Families Encouraged to Seek Help for Problem Gamblers

Gambling is a pastime that many find to be fun and rewarding, while others find it to be a crutch they cannot escape. Often perceived as a harmless activity, gambling is becoming a growing problem for potentially hundreds of thousands of individuals throughout the world.

Science Daily recently posted a release in which statistics on gambling related problems are far higher than once assumed. It is estimated that six to eight million people in the United States alone suffer from some sort of problem related to gambling. This problem has the ability to impact the physical, emotional and financial health of the family.

The most common treatment models used today to address problem gambling tend to be focused on meeting the needs of gamblers. The problem is these treatments do not address the needs of couples and families whose lives may have been negatively impacted by someone else’s gambling.

In a paper published in this month’s issue of the Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, authors provide a detailed description of how problem gambling impacts families. These authors explain, “Our hope in writing this paper is to raise awareness about problem gambling and the importance of developing treatment programs that meet the needs of the families of problem gamblers.”

The authors noted that many of the people who access treatment for problem gambling are family members of those actually dealing with an addiction or problem. It is becoming clearer that gambling problems have a significant impact on families and can not be allowed to slip under the radar.

Marriage and family therapists are well positioned to help families cope with the impact of a gambling problem. Families are encouraged to seek this help before it is too late to reverse the trend.

Helpful resource: What It Takes to Beat a Gambling Addiction