20 questions to determine addiction
Hooked on Gambling: Third in a three-part series
Denise Jewell
CNHI News Service
Gamblers Anonymous, which has 1,400 chapters in the United States, offers this test to help people determine if they have a problem with gambling. Most compulsive gamblers answer yes to at least seven of the questions.
-- Did you ever lose time from work or school due to gambling?
-- Has gambling ever made your home life unhappy?
-- Did gambling affect your reputation?
-- Have you ever felt remorse after gambling?
-- Did you ever gamble to get money to pay debts or solve financial difficulties?
-- Did gambling cause a decrease in ambition or efficiency?
-- After losing did you feel you must return as soon as possible to win back your losses?
-- After a win did you have a strong urge to return and win more?
-- Did you often gamble until your last dollar was gone?
-- Did you ever borrow to finance your gambling?
-- Have you ever sold anything to finance gambling?
-- Were you reluctant to use gambling money for normal expenses?
-- Did gambling make you careless of the welfare of yourself or your family?