Playing Poker
Responsibly
Just
like any of our other vices,
online poker
can get very addicting, very
quickly. It’s important to make
sure that your online gaming doesn’t
get out of control. It may be
fun for awhile, but when you can’t
make your mortgage payment because
you’ve dumped too much money into
your online poker account; it’s time
to think about holding back and
seeking some help.
There
are a number of resources out there to help
with gambling addictions. We don’t
have a preference for one over
another. The important part is to
seek help if your gambling gets out of
control. You may want to check out
some of the following
resources:
The Responsible Gambling
Council can be found at
http://www.responsiblegambling.org/
Their
mission statement is straight
forward: The RCG is a non-profit
organization that works with individuals
and communities to address gambling in a
healthy and responsible way. The
council undertakes research and public
awareness programs designed to prevent
gambling-related
problems.
Probably the most
well-know organization for gambling
problems is Gambler’s Anonymous. The
operate much on the premise of Alcoholics
Anonymous and can be found online at
http://www.gamblersanonymous.org/
.
The following
comes directly from their
website:
GAMBLERS
ANONYMOUS is a fellowship of
men and women who share their experience,
strength and hope with each other that they
may solve their common problem and help
others to recover from a gambling
problem.
The
only requirement for membership is a desire
to stop gambling. There are no dues or fees
for Gamblers Anonymous membership; we are
self-supporting through our own
contributions. Gamblers Anonymous is not
allied with any sect, denomination,
politics, organization or institution; does
not wish to engage in any controversy;
neither endorses nor opposes any cause. Our
primary purpose is to stop gambling and to
help other compulsive gamblers do the
same.
Most of
us have been unwilling to admit we were
real problem gamblers. No one likes to
think they are different from their
fellows. Therefore, it is not surprising
that our gambling careers have been
characterized by countless vain attempts to
prove we could gamble like other people.
The idea that somehow, some day, we will
control our gambling is the great obsession
of every compulsive gambler. The
persistence of this illusion is
astonishing. Many pursue it into the gates
of prison, insanity or
death.
We
learned we had to concede fully to our
innermost selves that we are compulsive
gamblers. This is the first step in our
recovery. With reference to gambling, the
delusion that we are like other people, or
presently may be, has to be
smashed.
We have
lost the ability to control our gambling.
We know that no real compulsive gambler
ever regains control. All of us felt at
times we were regaining control, but such
intervals - usually brief -were inevitably
followed by still less control, which led
in time to pitiful and incomprehensible
demoralization.
We are
convinced that gamblers of our type are in
the grip of a progressive illness. Over any
considerable period of time we get worse,
never better. Therefore, in order to lead
normal happy lives, we try to practice to
the best of our ability, certain principles
in our daily affairs.
Finally, don’t hesitate
to contact your family physician or call a
local therapist if you think you might have
a gambling problem.
The main thing is to know that you have a
problem and that you need to seek out
resources to control that problem.
It’s nothing to be ashamed of. The
main thing to keep in mind is that it needs
to be brought under control before serious
damage is done.
Play
Online
Poker
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