Bea's story

My dad has a really bad gambling addiction problem. He has lost so much money over the pokies.

I just can't believe that he is my dad and how he has incurred this significant addiction which has impacted on his life and my life as well.

As soon as he gets paid from work, the next day it's all gone. Then the arguments and fights start because he has no money and can't buy anything or pay any bills. My dad is struggling to pay the mortgage every month. His mobile gets disconnected because he can't pay the bills. Letters from debt collectors are coming everyday in the mail, all his bills are 'overdue' or 'final warning'. I'm just sick of living this horrible life. I keep telling him you need help, see someone or get banned from the pokie places but he just won’t listen.

He thinks 'he'll be alright and it's the last time and his not going to go again'. I'm sick of all the lies and how he treats me. I don't think I can keep living this kind of life. It's just too stressful and worrying.

I've told him I don't want to live this life. If you don't stop I will go and move on. I love my dad dearly but I just can't keep on going like this. I want to have a good life without this evil addiction in it. I want to have a future and with gambling there is no future. You go nowhere in life just lower and lower. I have said to him you have to make a choice and ask yourself what do you value more.

I hope he does something about his addiction because I want him in my life. I'm not prepared to go down as well just because he has this problem. I hope he sees the light and take control.