Andrew’s Story 

When I stopped drinking in 1992, after years of alcohol abuse, I almost immediately began gambling. It very quickly became a problem that I could not control. I wanted to stop, tried to stop, but couldn’t. For over 8 years I regularly attended counselling; I stopped gambling for a while, but always went back to it, and each time I did I was worse than before.

By 2004, my marriage was in ruins, I had severe depression, was highly suicidal, and my gambling was at its worst. I found out about, and began, the Statewide Gambling Therapy Service programme. It was the start of getting my life back.

The treatment centres around removing the urge to gamble, and as soon as I began the programme, I felt that it would work. Yes, the treatment very effectively removes the urge to gamble, but it also places importance on replacing the gambling with other enjoyable activities. There is on-going support for those who need it, and in my own case, I was provided with treatment for the issues which lay behind my gambling and my earlier alcohol abuse.

The treatment has an incredible success rate, and I can vouch for the fact that IT WORKS.