Female Gamblers

FEMALE GAMBLERS

Written by Paula Burns & Don Hulen
Modified April 2010

A majority of all calls to the Arizona Council Helpline are from or about women with gambling problems.

95% of the women who call for help meet the criteria of ESCAPE GAMBLERS. Escape gamblers frequent different games (slots, video poker, bingo) than ACTION GAMBLERS (live poker, blackjack, sports betting). They gamble for different emotional reasons. The character profile of the Escape Gambler is almost opposite that of the Action Gambler although, in the final stages of an Action Gambler's disorder, he/she often gambles for escape. When the Action Gambler reaches this phase, he/she may meet both Action and Escape criteria and it may require further investigation. The only purpose in making such determination is to allow the clinician to tailor the best treatment plan for the individual.

Because the great majority of women are Escape Gamblers, the woman who is an Action Gambler may, without an understanding of the differences in types of gamblers, feel uneasy about why she doesn't identify with the majority of other women in a program such as GA.

Learning about the differences can set her mind at ease and help her accept herself. It may also help her better understand others in her program.

Until the early 1990s, very few women sought help of any kind for compulsive gambling in Arizona. We have no record of any women obtaining a year of abstinence from gambling in any program in the state prior to 1992. The first women-only Gamblers Anonymous group started in the Phoenix area in 1992. Today, women comprise over 50% of GA's membership.

WOMEN IN GA IN ARIZONA TODAY

Today, there are 4 women-only GA groups in Phoenix -- including a Step Writing meeting and a Spanish-speaking group -- one in Tucson and another in Prescott Valley. As women begin to identify the underlying emotional issues related to their gambling, they understand that they suffer from a disease, learn to forgive themselves and embrace recovery. Whenever possible, we urge all women who believe they are compulsive gamblers to attend a women-only group for their first GA meeting.

WOMEN, GAMBLING AND EMPOWERMENT

Self-help programs tell women they must admit powerlessness over their compulsion to gamble. Ironically, feeling powerless over the problems in their lives may have led them to gamble in the first place.

What they need now is empowerment. The machines gave them a false sense of freedom from feeling powerless. When they are asked to leave the one thing in life that gave them some sense of freedom -- their machine -- they may believe they have nothing.

They must be encouraged to replace the illusion of freedom that the machine provided with other activities and coping skills. For those who seek it, the power of a 12-step program often fills the void.

CODEPENDENCY

Many escape gamblers identify underlying codependency issues with which they must deal as part of their recovery. Books by Melody Beattie or Pia Mellody are recommended and are available online through Hazelden or Amazon.com.. Also click on CoDA in the left menu bar to learn more about CoDedpendency Anonymous, an organization that has helped countless people address their codependency issues.

Compulsive gambling is a diagnosable and treatable disease, not a disgrace!

The ACCG is a affiliate of the National Council on Problem Gambling


FEMALE GAMBLERS
Female Gamblers Predisposing Factors Symptoms of Escape Gambling Getting women into Recovery and keeping them there For more information, click in the TOP menu on: "Types of Gamblers" "Gambling Facts" Women Helping Women Newsletter A great resource for women in recovery CoDA - Codependency Anonymous Written by Paula Burns & Don Hulen Modified April 2010 A majority of all calls to the Arizona Council Helpline are from or about women with gambling problems. 95% of the women who call for help meet the criteria of ESCAPE GAMBLERS. Escape gamblers frequent different games (slots, video poker, bingo) than ACTION GAMBLERS (live poker, blackjack, sports betting). They gamble for different emotional reasons. The character profile of the Escape Gambler is almost opposite that of the Action Gambler although, in the final stages of an Action Gambler's disorder, he/she often gambles for escape. When the Action Gambler reaches this phase, he/she may meet both Action and Escape criteria and it may require further investigation. The only purpose in making such determination is to allow the clinician to tailor the best treatment plan for the individual. Because the great majority of women are Escape Gamblers, the woman who is an Action Gambler may, without an understanding of the differences in types of gamblers, feel uneasy about why she doesn't identify with the majority of other women in a program such as GA. Learning about the differences can set her mind at ease and help her accept herself. It may also help her better understand others in her program. Until the early 1990s, very few women sought help of any kind for compulsive gambling in Arizona. We have no record of any women obtaining a year of abstinence from gambling in any program in the state prior to 1992. The first women-only Gamblers Anonymous group started in the Phoenix area in 1992. Today, women comprise over 50% of GA's membership. WOMEN IN GA IN ARIZONA TODAY Today, there are 4 women-only GA groups in Phoenix -- including a Step Writing meeting and a Spanish-speaking group -- one in Tucson and another in Prescott Valley. As women begin to identify the underlying emotional issues related to their gambling, they understand that they suffer from a disease, learn to forgive themselves and embrace recovery. Whenever possible, we urge all women who believe they are compulsive gamblers to attend a women-only group for their first GA meeting.		WOMEN, GAMBLING AND EMPOWERMENT Self-help programs tell women they must admit powerlessness over their compulsion to gamble. Ironically, feeling powerless over the problems in their lives may have led them to gamble in the first place. What they need now is empowerment. The machines gave them a false sense of freedom from feeling powerless. When they are asked to leave the one thing in life that gave them some sense of freedom -- their machine -- they may believe they have nothing. They must be encouraged to replace the illusion of freedom that the machine provided with other activities and coping skills. For those who seek it, the power of a 12-step program often fills the void. CODEPENDENCY Many escape gamblers identify underlying codependency issues with which they must deal as part of their recovery. Books by Melody Beattie or Pia Mellody are recommended and are available online through Hazelden or Amazon.com.. Also click on CoDA in the left menu bar to learn more about CoDedpendency Anonymous, an organization that has helped countless people address their codependency issues. Compulsive gambling is a diagnosable and treatable disease, not a disgrace!
The ACCG is a affiliate of the National Council on Problem Gambling