Help available for addicted gamblers

March -- with St. Patrick's Day in a couple of weeks, "the luck o' the Irish" can come to mind.

Regardless of our heritage, however, "luck" is a fleeting thing, especially if we have a gambling problem.

For more than 42,000 people in Nebraska, in fact, the pursuit of "luck" has turned into a serious problem with grave consequences.

To spotlight the urgency of the addiction, March has been designated Problem Gambling Awareness Month.

Knowing the warning signs can help you get help for yourself or a friend or relative in time to avoid more serious consequences, said Eric Hunsberger of the Gamblers Assistance Program in the Division of Behavioral Health Services of the Nebraska Health and Human Services System.

According to Hunsberger, a person may have a gambling program if they:

* Gamble for longer than intended

* Borrow money to gamble.

* Lie about how much you gambled.

* Bet more than you intended.

Other warning signs:

* Loss of interest and participation in normal activities with friends.

* Avoidance of questions about time and money.

* A sudden need for money or loans, missing possessions or assets, financial instability.

* Decline in health and neglect of personal needs, such as medical, food, utilities, etc.

* Changes in attitude and personality, emotional instability, withdrawal, depression.

The problem doesn't stop with the individual, Hunsberger said, spreading out to affect families and every aspect of society.

According to National Gamblers Anonymous studies, about 50 percent of its members stole to gamble and more than 33 percent had been arrested. In addition, 11 percent of Nebraska's students reported an increase in gambling activities between 2003 and 2005, according to the draft Nebraska Risk and Protective Factor Student Survey for 2005.

"The good news is that people don't have to wait to 'hit rock bottom' before asking for help," Hunsberger said. "We know that through awareness, education and, if necessary, treatment services, we can prevent further problem gambling issue for Nebraskans," he added.

Information and help is available by calling (800) 522-4700, the Nebraska Council on Compulsive Gambling at http://www.nebraskacouncil.com, and the Nebraska Gamblers Assistance Program at http://www.hhss.ne.gov/beh/gam/gam.htm