Young gamblers have resources to get help

By Jennifer Dome
Staff Writer

By Jennifer Dome
Staff Writer

hen faced with the realization that either you or a young person you know has an addiction to gambling, it’s often difficult to know where to turn for help.

While compulsive gambling may not seem as dire a problem as drinking excessively or taking drugs, any compulsive habit that a person does without regard to the consequences, whether they know the consequences or not, is dangerous, said Pamela Sachs, coordinator for substance abuse services at the Hampton Hospital’s Behavior Health Care unit in Mount Holly, Burlington County.

"You get that little taste of success … and you shoot for higher," Sachs said, adding that gambling is like a drug of choice for some people.

"You build tolerance to it and you need more of that substance to feel high," she said.

Sachs said that in order to combat an addiction to gambling, the trigger that makes a person want to gamble must be removed.

"There’s no cure for any addiction except abstinence. Period," she said.

Although many parents may rely on schools to give their children a broad education on the dangers of alcohol and drugs, many schools don’t focus enough on gambling as a problem, Sachs said.

Edward Looney, executive director of the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey, said that if a school or organization would like someone from the council to speak to their students or members, they can call (609) 588-5515 to set up a speaking engagement.

There are several resources available to teenagers who believe they may be a compulsive gambler or fear they are heading down that road, Looney said.

One option is for students to visit a school counselor, Looney said.

"They’re very open to people who have problems with [gambling]," he said. Looney added that a bonus to speaking with a counselor is that he or she will keep a student’s problems confidential.

Other people whom adolescents can reach out to in their schools include health or physical education teachers or other trusted educators, Looney said.

However, if a teen wants to seek help for their gambling addiction outside of school, national and local programs that help adult compulsive gamblers are open to young people as well.

The Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey has a 24-hour help line which can be reached by dialing 1-800-GAMBLER. The help line puts callers in touch with a live person, Looney said. Friends or family of a suspected compulsive gambler can also call the help line for information, he said.

If a teenager in trouble, or a person who suspects a friend or family member is in trouble, does not want to speak with someone directly, they can log onto www.800gambler.org, the council’s Web site. The Web site gives helpful information about the signs of compulsive gambling and lets those in trouble learn what they can do to combat the problem, he said.

The Council on Compulsive Gambling in New Jersey will soon add more features to its Web site including a forum where teens can chat with other young people and learn to cope with their addiction.

Besides the gambling council’s resources, Gamblers Anonymous is open to teenagers, Looney said. Gamblers Anonymous also keeps confidential the identity of those seeking help.

It holds daily meetings in municipalities throughout the state and can be reached through several hot line numbers.

The main state hot line is (877) 994-2465.

In southern New Jersey, the hot line is (856) 429-6516, and the Cherry Hill hot line is (856) 661-8002.

There is also a Web site, found at www.gamblersanonymous.org, which people can visit to learn meeting times or more information.