"Managers Of The Universe"

Similar to the alcoholic with a good “buzz” on, the compulsive gambler appears to be right on top of everything in the world and fantasizes one day of achieving their dream of providing for everyone else.  Of course it never happens because even when they win an amount of money, they throw it right back on the table and ultimately lose it.  Some feel this is a form of self-punishment that’s also present with most other addictions.  People with chronic low self-esteem don’t generally feel they deserve success, whether they worked for it, or even when it’s handed to them.  You could almost say that the self-punishment is just one of the results of a great deal of "self-hatred" going on inside.

The “Chase”

Like the substance abuser who gets that first ideal “high or buzz” and then chases it all the way to a treatment center, the pathological gambler also chases the first good “win.” And then even when they get another good win, they throw it back on the table and lose it again, only to begin the chase all over again.  But what you have to understand here is that compulsive gamblers aren’t always just chasing good wins, they’re also chasing bad losses.

And that’s because sometimes when they lose what looked like a sure win, they feel slighted and as if they’ve been mistreated.  In some cases, this may cause extreme anger and a feeling of wanting to be vindicated because fate has victimized them.  So they have to resume the chase to get back whatever power they had and the more they lose, the more desperate they become in chasing.  Thus begins the vicious cycle.

Many compulsive gamblers agree as well that after a point, it’s no longer about winning or losing, it’s about playing and being in the “action” as long as possible.  So basically, the compulsive gambler is chasing their own tail.  No matter what happens, the chase will never end, because comfort can only be found when there's the "distraction of action."

The “Ritual”

Another important element of addiction is ritual. In some cases and with some addictions, simply eliminating the “rituals” that accompany the addiction can be enough to cause the addiction to lose at least some of it’s appeal.   Powerful aspects of the addiction are obtained from the ritual itself, such that without it, the behavior or substance no longer is accompanied by the feeling of euphoria.  Heroin is a good example. The ritual of injecting heroin and the lifestyle involved in the pursuit and use of the drug is a part of the addiction. Taking away these components, as is done in methadone clinics, often helps the addict get a little leverage on their problem.

Most addicts or people with a compulsive behavior also have a ritual that indirectly surrounds the behavior.  The drinker has their drink prepared in a certain way and even smokers have a certain way of holding the cigarette, or a certain way of inhaling and exhaling and so on.  Take away the ritual, and you take away a great deal of the satisfaction.  Take away the satisfaction, and you begin to get a handle on it.

On the next page, we'll look at some of the treatment options available for compulsive gambling.

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