Exiting the Gambling Addiction

Today we are bombarded with advertisements from sports Betting Agencies in various forms of media. Whilst gambling in its various forms is a part of the Australian way of life, its undue influence has increased significantly in recent times. This book reveals the darker side of gambling, including its devastating affects on gamblers and their families' lives. Always there is a story behind the gambler and how gambling preys on the vulnerable, including their earlier life experiences...
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Today we are bombarded with advertisements from sports Betting Agencies in various forms of media. Whilst gambling in its various forms is a part of the Australian way of life, its undue influence has increased significantly in recent times. This book reveals the darker side of gambling, including its devastating affects on gamblers and their families' lives. Always there is a story behind the gambler and how gambling preys on the vulnerable, including their earlier life experiences and traumas.Gambling is a difficult addiction to break - it is often referred to as "an addiction without a drug"! This book offers a new understanding of addictions, and how they are caused by the linkage between feelings and behaviour, including the emotional feeling being the underlying cause of the addiction. Numerous case studies are provided to illustrate this point including elite sportsmen and the general population. Problem gambling by players involved in elite sports is much more prevalent than what otherwise exists in population at large for a whole host of reasons. Gambling impacts adversely on their playing performance, their relationships, etc., not to mention their financial reserves.The treatment of choice for gamblers described in this book is based on the use of a relatively new therapy called Eye Movement Desensitisation Reprocessing (EMDR). EMDR is enjoying significant success in treating a range of disorders from addictions, anxiety to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Are sporting bodies doing enough in addressing gambling? Apart from having a responsibility to protect the integrity of their sport, they can and should be leaders in society in shaping social attitudes and behaviours. The focus of this book is on sports gambling which is the fastest growing form of gambling in Australia. It is directed towards the following groups: Those who may have a gambling addiction; Those who have been affected by gambling; Sports administrators;  Players, coa