Gamblers Anonymous, which has 1,400 chapters in the United States, offers this test to help people determine if they have a problem with gambling. Most compulsive gamblers answer yes to at least seven of the questions.
-- Did you ever lose time from work or school due to gambling?
-- Has gambling ever made your home life unhappy?
-- Did gambling affect your reputation?
-- Have you ever felt remorse after gambling?
-- Did you ever gamble to get money to pay debts or solve financial difficulties?
-- Did gambling cause a decrease in ambition or efficiency?
-- After losing did you feel you must return as soon as possible to win back your losses?
-- After a win did you have a strong urge to return and win more?
-- Did you often gamble until your last dollar was gone?
-- Did you ever borrow to finance your gambling?
-- Have you ever sold anything to finance gambling?
-- Were you reluctant to use gambling money for normal expenses?
-- Did gambling make you careless of the welfare of yourself or your family?
-- Did you ever gamble longer than planned?
-- Have you ever gambled to escape worry or trouble?
-- Have you ever committed, or considered committing, an illegal act to finance gambling?
-- Did gambling cause you to have difficulty sleeping?
-- Do arguments, disappointments or frustrations create within you an urge to gamble?
-- Did you ever have an urge to celebrate any good fortune by a few hours of gambling?
-- Have you ever considered self-destruction or suicide as a result of your gambling?
Denise Jewell is a CNHI News Service Elite Reporting Program fellow. She writes for the Niagara Gazette in Niagara Falls, N.Y.
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