Slightly paranoid question

[paulll]

Hi! I have a question that I ask myself from time to time. Yes, that might be a bit paranoid, but still. If we are talking about betting, where is the distinction between leisure time and addiction? How should I notice that something went wrong?
Does it make some sense to ask such things in this forum?

[Hman]

Whether it be gambling or anything in life, some people can develop a habit.

You can correct it by putting your priorities in order.

[MinnesotaFats]

When you cannot perform your moral or financial obligations due to gambling, you have a problem.

IE skips kid tball game to watch for halftime lines

IE cannot get hard because sweating out nba over on late game

IE miss mortgage because Hawaii didnt bail you out at 1am EST

[BigdaddyQH]

Well put Fats. In general, if your wagering is causing you any type of hardship, such as financial, personal, or otherwise, you have a problem. That does not mean blowing off some steam after a "bad beat" even though seasoned mature gamblers know the stupidity of that. It means crying and excuse making for every loss, like many in here do. It means getting so involved that you simply cannot function properly.

[maggiethebestdog]

If you have only lost all of your money, but have not lied and conned all of your family and friends out of all of their money yet, you don't have a problem

[KVB]

Hi! I have a question that I ask myself from time to time. Yes, that might be a bit paranoid, but still. If we are talking about betting, where is the distinction between leisure time and addiction? How should I notice that something went wrong?
Does it make some sense to ask such things in this forum?

Nothing paranoid about it.

The good thing is that there are experts already out there to help you identify, avoid, even quit if you need to.

Start here but it's not all inclusive...

Be Honest.

http://www.gamblersanonymous.org/ga/content/20-questions

Are you a compulsive gambler?

Answer all 20 questions below and view our comments based on your answers.

---

1.	Did you ever lose time from work or school due to gambling?	Yes	No
2.	Has gambling ever made your home life unhappy?	Yes	No
3.	Did gambling affect your reputation?	Yes	No
4.	Have you ever felt remorse after gambling?	Yes	No
5.	Did you ever gamble to get money with which to pay debts or otherwise solve financial difficulties?	Yes	No
6.	Did gambling cause a decrease in your ambition or efficiency?	Yes	No
7.	After losing did you feel you must return as soon as possible and win back your losses?	Yes	No
8.	After a win did you have a strong urge to return and win more?	Yes	No
9.	Did you often gamble until all your money was gone?	Yes	No
10.	Did you ever borrow to finance your gambling?	Yes	No
11.	Have you ever sold anything to finance gambling?	Yes	No
12.	Were you reluctant to use "gambling money" for normal expenditures?	Yes	No
13.	Did gambling make you careless of the welfare of yourself or your family?	Yes	No
14.	Did you ever gamble longer than you had planned?	Yes	No
15.	Have you ever gambled to escape worry, trouble, boredom, loneliness, grief or loss?	Yes	No
16.	Have you ever committed, or considered committing, an illegal act to finance gambling?	Yes	No
17.	Did gambling cause you to have difficulty in sleeping?	Yes	No
18.	Do arguments, disappointments or frustrations create within you an urge to gamble?	Yes	No
19.	Did you ever have an urge to celebrate any good fortune by a few hours of gambling?	Yes	No
20.	Have you ever considered self-destruction or suicide as a result of your gambling?	Yes	No

[bobbywaves]

How should I notice that something went wrong?

The Big 3:

1) Bankroll
2) Money Management Skills
3) Discipline

If you lack any of the Big 3, something went wrong.

[KVB]

The Big 3:

1) Bankroll
2) Money Management Skills
3) Discipline

If you lack any of the Big 3, something went wrong.

Very cliche and not the whole truth, it doesn't stop there. In fact, trying to dumb it down to your level waves does a disservice to anyone serious about this topic.

All three of those things can be well in check and something can still "go wrong." In fact, all three have such wide definitions that they can lead to the downfall of some bettors in terms of addiction.

There is a lot more to problematic situations for sure.

It takes a much broader inspection to understand what is and is not in the bettor's control.

If you want real advice, seek the professionals who deal on a daily basis. There is a lot of research out there available to them.

Paulll...

There is nothing wrong with consistently dropping in to see what condition your condition is in, you don't have live in ignorance because some guy (I don't know the guy, but forum history shows bobbywaves clearly seems to not be respected in the SBR Forum overall) broadly uses the term discipline to claim it is important.

Be careful where you get your advice, this racket is cut out for everyone and while everyone is the same to some extent everyone is also different, from the environmental exposure to the chemical make up.

