsive gambling the behavior; the devastation compulsive gambling brings to not only the gambler but the family and friends of the gambler. Oprah told this lady who was crying and obviously very ashamed of what she had done to her family that "there will be people who will love you no matter what and there will be others who will want nothing to do with you and those people never did love you, but you will be surrounded by those who really care." I have found this out in the last ten months and I am so blessed to have these people who really do care in my life and I am doing everything in my power to get better each and every day.