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People who don’t have an addiction will probably never understand how pervasive and difficult it is to overcome an addiction. When you feel yourself wanting nothing else but to indulge in your vice, even when you don’t really want to, it’s an illness. You aren’t bleeding and you don’t have anything that shows up on an x-ray, but you have a sickness that is harder to beat than a broken bone and potentially as destructive as cancer.

While the 12 steps are based on solid principles, it can be very hard to stay out of a life that feels so comfortable. When you see the distant lights of the casino, it can trigger a rush so intense you can think of nothing but getting your next win. Sometimes winning isn’t even a part of the fantasy. All you need to do is be a part of the intense energy of a gambling floor. When your game of choice heats up, it can be like an orgasm. Losing is easy to justify, because it’s just your path to victory.

Unfortunately, losses can become massive faster than you can immediately imagine. Even when you lose, you still feel the urge to play more. As sad as it is, you can’t will yourself to only play once, or to stay away when it’s close at hand. For you to have any hope of a lasting recovery and sanity in your life, you have to keep as far away from placing bets as you possibly can. There is no responsible way to gamble if you can’t handle it with the natural moderation of a non-addict.