I understand. But still, nothing ever came out of treating someone like a piece of crap trying to get them the help they need. All it does is make their situation seem more dire.

Apparently you need a nice warm welcome to the interwebz.

Exactly

I just Googled "Pai Gow promotions". I was surprised at how many there were currently running. And they're everywhere.

I think trying to help people who need it, is a lot harder than kicking them when they're down. That's too easy. Sorry, I'm a believer in karma.

I won't disagree with your last statement though. He needs to to go to GA and get the help he needs. But I see nothing wrong with supporting someone trying to get their life on track.

You are correct. I did steal money from my wife, from boss, my parents etc. I ran scams on others, and myself. Gambling took my life down a road I never thought I would go. I am not sympathizing with Mike per say, but I am sympathetic for those that are effected with the disease of compulsive gambling. I have seen first hand, some very good people, who did terrible, terrible things will they were caught up in gambling. I personally am not sharing info to make myself better, my life is already so much better without gambling. I am sharing because when you have empathy for others, you want to help all you can. It's another great part of the benefit of living in recovery from gambling..

This could not be further than the truth.

Are you really trying to say that we shouldn't treat addicts like the *******s that they are because it will bring attention to how dire of a situation it is to be an addict who can't support themselves?

The first rule of fixing problems is realizing that you have them. Being nice to addicts just delays the process of said addict realizing what a piece of **** they are and that they need to change, thus fixing the problem.

Ever watched intervention?

If an addict doesn't agree to having their families intervene in their life, they cut all communications with said addict. We're talking mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters and wives/husbands. There is no "this is semi-okay", or "ill always be here to help". It's "I love you but **** your addictiona nd if it doesn't stop now then go **** yourself"

Sorry man, only kumbaya here for scamming, degen losers.

Yes, you admitted that you've scammed people at airports after someone came here and let everyone know that you scam people at airports. You also then went on to defend your scamming as no big deal and made it out to just be part of Vegas culture.

Through all of this you've talked a lot about how your life is so messed up, but you haven't talked much at all about the people that you owe money and apologies to. In fact, while all of this was going on, you were still buying into $1500 tournaments with no remorse whatsoever.

Now you're talking about how you couldn't possibly work. Of course you could. You're just not willing to and not even trying. Do you have any interest at all in the people that you owe?

It's not kicking, it's helping. That's my point.

BJ,

Most every episode of Intervention involves enabling parents continually enabling their adult kids. Not sure what you're talking about.

Very, very few people do what you described, because the fact of the matter is usually they would have already hit their rock bottom had their parent(s) not kept propping them up with bailouts.

He doesn't believe he owes anyone.

I never watch past the first 10 minutes, so I guess I shouldn't have used that as a reference lol.

What I am trying to bring to attention here is the interventionist attitude of "this is not okay, this stops now or **** you" which happens in actual interventions

Leads to jobs? he just quit doing the only thing he has done for his adult life less a few months of trying to be a 9 to 5 type. If he took 6 months plus of smelling the roses and getting his personal inventory in check this would be quick IMO.....

What does being an asshat to someone do for them? So you're telling me, someone who's completely at the end of their rope, I should essentially kick, because it's good for them?

I've watched intervention. It's a television show.

I've seen first hand, addiction and what it does to someone. I've seen people who needed help, treated by others how YOU believe they should be treated, only to not show up the next day or the next week because they ultimately fail because they feel the entire world is against them.

People that have a disease, don't need kicked. They need help. It's not about enabling them and giving someone money, knowing they're going to gamble it away. it's about helping them get the help they need. Giving them information, offering words of encouragement. Letting them know, you're not at the end of your rope - there is help and people do care about you.

I can only offer words of encouragement, advice and assistance. What someone wants to do wit that, is ultimately up to them. But I will never kick anyone when they're down. I don't care who they are.

He isn't bondable he can never deal in a legal casino ever. Plus even if he could that would be like asking Barney from the Simpson to be a bartender, or asking a sex addict to work at a brothel.......

Are you speaking from a professional viewpoint? I would say that unless someone is a Certified Compulsive Gambling Counselor, they can not offer any advice on how each individual case should be treated. It would be the same as trying to perform a surgery on someone, because they saw a show on TV about doctors. Compulsive and Pathological gambling is a disease, it is classified as one in the DSM, and should be treated only by those that are professionals.

Not to stir or debate with you, but some of the "advice" you gave might be just the opposite of what this person needs. Again, if you are a CPGC, then I apologize and will refer to any counsel you give.

Mike is not at the end of his rope, not even close.

He's watched Intervention. Have you?

Ah, I think I see the discrepancy here.

You are assuming that mike has already admitted to himself that he has a problem and is committed to getting better. If he had, you're right being nice helps, but because you would be reinforcing the positive behavior of admitting they have a problem and taking steps on the road to recovery.

Unfortunately for Mike, judging by his posts in this thread, he has yet to truly accept that he has been a piece of **** for a long time and needs to stop. He even actually has the audacity to chastise people for shaming him, right after trying to "come clean". Chastising someone about shaming you clearly says that you don't think that you have anything to be ashamed of. If you believe you should be ashamed of your actions, you wouldn't adamantly disagree with people who call attention to said shame.

Mike,

Hey man I can sympathize with you a bit and while I do not condone your behavior I can recommend some fairly easy things that I know helped me immensely with similarly compulsive behavior in the past . Take high doses of Fish Oil(Omegas 3's) like 4-8k grams of omegas 3's a day and it may possibly help you....it changed my life for the better, it is a fairly costly habit but in your case should be a bargain, its actually not very expensive at all. Also look into Naltrexone which I have never used but has helped many in the past. Honestly, the Omega 3's changed my life , if you gave an 8k(Omega 3's, bottles will list 1200mg per pill but only 400 are omega 3 ,look into this) dose a trial run of a month I would be extremely surprised if you didnt see a massive improvement. Hope this helps and good luck man.

Don't forget about the only time he responded to how horribly he's treated poker dealers in the past by saying something like, "I used to be a lot worse to them. I'm getting better about that," or some other nonsense. I'm glad I'm not the only one who reads between the lines and sees that he feels sorry for NO ONE but himself.

I don't even care so much that Mike chooses to not feel sorry for the people he ripped off, but the people who are potentially going to bring this clown into their lives need to know that he hasn't demonstrated any remorse for anyone else ITT. He's had plenty of opportunities to address all the people in his life he's mistreated or ran over, but chose to throw a pity party for himself instead. This tells me that he's nowhere near to hitting rock bottom, as other have previously mentioned.

No, I'm not.

I've been addicted to a lot of things though, and spent a lot of time with addicts. I know recovering addicts, current addicts, dead addicts, and addict counsellors alike. Not one of them would ever advocate sympathizing with someone who is clearly an addict and who has not shown that they are aware of/committed to fixing their problem.

You guys seem to think I'm ****ing around/just being an *******, but this is what works.

I will typically side with addicts and such cus I feel sorry for them, but not for this dirtbag he has zero remorse and only thinks/cares about himself.

Correct - But he stated early on that he wasn't proud of what he had done. He already admitted that he knew he kept screwing up every time he had money in his hands. I'm sure that he's heard it a ton of times already from others as well.

Look, I'm not condoning what he's done. It's not for me to say whether or not someone should be feeling like they are at the end of their rope or not. That depth is different for everyone.

But constantly railing on them? That's not "helping" them. No matter what you see on tv (which I saw you watched 10 minutes of...), that stuff just doesn't work. There's such a thing as "tough love", yes. But it's done by removing those individuals from the environment that they've created for themselves, that they feel comfortable in, and getting them the help that they need.