Hi P,
Gambling has a way of completely changes us. It does happen at a chemical level in our brains. Our brains release a chemical when we are gambling. It actually releases more of the chemical right before a loss. I call it the rush that action brings. If you look at the rush as the way you look at a drink I think it helps understand our gambling disease better. Some people can have that rush and not want another and another or to get a bigger rush. But an alcoholic does similar to the gambler. When taking that drink or rush it helps us forget or push to the back of our heads the real reason we can’t control the amount of that rush thats healthy. Which in turn leads us down the same spiral that any other disease/addiction will. With gambling it costs us confidence, self worth, self control, friendships, trust, time, money, health, family, etc. Just like the alcoholic we can’t stop until we’re destroyed. I hope we can all remember this when we have the urge to feel the rush and not feel the pain. Remember feeling the pain and dealing with it is the healthy thing to do. Not place a bet or have a drink.
I wish you well P in your fight for your life back.
Jon