Margie shares her story of beginning a poker machine dependency when her child first went to school. It was a relief from the responsibilities of single parenting and allowed her to forget about life’s pressures. Although it didn’t interfere with her work or life, gambling on the pokies meant that instead of having a comfortable life she was always working longer, just scraping by, getting into debt and going without for herself and her family.
Her recovery started when she admitted the extent of her gambling to her parents, sought help through a counsellor and found support from other gamblers in Gambler's Help. Stopping gambling wasn’t easy but with the help of others trying to quit made it easier. Margie went on to help establish a successful Gambling Harm Recovery Group in West Heidelberg that has been running for nearly 6 years.
Gambling Harm Recovery Group: at Banyule Community Health, 21 Alamein Street, West Heidelberg. Group meetings are online on Tuesdays at 6:30pm and in-person on Thursdays at 6:30pm. Contact person for group is Zara - 0419 272 497.
Gambler's Help assists Victorians with free and confidential advice for people with gambling problems as well as those close to them who are affected by their gambling. Online at gamblershelp.com.au or talk to someone about your gambling, call 1800 858 858.
Not a Dollar More: a series of podcasts about gambling addiction, harm and recovery: notadollarmore.org.au
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