Bingo in a church hall. A scratch off lottery game. A day at the racino or casino. For many people, gambling is entertainment. But for others, it is an addiction that destroys families, friendships and jobs. Left untreated, it can be deadly: One in five compulsive gamblers contemplates or attempts suicide.
Nationwide, an estimated 6 to 9 million people gamble compulsively. Monroe County alone is home to some 12,500 of them. Through absenteeism, wasted time, poor work performance, theft and accidents, these gamblers cost U.S. business and industry an estimated $5 billion a year - $3.5 million in the Rochester area. Some compulsive gamblers in fact may turn to so-called white collar crimes - fraud, embezzlement, and forgery - to finance their habits. Others turn to street crimes. At home, compulsive gambling takes its toll by breaking up families, causing mental breakdown, and/or impoverishment, and contributing to child neglect or abuse.
DePaul's Problem Gamblers Program helps compulsive gamblers and their families through individual and group counseling. For more than 15 years, our professionally-trained counselors have offered outreach, education and treatment.
We also make referrals to self-help groups such as Gamblers Anonymous. And our fees are affordable. All call and visits are confidential.
Traumatic experiences, past, present, or anticipated in the future, tend to accelerate the gambling behavior. Thus, gambling becomes a coping mechanism. Our philosophy of service is to treat the pain, (i.e. help the client identify the origin of the gambling). Otherwise, if we simply focus on the cessation of gambling and ignore the pain, the client may stop gambling and switch additions (i.e. drugs, alcohol, eating, etc).
