I gambled for most of my life. Looking back, I realize it created a lot of instability for me and my family. After returning from a year deployment in Afghanistan, I started drinking and gambling heavily, and the combination had devastating effects. My family kicked me out of the house. Although I had a good income, I ended up homeless and living in my car on and off for several years. I had a pattern of getting money at the beginning of the month and gambling for a few days or a week, and ultimately losing. After 15 years I was able to stop drinking, but the less I drank, the more I gambled. I began getting tribal, title, and payday loans at insanely high interest rates. I was getting loans simply to pay interest on other loans. Ultimately, I was tens of thousands of dollars in debt and lying about my situation to just about everybody.

I was at a point where I really didn’t have a life other than gambling, and to gamble I needed money. But I was completely tapped out. I heard a commercial for The Gambling Clinic. Out of sheer desperation, I called. I didn’t have much hope in changing my life, but I had nothing else to give and nowhere else to go. Making that call was my only chance. It gave me a little bit of hope. Maybe I can do something different in my life—because this is no life. When I called, I found out The Gambling Clinic had an office close by. I made an appointment with a counselor there. I didn’t know what to expect, but I knew I needed help.

I met with the counselor once a week and learned quite a bit about myself. We explored the triggers, options, and consequences of my gambling. The counselor would challenge some of my beliefs and give me time to reflect on what is true and what is false. I also learned about relapsing, and I did relapse early on. But I kept going to my appointments.

In time, I was able to stop gambling long enough to see improvements in my life. I made arrangements with my creditors as best I could, and I had time to pursue a new business idea that required a lot of work, but little money. I also started exercising and eating better. The relationships with most of my family are still a mess, but I have the hope of healing as time passes. They need time seeing me as a different person.

The most important thing is seeing my life now—I look at it with so many possibilities. I’m glad to have this opportunity to do something different and make something of my life, even at age 65.

Names have been changed to protect client privacy. No identifying details have been included. Not all clients will have the same experiences and outcomes as the people whose stories are featured. Every person’s experience is unique.

The Gambling Clinic provides treatment for problem gambling.