New Jersey Gambling Addiction? Call or visit 800 GAMBLER.org · Symptom Quiz · Gambling and Fantasy Sports · Contact
March is officially National Problem Gambling Awareness Month. Throughout the next few weeks, the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey will participate in awareness-raising events and outreach initiatives that encourage problem gamblers and their loved ones to speak out about gambling addiction and seek the help that they need.
Feelings of shame and loneliness plague people who are struggling with addiction. These feelings not only intensify the emotional distress of a gambling addiction but also often prevent gambling addicts from seeking help.
When struggling with disordered gambling, you may convince yourself that even if you admitted your addiction to someone else, they wouldn’t understand what you’ve been through, and would certainly judge you harshly for it. You might be afraid that your loved ones will abandon you entirely once they learn of your addiction. Perhaps you’re convinced that addiction is something that happens only to “other” people—so how could it be happening to you?
These conceptions simply aren’t true. Regular people throughout New Jersey struggle with problem gambling. From AC to Freehold, Marlboro Township to Monmouth, thousands of men and women deal with the ups and downs of this “invisible addiction.” However, many of them have also begun their recovery journey thanks to their attendance at Gamblers Anonymous meetings throughout the state, including Marlboro Township, Monmouth, AC, Freehold, and many other locations.
Gamblers Anonymous provides hope and a safe, supportive community of other people who do, in fact, know what you are going through. This fellowship group believes that disordered gambling is an illness, and treats it as such. Instead of shame and isolation, you’ll find only compassion and encouragement at any of these meetings. The men and women who attend meetings in their hometowns each week help each other to break the stigma around problem gambling by sharing their experiences, listening to each other, and offering strength. Through a twelve-step program of recovery, Gamblers Anonymous meetings empower members to stop gambling and start living.
Support, treatment and hope are only a phone call away: Reach out at 1-800-GAMBLER today.
It is never too late to begin your journey of recovery. Each step towards quitting gambling is a step towards your health, happiness, and financial stability.