Topic : 08/14 Hitting Rock Bottom

its probably got a lot to do with whether a guest shows Dr Phil he wants help or not, yes addictions go hand in hand no matter what the addiction is, but you cant make a person change and I'm sure Dr Phil will live up to his word and help the gambler if he is willing to help him self, i feel for all the guests on this show, all addictions are hard to overcome,no matter what it may be. i honestly think maybe Dr Phil saw something in the amblers eyes we did not see or maybe heard him thinking in a way only Dr Phil would be able to hear through eye contact and body language,

i kind of think it cant get any closer to rock bottom than to know your child is dieing and Thar isn't a thing you nor any doctor can do to save the child, but you are 100% correct Kevin isn't helping his situation by going out drinking, i just know i thank god i have never had to walk any steps in Kevin's shoes, i too may have taken to drinking  even tho it wasn't doing any good for any one. this mans and woman's life makes me feel just how blessed i am to have a healthy child to hold and love, i wish they had been so blessed, this is a hard thing to understand,

it seems by your post that you are in a lot of heart ache over your decision to be their for your mother, I'm here for mine and i can assure you when her time to go to her reward comes, i will not regret and decision i made, if i end up on the streets it wont be for long, a willing spirit can over come a lot of loops life can throw at you, don't just give in and up as it seems you are doing , bad feelings over what has happened only clogs your mind from finding the rite solution to your problem. if you are disabled their is help out there for you, your just not looking in the rite places for it, as to whear to look try the dds-family and childrens services,ssi disibality, some one will assist you.

I too, grew up with an alcoholic father and had no idea as a young person what effect his alcoholism would have on our entire family.  I have a son (46  yrs old) who is drinking himself to death.  Literally, he is going to die soon if something doesn't change in his life.  I picked him up on Easter Sunday of this year after not hearing from him in months.  I knew his wife had made him leave home because of his drinking and he was living alone in a trailer.   Several of his friends (really drinking buddies) called to tell me we needed to do something as he was about dead.  He had not had a drink in 3 weeks at that time but was so debilitated he could hardly stand so he agreed to go to the doctor.  I carried him to the emergency room and they admitted him to ICU.  He was in kidney failure, was anemic, had stomach ulcers, and had a horrible lesion on his tongue extending down his throat.  They put him through every imaginable test and got him back on his feet.  Sent him home and in a month's time he was drinking again.  Drinks every day to the point of collapse.  Answers yes to every question on the alcoholic quiz but will not agree to go to any kind of treatment facility or back to a doctor.  What do you do?  He has 2 daughters, one grown and one only 8 yrs old.  He loves his children dearly but cannot or will not stop drinking.

That man has clearly hit rock bottom and my sincere wishes go out to his wife and children. I couldn't help but have a "self pity" laugh as I watched. I recently found out that my husband is a compulsive gambler, has been for over 3 years and as I went back through statement after statement, (some of which I had to get online since he was destroying them so I wouldn't find them) to date, I've uncovered 9 new credit cards and over $150,000 in gambling debt.  I'm sure if I looked harder and further back, it's closer to $250,000. He took so many advances on our home equity loan that they have closed the line and we're now upside down on our home. Why am I still here you ask? I moved across country to be with him, I'm a stay at home mom, but other than HIS family, I have no family here, no where to go. He works in a "commission only" job and I know him all too well, if I ask him to leave or file for divorce he'll simply stop working and I'll lose the house. He's going to "counseling" but believe me, I have learned a lot about this addiction and it's not an easy one to stop. He sees a counselor once every 2 weeks for an hour, clearly not enough. Gamblers are manipulative, charming, deceitful, and kniving. It is almost impossible to ever trust a gambler again, I know I won't make that mistake. Anyone reading who has a spouse that goes to a casino regularly, please be aware!!! If your spouse takes care of all the bills please remember they're your bills too, make sure you look over the statements ea. month. If your spouse has been getting the mail, try to get it before them, they quite frequently take out the credit card offers, apply for them without your knowledge and have the statements sent to their work address or a friends house. If they get special offers, free slot play, tickets, etc... from the casino, don't be fooled! They are most likely considered a "high roller" at the casino and casino's go to great lengths to protect their high rollers. I KNOW my husband has a line of credit still open and outstanding at a casino but he flat out denies it and they won't give me any information about it, of course, until that time he defaults on it, then I'll find out the ugly truth. And if your spouse stops going to the casino, that is NOT A CURE! There are plenty of online gambling sites and there's always the old fashioned way, which I also know my husband is utilizing, a bookie. Recent research indicates that compulsive gamblers may suffer from ADD, ADHD, Manic Depression, or Bi-Polar disorders. They also, have most likely, dealt with other addicitions in their life as well, such as drugs or alcohol. Gamblers are sooooooo good at being deceitful and dishonest, if ANY OF THIS APPLIES TO YOU, take measures to protect yourself; establish your own bank account for your own money, do not make them a signator on the account, monitor your credit report 3 times a year by going to www.annualcreditreport.com and obtaining only 1 agency at a time, each year. Hide valuable items or place them in a safe deposit box that your spouse doesn't have access too, believe me, desperate times will call for desperate measures and they will resort to stealing if they need to. If you do uncover a gambling problem, please contact your local gamblers annonymous organization, they're there to help you as much as the gambler.

Shauna & Kevin
I'm so sorry that things are so hard for you. You are in my thoughts & please stay strong. I hope you are both able to enjoy the rest of the time you have with your son. Take care.
~Amber

Regarding the Anthony  guest, i have a sneaking suspicion that he is an African immigrant and he has probably alienated himself from his family because they would put him in check. I detected an underlying accent. If he  is an african immigrant, ask him to reflect on why he came to this country, the land of the free and the home of the brave. That is America! Remember when you had a dollar and big dreams! and that is perhaps why he got an MBA. This nation gives unparalleled privileges and some, like gambling, you can do without. Heal yourself and it starts with the foundation. I have always thought gambling is about greed and an inner belief that the world owes free stuff. Rephrase and paraphrase that. He could probably do without ideology. Godspeed!