Hello all, I am new here (been reading) and I am wondering if anyone here
might comment on my experiences. My wife of 20 years (late fifties) has a
diagnosis of severe depression, anxiety, and compulsive behavior resulting
in a raging gambling addiction. It is the gambling that is most
problematic
for me.
The gambling started about 7 years ago with a physical crisis and since
then, a
series of family deaths, and a couple of years ago having her bi-polar
daughter move back in with us for 6 mos. (Huge disaster!!). But actually
her
sad
tale started at birth, she was first of 5 kids, all damaged and all
struggling with their own addictions (alcohol and gambling), breakdowns,
and
years of social withdrawals. Sad group. Monster parents! She ran away the
first time at the age of 10 and
has been running ever since. Now it is to the casino............
So here we are today, she is on Prozac, effexor and seroquel plus other
meds
for non psychotic conditions. She has been hospitalized (week) about 2
mos.
ago for
suicidal thoughts and spent an additional couple weeks in a residential
care
home to deal with depression and anxiety. After that she began actually
taking her drugs and attending therapy 3 times a week (at our HMO) and
she has just started gamblers anonymous in a serious way (3-4 weeks). Her
depression is greatly reduced but the compulsive gambling is unabated. She
runs off to the casino every
6-10 days, staying for 48-60 hrs straight. comes home to recharge and
begins
the cycle again, over and over for the past 6 years. For a few days upon
her
return she seems "normal" and if we travel (we're retired) for up to
several
weeks she
seems to me to be fine, but upon our return home (very nice and peaceful
place where nothing bad has ever happened to her, except the bi-polar
daughter) she runs back to the gambling (keno slots).
I am worn out and probably depressed, I have a counselor and occasionally
attend gam-anon
and do a lot of reading on depression (Ann Sheffield). I thought that I
had
control of our finances but recently discovered that the "pink slips" to
all
of our vehicles were missing. She has much experience with friendly pawn
brokers and I guess that they now own our cars and motorhome. She won't,
of
course, admit that she has done anything of the sort, but with all of the
other lies her denials don't carry much power. For the first time I am
seriously considering a separation or divorce.
Anyone here have any experience with successful treatment of such strong
compulsive gambling addictions besides what she is doing? Any ideas,
suggestions? Help
brian
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