Hi Olegna
nI am a facilitator for Friends and Family on this site and as such speak to wives, girlfriends, mothers, daughters of CGs who are either still actively gambling or are seeking to control their addiction or who have controlled their addiction.
nGoing to GA just for you was the right thing to do trying to control the addiction to gamble requires a selfishness of thought and personal determination so well done on your perseverance.
nFriends and Family often try to establish what triggered the addiction in the first place and usually believe that in some way they are to blame. It might be that your wife believes that your parents are in some way to blame and/or maybe they have said something untoward to her about you. It happens.
nA long time ago I saw a counsellor who spent the whole session barking up the wrong tree, trying to convince me that the problem in my life was me she had no comprehension of compulsive gambling. I had unhelpful experiences with doctors and a psychiatrist, although the main support there was to tell me to throw my CG out of my life. It wasnt until I went to Gamanon, which is the sister group to GA, that at last I found out that I was not alone. There were no counsellors in the room but from that moment on my life changed.
nSo although I am not in the same shoes as you, I have certainly walked a long way in your wifes shoes and I would love to welcome her into our F&F group on Thursdays 20.00-21.00 hours UK time / 89pm BST. The forum is also there for her if she wants to communicate before then or at any other time. Our Helpline is open for her too.
nI dont have a magic wand or a crystal ball so I cannot guarantee you the outcome you desire but I firmly believe that sharing with people who have shared the experience of living with the addiction to gamble is brilliant for those who love CGs.
nI wish you well and hope to welcome your wife should she want to talk to people who understand her.
nVelvet
n