It's a complex issue and absolutely requires some serious introspection for some. Some, no matter how much they work on it, won't be able to overcome some obstacles.

Good Luck.

[Hman]

#1 Rule don't bet with money you can't afford to lose

Always pay your bills and cover your necessities first, it's that simple

[KVB]

#1 Rule don't bet with money you can't afford to lose

Always pay your bills and cover your necessities first, it's that simple

Here's an example of what I'm saying.

Of the 20 questions above, how may deal directly with money or bankroll?

Question 5 deals with whether you gambled to try to win money to pay something, not relevant to bankroll but more so to how you treat negative probability situations.

Questions 9, 10, 11, 12, and 16 deal with finances and related behavior.

Questions 7 and 8 can be managed by bankroll discipline but the questions aren't designed to root out bankroll issues, obviously.

So that's it.

In just one 20 question survey that could indicate gambling issues, only 1/4th of them involve money and bankroll...questions 9-12.

This isn't about home economics check book balancing, this is about psychology. Sure, it can become about the check book, but it can very much so root elsewhere.

Think about it.

[bobbywaves]

Very cliche and not the whole truth, it doesn't stop there. In fact, trying to dumb it down to your level waves does a disservice to anyone serious about this topic.

Big 3 is the whole truth & absolutely stops there. You're doing a disservice to the OP by ignorantly claiming otherwise.

All three of those things can be well in check and something can still "go wrong."

[Hman]

This isn't about home economics check book balancing, this is about psychology. Sure, it can become about the check book, but it can very much so root elsewhere.

Think about it.

Oh yeah agreed, psychology key

[BrickJames]

When you cannot perform your moral or financial obligations due to gambling, you have a problem.

IE skips kid tball game to watch for halftime lines

IE cannot get hard because sweating out nba over on late game

IE miss mortgage because Hawaii didnt bail you out at 1am EST

This guy should be an addiction counselor.

Wow, very precise and to the point.

[mrpapageorgio]

Someone once told me, "It's not a problem until you start dipping into the milk money to scratch that itch."

[TheMoneyShot]

Did the 20 Gambling Questions make you laugh? I did. lol

[paulll]

I can see here a lot of essential advice. That's what I was looking for. Actually there are no problems from the financial point of view. The main reason for me to worry was my brother's words. He's not into gambling, so it's a bit complicated for him to understand my enthusiasm. I do not feel like my hobby turns into something dangerous or something that may be called an addiction

[paulll]

Nothing paranoid about it.
The good thing is that there are experts already out there to help you identify, avoid, even quit if you need to.
Start here but it's not all inclusive...
Be Honest.

http://www.gamblersanonymous.org/ga/content/20-questions

I have doubts people are honest with themselves answering these questions, but thanks anyway

[juicername]

Nothing paranoid about it.

The good thing is that there are experts already out there to help you identify, avoid, even quit if you need to.

Start here but it's not all inclusive...

Be Honest.

http://www.gamblersanonymous.org/ga/content/20-questions

Are you a compulsive gambler?

Answer all 20 questions below and view our comments based on your answers.

---

1.	Did you ever lose time from work or school due to gambling?	Yes	No
2.	Has gambling ever made your home life unhappy?	Yes	No
3.	Did gambling affect your reputation?	Yes	No
4.	Have you ever felt remorse after gambling?	Yes	No
5.	Did you ever gamble to get money with which to pay debts or otherwise solve financial difficulties?	Yes	No
6.	Did gambling cause a decrease in your ambition or efficiency?	Yes	No
7.	After losing did you feel you must return as soon as possible and win back your losses?	Yes	No
8.	After a win did you have a strong urge to return and win more?	Yes	No
9.	Did you often gamble until all your money was gone?	Yes	No
10.	Did you ever borrow to finance your gambling?	Yes	No
11.	Have you ever sold anything to finance gambling?	Yes	No
12.	Were you reluctant to use "gambling money" for normal expenditures?	Yes	No
13.	Did gambling make you careless of the welfare of yourself or your family?	Yes	No
14.	Did you ever gamble longer than you had planned?	Yes	No
15.	Have you ever gambled to escape worry, trouble, boredom, loneliness, grief or loss?	Yes	No
16.	Have you ever committed, or considered committing, an illegal act to finance gambling?	Yes	No
17.	Did gambling cause you to have difficulty in sleeping?	Yes	No
18.	Do arguments, disappointments or frustrations create within you an urge to gamble?	Yes	No
19.	Did you ever have an urge to celebrate any good fortune by a few hours of gambling?	Yes	No
20.	Have you ever considered self-destruction or suicide as a result of your gambling?	Yes	No

Doubt anyone on this forum will get fewer than 15 yes (I certainly didn't).

