By Rebecca Williams,
LPC CEAP, Director of Caba Employee Assistance
Services
The holidays are over, the Super Bowl and the Olympics,
and we are back to the end-of-winter doldrums
of the daily grind, with few events on the calendar
to anticipate and feeling beaten down by what has been a relentless
cold season. Studies show that it is often during these times of fewer
distractions, that we are more vulnerable to creating distractions
or escapes, some good, some not so good.
During these slow times, we are not our own best
counsel, and many of us need perspective to preserve
ourselves and protect our relationships. Knowing
this before a tragedy, loss or crisis is preferable but not always
the case. Regardless of where you are with an issue, Lawyers
Helping Lawyers is a program through the OBA designed to provide a short-term
counseling intervention to help you get perspective and make a plan.
It can help with a broad range of emotional and addiction issues,
not simply drugs and alcohol. It?s confidential and is provided at
no cost to the member.
Here are some identifiers for a gambling addiction.
About Problem & Compulsive Gambling
10 Indications of Problem or Compulsive Gambling Behavior
- You have often gambled longer than you had planned.
- You have often gambled until your last dollar
was gone.
- Thoughts of gambling have caused you to lose
sleep.
- You have used your income or savings to gamble
while letting bills go unpaid.
- You have made repeated, unsuccessful attempts
to stop gambling.
- You have broken the law or considered breaking
the law to finance your gambling.
- You have borrowed money to finance your gambling.
- You have felt depressed or suicidal because
of your gambling losses.
- You have been remorseful after gambling.
- You have gambled to get money to meet your
financial obligations.
If you or someone you know answers "Yes" to any of these
questions, consider seeking assistance from LHL (800.364.7886),
or by calling the National Problem Gambling HelpLine
Network (800.522.4700)
toll free and confidential throughout the U.S.
|
