If anyone posting here bashing mike was actually in a position to help him, I would agree with you. They can't though. So why is he here?

Fact of the matter is, regardless of advice both compassionate and harsh, mike is still here posting on 2p2, something that someone who realized they had a gambling problem and was trying to fix it would not do.


So, I think if you look at this with some perspective, you will realize that being bashed about your addiction/how ****ty you are - on a site you shouldn't be posting on because you have an addiction and are ****ty - that's probably something that's going to help.

If you want to help mike by being nice, go hold his hand, make him commit to fixing his problem and make sure he doesn't do anything stupid. You cant do anything from here except help him realize that he's a **** up and doesn't deserve it but needs to go find a real live person to help him through his troubles, and then be really ****ing grateful for it because, again, he doesn't deserve it. There are plenty of non scammers/addicts out there who would much more greatly benefit from charity, and who haven't been pieces of **** for however long.

It took Mike minutes from being unbanned to start posting again.

Further, he turned down an opportunity at a free plane ticket out of Vegas and then a place to stay/job opportunity all so he could hit the tables.

He should get and deserves no sympathy from this thread.

Moe did give Homer the bar to run. It didn't go well as one course surmise.

He needs to leave everything gamble associated completely. Including this forum.

I do agree with your statement. Mike, or really anyone that is struggling with the disease of compulsive gambling should not be on a gambling forum. But with that being said, hopefully Mike found some good advice from some of us that have some good clean time, and that are not in action, and are working a GA program. I think the media attention brought some of us to this site, and hopefully Mike will follow-up. I know he got some advice on some excellent treatment facilities, some GA spots near him, and some links to some place to get help.

My hope is that maybe he will follow-up on some that offered help, and further more, maybe someone else who reads through this forum might realize they are headed down the same possible path as Mike and get some help before they go all the way down that path.

I wish nothing but the best in the world, to all that are reading this forum.

the "oh **** that guy's situation is really ****ty, If I was in that situation I would want someone to help me, so therefore I am going to help him" mentality never helped anyone

That's a blanket statement, with absolutely no facts to back it up.

Why?

^me?

Kept up with the first 10 pages, but have been behind on the last 6. Can someone tell me if Mike actually left town like he said he would, and if so, where he went? Thanks

I'm definitely not treating Mike like a piece of crap. I just see several "Mikes" every day in my line of work, and I'm tired of seeing how they use people who just want to help. People like him have developed an incredible skill to find people that they can use and abuse. He has a severe mental illness, and while I give him that explanation for his behavior, it's not an excuse. If anyone here really wants to read about people like Mike, read the book "The psychopath next store". Mike definitely has traits of a psychopath/antisocial, cluster B personality disorder, and depression. If you feel like you're qualified to handle that, good luck. Just a word to the wise- psychologists will rarely take more than 1 or 2 of these people in their practice, because of how difficult they are to treat and how manipulative they can be. Still waiting for you to respond to one of my posts Mike. I'd love to heat your response, but I know you won't, because I've got you pegged pretty good, don't I?

You might want to avoid taking advice on this issue from internet forums. Personally, I'd consult a specialist.

Monthly Injectable Naltrexone for Pathological Gambling

My other recent observation on this thread is that Mike also used to post a lot here, criticising people that he felt were scammers. I wonder how many of Mike's most vehement critics here are doing exactly what Mike did, and criticising him in order to deflect or distance themselves from similar behaviour that they've engaged in?

Yeah. More than one person in my family has had substance abuse problems, and the one that is now clean, says it was only through AA. The tough love thing was not going to work with him. Worked for awhile, then he relapsed. He had to find his own bottom, which was still a guy with a good job and a family that loved him, but only through regular meetings, and support has he been able to stay sober. Even through some very hard times.

To say that non-tough love has "never helped anyone" is not true.

Not trying to argue here at all, obviously I have no knowledge of the situation or the person involved, but what do you think made him choose to go to AA?

[QUOTE=trup_qq;43840778]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.[/QUOTE

Typical cluster b behavior. The world outside of Mike doesn't exist. PLEASE, before anyone offers Mike ANYTHZiNG, PM me and I'll explain why you should leave this to a trained professional, and why they usually fail. I've seen first hand the damage that cluster b antisocials can cause. I'd be happy to explain any of the psychology behind this and why he is so dangerous if you pm me.

you live a complicated life.......don't you?

Because if he didn't quit drinking, it was probably going to kill him.

AA was the second go round. First we tried an intervention, then he quit for awhile. Then he was good about drinking, and then it got out of control again. Hiding bottles of vodka and such.

And this is why I supported locking this thread and banning Mike. Numerous experts have dealt with Mike over the past 15 years and look at how he describes the help he didn't get from them in that time.

We can all relate to Mike because of the poker/gambling connection, and that's exactly why he's getting the well-intentioned but misdirected (IMO) attention from so many. Think about how his airport scam worked--find a common ground and sell the sob story to exploit the weakness and goodwill of a good Samaritan. He needs to gtfo of a poker forum and into a professional 24/7 lockdown facility until a qualified expert can unleash him back into the real world. We're doing a disservice as a community to keep stringing him along on here IMO.

I agree with that.

I was more referring to the blind compassion for someone you don't actually know with that post.

I guess I could be taken by my post in this thread as saying that tough love is the cure for every person with an addiction, but that's not true.

What I'm saying is that someone in mike's position is not going to be helped by randoms on the internet typing nice words. IMO that is pretty close to the worst thing you can do.
Mike is clearly reaching out for help, but obviously isn't committed to fixing his addiction. So right now, in my non-professional opinion, people offering him help is just working to make him justify his actions: "people will still help me without me actually fixing anything, so I'm not a terrible person, and can therefore continue on with my lifestyle"

obviously that's not exactly how addicts think but it's a thought process along those lines

Okay, I would posit that if he had received more "tough love" earlier on he would have reached his bottom sooner, well before his life was in danger, and that being nice to him about his addiction at all just reinforced his habits.

I think most people would be surprised at how much death has to do with people hitting bottom. People just don't realize that having such a compulsive addiction to anything is basically equal to killing yourself. A lot of people actually lack the ability to hit bottom until they actually almost die, or see someone close to them who is also an addict almost/actually die. And it makes sense, because dying is really the only thing to be afraid of when deciding to do/not to do something. It's hard to get get to believe that what they are doing is equal to dying because, in their minds, they are doing the things they do to stay alive.

Realizing that you are basically 'dead' to friends/family/society due to your addictions is IMO the best way to make someone hit bottom other than them having some sort of experience with death.

What works for Mike, Mike needs to find out for himself. GA meetings are probably a good start. Medication? Maybe a good idea but starting with a GA meeting is not a bad idea. He needs to be able to talk to people that have the same mindset, and learn how to avoid his triggers. Learn to cope with life without gambling.

But I do agree, that I think this topic has been exhausted. Not much reason to keep this thread open. I wish you the best Mike. Maybe I was wrong, and you can never play poker again. That's not for me to decide. Good luck man. May you find harmony in your environment.

P.S . Weed and donuts seems to work for alchoholics.

Hope he takes you up on your offer 42.2KM. Honored to know you sir!

Exactly, nice post.

He claims to be in San Francisco area. Be glad you've missed the last few pages of the same bickering buffoons.

+1. This is a good post. Most of the other recent posts are not.

I take umbrage with your statement sir. Great umbrage.