[gauchojake]

If you have to ask...

[DiggityDaggityDo]

I gamble to win money so that I can buy crack cocaine and hookers.

I am not addicted to gambling though.

I am addicted to crack cocaine and hookers.

[gauchojake]

Diggity lemme borrow some crack

[PAULYPOKER]

The Big 3:

1) Bankroll
2) 1.Money Management Skills
3) Discipline



If you lack any of the Big 3, something went wrong.

Money Management Skills are discipline and bankroll..........

[Auto Donk]

Nothing paranoid about it.

The good thing is that there are experts already out there to help you identify, avoid, even quit if you need to.

Start here but it's not all inclusive...

Be Honest.

http://www.gamblersanonymous.org/ga/content/20-questions

Are you a compulsive gambler?

Answer all 20 questions below and view our comments based on your answers.

---

1.	Did you ever lose time from work or school due to gambling?	Yes	No
2.	Has gambling ever made your home life unhappy?	Yes	No
3.	Did gambling affect your reputation?	Yes	No
4.	Have you ever felt remorse after gambling?	Yes	No
5.	Did you ever gamble to get money with which to pay debts or otherwise solve financial difficulties?	Yes	No
6.	Did gambling cause a decrease in your ambition or efficiency?	Yes	No
7.	After losing did you feel you must return as soon as possible and win back your losses?	Yes	No
8.	After a win did you have a strong urge to return and win more?	Yes	No
9.	Did you often gamble until all your money was gone?	Yes	No
10.	Did you ever borrow to finance your gambling?	Yes	No
11.	Have you ever sold anything to finance gambling?	Yes	No
12.	Were you reluctant to use "gambling money" for normal expenditures?	Yes	No
13.	Did gambling make you careless of the welfare of yourself or your family?	Yes	No
14.	Did you ever gamble longer than you had planned?	Yes	No
15.	Have you ever gambled to escape worry, trouble, boredom, loneliness, grief or loss?	Yes	No
16.	Have you ever committed, or considered committing, an illegal act to finance gambling?	Yes	No
17.	Did gambling cause you to have difficulty in sleeping?	Yes	No
18.	Do arguments, disappointments or frustrations create within you an urge to gamble?	Yes	No
19.	Did you ever have an urge to celebrate any good fortune by a few hours of gambling?	Yes	No
20.	Have you ever considered self-destruction or suicide as a result of your gambling?	Yes	No

as I read each question, an image of JJ Gold saying he'd done it on one of his videos immediately popped into my head..... illegal acts, borrowing money, regret, gambling til broke, all of em.....

[PAULYPOKER]

That's his job to make losing look normal

[DiggityDaggityDo]

Diggity lemme borrow some crack

Gaucher, I’ll trade you crack for a hooker.

[TheGoldenGoose]

I went to one GA meeting about 30 years ago and never went back again. The room was full of lying hypocrites. These guys were so FOS. They were still gambling yet going to weekly meetings. And I just knew immediately 90% were liars.

People should always have a SEPARATE bankroll for gambling. You should not be gambling with other monies. If you do not have a SEPARATE gambling bankroll then DO NOT GAMBLE.

The second mistake people make is betting WAY over their heads. They might have a $5K bankroll and think they can wager $1K a game. Asinine. If you are sweating every game out then you are betting WAY over your head. What is the correct amount you should be betting each game? So called “experts” in here will say no more than 5% of your bankroll on one game. The correct answer is if you can enjoy the game you are betting on, can walk away from it for 30 minutes without worry, or don’t even need to see the ending and just check scores later, then you are OK and you do not have a gambling problem.

��

[KVB]

I have doubts people are honest with themselves answering these questions, but thanks anyway

Doesn't matter what people do.

It only matters how honest you are with yourself.

Good Luck.

[Dr.Gonzo]

When you're sleeping under a bridge like a troll something went wrong

[SBR_Guest_Pro]

Hi! I have a question that I ask myself from time to time. Yes, that might be a bit paranoid, but still. If we are talking about betting, where is the distinction between leisure time and addiction? How should I notice that something went wrong?
Does it make some sense to ask such things in this forum?

If you wake up in the morning and feel the urge to place a bet on something but have nothing specific. You're addicted

[paulll]

If you wake up in the morning and feel the urge to place a bet on something but have nothing specific. You're addicted

That's a striking symptom! Totally agree