It is time to admit that our gambling has become problematic and if we are honest with ourselves, we realize how tight a grip gambling has had on us for quite some time. We know that gambling has affected our relationships, our work, our pursuit of other more satisfying activities, and most of all, our integrity and self respect.
Not only have we lost money, but also we have lost the ability to be there with those people closest to us. If we have children, there is little doubt that they have been neglected at times - and we may be missing some of their most important years. We may rationalize about how little gambling has affected our lives, but eventually we must admit that it has become a much more time consuming activity than we have wanted it to be.
Now we are forced to agree that our preoccupation with gambling has been damaging in many ways. We know that we have neglected family and friends and have not been able to pursue other more productive activities in which we had previously been involved. Time is galloping and it is finally time to admit to ourselves and others how damaging gambling has become for us.