Gambling in the metro area is big business, and it seems we hear about it every day. How long has Heartland Family Service been treating compulsive gamblers?
We opened our program in 1985, when Iowa lottery funds were designated for compulsive gambling treatment. But compulsive gambling has increased so much we now cover a 10-county area around the metro area in both Nebraska and Iowa. We take a family-centered approach and accommodate the differences that face gamblers who live rural areas as well as those who live in town.
The Superbowl is this Sunday, and a lot of people are gambling that their team will win. But for some gamblers, the Superbowl is more than a game – it’s an addiction. How can you tell whether a person has a problem with gambling, or whether it's just a social pastime?
Watch for clues in his behavior. How preoccupied is he with the gambling. Is it to the exclusion of enjoying the game? How many games is the person following? TV? Radio? Is he eagerly following up on game scores in the newspaper or Internet? Is he irritable when losing, ecstatic when winning? Does he bet more than he has in a desperate attempt to make up for previous losses?
Look for clues in the gambler’s life. Is his family and /or work suffering? Is he and/or his family having trouble with unstable finances?
What can be done if a person suspects that someone close to them is gambling too much?
Try to anticipate when the problems will occur—around big games or whatever the gambler puts his money on. Take steps to protect yourself and your children -- financially, emotionally & physically. Don't support or enable the gambler by giving him money or lying for him.
How can Heartland Family Service help gamblers and their families?
We address the immediate needs of the gambler and the family, offering individualized treatment for gamblers and significant others as well. Group counseling offers peer support, which is a pretty powerful influence on the compulsive gambler. Our counselors will help the gambler work with creditors to stabilize finances. Basically, we try to help the entire family by teaching the gambler how to let go of the gambling habit.
For a free brochure of tips on
"How to Help a Compulsive Gambler,"
call Heartland Family Service in the Omaha area at 553-3000
or in Southwest Iowa at 322-1407; (800) 422-1407 toll free.
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