Jet: How To Tell If You Or Someone You Love Has A GAMBLING PROBLEM

More Americans are gambling now than ever before, a new study has found.

With more and more states opening casinos and lotteries offering multimillion-dollar jackpots, Americans are losing control, experts say.

There are an estimated 3 million adults who are considered problem gamblers. Another 2 million are pathological gamblers, according to a study conducted for National Gambling Impact Study Commission.

A problem gambler is a person who gambles more than he or she can afford. He or she may lie about gambling or he or she may gamble longer than he or she planned, experts explain.

A pathological or compulsive gambler cannot resist the temptation to gamble, experts say. Pathological or compulsive gambling is a chronic and progressive disease.

"The pathological or compulsive gambler cannot stop," said Edward Looney, executive director of the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey. "They are in emotional pain. They can't stop, no matter what, regardless of their jobs, families or anything else."

Experts say 15 million adults are at risk for problem gambling.

Many problem gamblers seek help through the Gamblers Anonymous, a national fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with one another that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from a gambling problem.

Gamblers Anonymous offers the following questions to anyone who feels he or she may have a gambling problem and wants to stop gambling.

Most compulsive gamblers will answer yes to at least seven of these questions, according to Gamblers Anonymous officials.

1. Did you ever lose time from work or school due to gambling?

2. Has gambling ever made your home life unhappy?

3. Did gambling affect your reputation?

4. Have you ever felt remorse after gambling?

5. Did you ever gamble to get money with which to pay debts or otherwise solve financial difficulties?

6. Did gambling cause a decrease in your ambition or efficiency?

7. After losing did you feel you must return as soon as possible to win back your losses?

8. After a win did you have a strong urge to return and win more?

9. Did you often gamble until your last dollar is gone?

10. Did you ever borrow to finance your gambling?

11. Have you ever sold anything to finance gambling?

12. Were you reluctant to use "gambling money" for normal expenditures?

13. Did gambling make you careless of the welfare of yourself or your family?

14. Did you ever gamble longer than you had planned?

15. Have you ever gambled to escape worry or trouble?

16. Have you ever committed, or considered committing, an illegal act to finance gambling?

17. Did gambling cause you to have difficulty sleeping?

18. Do arguments, disappointments or frustrations create within you an urge to gamble?

19. Did you ever have an urge to celebrate any good fortune by a few hours of gambling?

20. Have you ever considered self- destruction or suicide as a result of your gambling?

There are no dues or fees for Gamblers Anonymous. There are chapters in most cities and can be reached at their web site, www.gamblersanonymous.org

If your loved one is a problem gambler, seek help from Gam-Anon International Service Office (known as Gam-Anon). It is a non-profit self-help fellowship that offers support for family members and friends whose lives have been affected by compulsive gambling. If you are living with a compulsive gambler, you will answer yes to at least six of the following questions, according to Gam-Anon.

1. Do you find yourself constantly bothered by bill collectors ?

2. Is the person in question often away from home for long, unexplained periods of time?

3. Does this person ever lose time from work due to gambling?

4. Do you feel that this person cannot be trusted with money?

5. Does the person in question faithfully promise that he or she will stop gambling, beg, plead for another chance, yet gamble again and again?

6. Does this person ever gamble longer than he or she intended to, until the last dollar is gone?

7. Does this person immediately return to gambling to try to recover losses, or to win more?

8. Does this person ever gamble to get money to solve financial difficulties or have unrealistic expectations that gambling will bring the family material comfort and wealth?

9. Does this person borrow money to gamble with or to pay gambling debts?

10. Has this person's reputation ever suffered due to gambling, even to the extent of committing illegal acts to finance gambling?

11. Have you come to the point of hiding money needed for living expenses, knowing that you and the rest of the family may go without food and clothing if you do not?

12. Do you search this person's clothing or go through his her wallet when the opportunity present itself, or otherwise check on his/her activities?

13. Does the person in question hide his or her money?

14. Have you noticed a personality change in the gambler as his or her gambling progresses?

15. Does the person in question consistently lie to cover up or deny his or her gambling activities?

16. Does this person use guilty induction as a method of shifting responsibilities for his or her gambling upon you?

17. Do you attempt to anticipate this person's moods, or try to control his or her life?

18. Does this person ever suffer from remorse or depression due to gambling, sometimes to the point of self destruction?

19. Has the gambling ever brought you to the point of threatening to break up the family unit?

20. Do you feel that your life together is a nightmare?

Like Gamblers Anonymous, there are Gam-Anon chapters throughout the country and can be reached at their web site, www.gam-anon.org. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop gambling. Membership is open to anyone affected by compulsive gambling.

From playing bingo, video games, casino games, the lottery, placing bets on horses and even sports games, problem gamblers seem to be everywhere.

Pathological gamblers and problem gamblers are more likely than other gamblers or nongamblers to have been on welfare, declared bankruptcy, lose their jobs and to have been arrested or incarcerated, the study said.

Problem and pathological gamblers are much more likely than low-risk gamblers to gamble for the excitement, to have been troubled by mental or emotional problems including manic symptoms and depressive episodes.

The good news is that most Americans are social gamblers who can participate in gambling activities without becoming addicted, research shows.

However, states with casinos and lotteries and other gaming activities are beginning to take action to help compulsive gamblers. For example, the Illinois Gaming Board recently held its first-ever hearing on compulsive gambling.

Illinois Gov. George Ryan took advantage of the hearing to announce that he is directing the Department of Human services to spend $1 million from its budget on compulsive gambling issues.