Love ones and families are often the first to be affected by gambling.
If you are worried that someone close to you may have a gambling problem, here are some questions to ask yourself.
Tune out what you are being told, and for 3 minutes think for yourself and come to an objective independent view.
Affected by Gambling – Is [X] a Gambling Addict?
| YES | NO | ||
| 1 | Do they look physically worse than they used to? | ||
| 2 | Do they make excuses on a regular basis? | ||
| 3 | Do they run out of money or borrow money regularly? | ||
| 4 | Are there multiple unexplained withdrawals on a bank statement? | ||
| 5 | Do they have unexplained absences from home? | ||
| 6 | Do you think they are frequently lying about their whereabouts? | ||
| 7 | Do they tell different stories to various family members and friends? | ||
| 8 | Have they become more insular, spending more & more time alone? | ||
| 9 | Do they become evasive or argumentative when asked about their activities? | ||
| 10 | Do they seem protective over their computer, tablet or mobile phone? | ||
| 11 | Do they seem protective over the post or home telephone? | ||
| 12 | Are they less reliable than they used to be? | ||
| 13 | Are they less loving or affectionate than they used to be? | ||
| 14 | Do they having difficulty sleeping? | ||
| 15 | Are they more irritable and have rapid or dramatic mood swings? | ||
| 16 | Have they lost interest in hobbies/activities that they once found rewarding? | ||
| 17 | Do they spend time with friends who you think may have a gambling problem? |
How did they score?
- 1-3 Points
A person without a problem will typically score 4 or less, but there are still signs
of a problem beginning that you should address before it gets out of hand. - 6+ Points
A person with a compulsion or full blown addiction will have a YES to at least 7
of the questions. - 7-14 Points
A person is who is no longer in control or their activity will have a
YES for between 7-14 questions, and specifically YES to number [2], [8] and [16].
[2]: Does X make regular excuses ?
[8]: Has X become more insular, spending more time alone?
[16]: Has X lost interest in activities or hobbies..?
If your score is reasonably high (ie. over 7) then there is clearly a problem which is most probably gambling. They may have already been material damage.
But someone having an affair will also score highly on this test, and may not have been gambling at all.
So do nothing for now and until the rest of your education about Gambling Addiction is complete.
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