A Veteran with a Gambling Addiction

Posted by on Jun 9, 2014 in Gambling Addiction | 1 comment

A caller, Lindsay*, recently made a hard decision that many people with addicted loved ones have to make. She recently left her partner, Greg*, because she could no longer deal with the turmoil his gambling addiction was causing. Even though Lindsay took a big step in asserting her own boundaries by separating from Greg, she, like many others, was still concerned with helping him find support and treatment for her loved one’s addiction.

A little more about Greg…

29-year-old Greg is an ex-military veteran with PTSD who received two $30,000 settlements for his mental distress. He has blown his entire settlement on gambling. Like many people with process addictions, Greg also abuses substances (he uses alcohol and cocaine), but mostly struggles with gambling.

Greg does not recognize he has a problem. Greg admitted to having a problem when Lindsay moved out, but has yet to make any effort to stop gambling or get help. We informed Lindsay that we have specific resources for veterans needing treatment. This was a huge relief to Lindsay, knowing there are resources for Greg to get treatment. We also mentioned the benefit of attending a treatment center that has programs to address both process addictions and trauma, such as our sponsoring organization, Sunshine Coast Health Centre.

Lindsay was looking specifically for counselling in Edmonton, AB to help her cope with the impacts of Greg’s gambling problem. We provided her with contacts for the Edmonton Mental Health & Addictions Office…

GOVERNMENT-FUNDED OUTPATIENT CLINICS IN EDMONTON

Edmonton Adult Counselling and Prevention Services
 (Alberta Health Services
)
10010 102A Avenue NW
 Edmonton, AB T5J 0G5
Phone: (780) 427-2736
 Open Monday to Friday 8 AM -5 PM, Tuesday to Thursday 8 AM – 9 PM. Intake/Assessment is available on a drop-in basis Monday, Tuesday, and Friday from 8 AM – 3 PM and Wednesdays 8 AM – 2 PM.

and general links for problem gambling resources in Edmonton and Canada…

GENERALIZED EDMONTON RESOURCES FOR ADDICTION

Here is the link to a webpage for private Edmonton addiction resources: http://www.sunshinecoasthealthcentre.ca/edmonton-rehab.html#private

There is a long list of counsellors who deal with addictions and Lindsay will have to contact them to see if they help people affected by addicts, specifically gambling, before deciding whether or not she will connect with them.

GAMBLING SPECIFIC

Here is the link to the gambling-specific resources: http://www.canadadrugrehab.ca/Gambling-Addiction-Treatment.html

You will see each province’s resources and you will also see federal resources. Just click the grey bar for each section or province and it will drop down all the resources for that section.

This is one resource we thought might help Lindsay more than any other…

Problem Gambling Resource Network
2nd floor, 3312 Parsons Road Edmonton, AB T6N 1B5 Phone: (780)461-1259 Email: pgrn@programgamblingalberta.ca

The Problem Gambling Resources Network is committed to helping individuals and communities address gambling in a healthy and responsible way through public awareness, education, advocacy, prevention, treatment/referral and research.

*Not their real names

Looking for more information? Contact us at info@canadadrugrehab.ca or 1.877.7461963

One Comment

  1. For many people like Greg taking a look at our gambling and deciding if it’s a problem that needs outside help is really hard.
    Researchers at the University of Windsor have developed a free program, gaugeyourgambling.com, to help with that process that others going through something similar might find helpful for their partners.

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