In this section, affected others talk about their recovery journey and provide messages to those who are experiencing gambling harm.
They describe their experiences of gambling recurrence when the other person tried to stop gambling. Many describe a turning point in both their recovery journey and the other person’s.
People talk about their experiences of disclosing gambling harm to others and the different barriers that they put in place to help the other person to stop gambling.
People talk about their experiences with different types of treatment and support services, both for themselves and the person who gambled. Many affected others describe the importance of support from others with lived experience.
They describe how even after the person has stopped gambling, recovery is a long process that involves rebuilding their sense of self and connecting with others.
People share their messages for affected others experiencing gambling harm.
He has legitimately been more or less gamble-free for a year. That came about because I actually ended the relationship, just couldn’t handle it anymore. Then this brought about a really huge life-altering change on his part that included the gambling has stopped.
There’s so many things you have to think of, and you have to keep these plates spinning to protect him because the protection measures that you put in place for a recovering gambling addict, they’re there for life. The meetings are there for life, the checks are there for life.
He got looked after by one set of people. I got looked after by another set of people, and it helped us both really because I think sometimes when you’re in a relationship or you’re married, whether you’re living with someone, people see you like a double act, don’t they?
If we were having this discussion four years ago, it would be in my view a completely different discussion to what we’re having four years on. And that’s because as an affected other I’ve been on a journey of really trying to discover the reasons behind why my son became addicted to gambling.