November 1999

Gam-Anon

In most cities, Gam-Anon groups are flourishing. These groups are composed of men and women who are husbands, wives, relatives or close friends of compulsive gamblers. They are seeking a solution for living with this problem by changing their own lives. This is accomplished by:

1. Spiritual growth through living by the Twelve Steps of Gam-Anon.
2. Endeavoring to give encouragement and understanding to the G.A. member in the home.
3. Welcoming and giving comfort to the families of compulsive gamblers.

They are made aware that by joining Gam-Anon, they help themselves and ought not join for the purpose of forcing their compulsive gambler into G.A. In truth, it often follows that when the family gains understanding of the problem and attends Gam-Anon faithfully, sooner or later the gambler comes to G.A. because of the lessened tensions in the home, and because he/she sees spiritual principles working which he/she decided can work for him/her, too. However, families are told not to expect this fortunate result, and that it is important that they come to Gam-Anon to find a new way of life for themselves.

The Gam-Anon guide titled Living with the Gambling Problem describes the program as "a new way of life. The spiritual values, such as patience, humility and honesty, which we learn to accept gradually, help us to meet old situations with courage and confidence and new situations with strength and serenity. The full benefit of the program comes through helping others."

Many spouses, family members and friends realize that behaviors of concern are occurring. Unfortunately, they often do not have the tools to determine the exact nature of the problem. Gam-Anon compiled a series of 20 questions (shown below) to help determine if the problem(s) stem from excessive gambling.

If spouses, family members and friends respond positively to at least 6 of the questions, attending a Gam-Anon meeting is recommended. Gam-Anon helps individuals by increasing self-esteem and the awareness that you don't have to be alone with your problems. By learning understanding and acceptance, members of Gam-Anon learn how to live with a compulsive gambler as well as ways to be of greatest help to the compulsive gambler.

For further information or to find the location of the Gam-Anon meeting nearest you, call the Minnesota Compulsive Gambling Hotline at 1 (800) 437-3641 or contact Gam-Anon at (612) 922-3956 or check our web site at www.miph.org/gambling.

Gambling Problems Resource Center
2720 Highway 10
Mounds View, MN 55112
763-427-5310