Patrick's story

Hi, I'm Pat. 32. I have lost over 60,000 dollars to gambling over the past 6 years. I am very ashamed of my addiction. I didn't know how to handle my addiction at the time.

I started gambling on and off from when I was 18 years old. $200 or $300 here and there. Nothing too serious.

I stopped gambling over a period of time when I was 23-25. Then after going through depression and loss and grief I somehow got back into gambling from pure pressure from dog act mates.

I started gambling excessive amounts of money. Lifetime savings, family's money and living expenses all went to gambling. It basically took over my life. I didn't know when to stop. I was chasing losses trying to get myself out of a hole, but I was creating a bigger one.

It was disgusting. Out at the club every second night walking around the club looking for a machine to play. Losing hundreds after hundreds and thousands after thousands, it took over me before I knew it.

I really hate myself from getting peer-pressured into excessive gambling. The worst thing about it is that it's your own fault. I don't know how I'll ever recover the losses. I'm still trying to cope with the ordeal.