Living With a Secret

National Problem Gambling Awareness Week ends tomorrow; however; my addiction will not end ever and keeping with theme of this week here is another article regarding compulsive gambling. Although the article is short it really gets to the point of how destructive this addiction can be. This article was written for a newspaper in Michigan.

Living With a Secret

HOUGHTON - It can start with the purchase of a lottery ticket or a trip to the casino, and then it can take control of your life.

While compulsive gambling has many negative side effects for an individual, it also takes a toll on American society. In 1999, the National Gambling Impact Study Commission estimated the annual cost to society for problem gambling is $5 billion.

In order to reduce the number of people affected by gambling addiction, the Michigan Department of Community Health is partnering with other communities across the nation this week to promote National Problem Gambling Awareness Week. The department hopes this week will raise awareness of the symptoms and consequences related to problem gambling.

Virginia Pieroni, program manager for statewide gambling treatment within the MDCH, said that no one is immune to the addictive nature of gambling.

"Compulsive gambling can impact anyone...young adults, teenagers, we see it across all age groups, all walks of life, all levels of our society."

"Anybody who gambles needs to understand it's a behavior with associated risk. The odds are great that you will lose money," she said.

According to Pieroni, compulsive gambling is an addiction much stronger than any drug or alcohol-related addiction. She says this is because it is much easier for the gambler to hide their problem from family and friends.

"Compulsive gambling is very powerful. There is great shame and guilt associated with it," she says. "It's not as understood as other addictions."

Pieroni says that often, a victim will resort to crime to get enough money to continue gambling.

This is a reality that Marilyn has experienced first-hand. Marilyn, who prefers her last name not be used, began Gamblers Anonymous in the Houghton area just a few years ago. She said her gambling addiction took over quickly and she soon found herself in court after writing bad checks to pay for her gambling. Marilyn said this is quite common among compulsive gamblers who shoplift, embezzle money and write bad checks to fund their addiction.

"Gambling is a horrible, horrible disease. It can destroy your whole life," she says. "It's something that controls you, and until you get help...it won't stop."

After moving from Marquette to make a fresh start, Marilyn began a Houghton branch of Gamblers Anonymous to help those struggling with the same problems she did. For a year she said she sat alone at her meetings, and even though people have begun to come around, she says the turnout is still surprisingly small.

"There are still a lot of people in denial who haven't hit rock bottom yet," Marilyn said. "It's a smaller area and people feel embarrassed to be seen at these meetings."

Rolls of instant lottery tickets on display at a Houghton convenience store wait for hopeful players. While a harmless amusement for most who play, lottery tickets can lead to higher stakes and serious consequences for compulsive gamblers.