Rethink Addiction

[Maxy]

Hi Everyone!

I just wanted to reopen up the discussion around the ‘Rethink Addiction’ campaign. In September 2022 the Rethink Addiction Campaign was relaunched in Canberra.
The campaign aims to create the conversations for change around Addiction within Australia. Its primary focus is to shed light on addiction, change the narrative, reduce stigma and Improve treatment and support options.

You can read more about the ‘Rethink Addiction’ campaign here: https://www.rethinkaddiction.org.au/
I’ve opened up this thread for anyone to share their thoughts, feelings and questions around the campaign.
Feel free to share your story on this thread for other members of the community or within the campaign itself here: https://www.rethinkaddiction.org.au/shareyourstory

I would also like to invite you all to sign the pledge to #rethinkaddiction here: https://www.rethinkaddiction.org.au/sign-our-pledge

Lastly you can check out the ‘Real Stories of Addiction Videos’ here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaUm34 ... NEl2h5wlA
and feel free to comment on any of the videos below in the thread.

I will be posting more video content from the campaign over the upcoming weeks.

‘An Australian dies almost every hour from alcohol, drug and gambling harm’
‘One in four Australians will struggle with alcohol, other drugs or gambling within their lifetime’
'Addiction is not a choice. It is a health condition that can affect anyone of any age, background, socio-economic group, or profession.'

So lets start the conversations to create the change that is needed.

[Pikachu]

After watching the 'Real Stories of Addiction Videos' listed by Maxy, it got me thinking, shame is something many people feel in this journey and sometimes people think of themselves as gamblers or someone with gambling addiction. But don't forget who you are outside this. You may be someone who has strength or a good career, or someone who loves gardening, drawing or writing. A loving parent, a supportive partner or a good friend.

Don't define yourself with one single tag. The decisions that we make in our lives don't have to define us. The important thing is that we recognise the outcomes of our decisions and we are brave to seek help and willing to make changes.
If you are happy to share, tell us a little about who you are and what you like doing~

We want to hear your story. Let's all change the narrative together.

@smokey86 @Grubb187 @Danos2292 @Kevcollingwood@Andy @GambleFree @AGHS

[babyshark1]

Hi peers, pleased to meet you. I am babyshark1 one of the moderators on the forum.

I was so lucky to attend the launch of rethink addiction and the relaunch again in Canberra just a couple of weeks ago! The learning and insight provided and led by those with LIVED experiences of addiction were moving and invaluable, and so so inspiring. I had the opportunity to meet a woman from Alliance for Gambling Reform agr.org.au and her story really stuck with me. Her way out of her years long relationship with pokies was to scream and yell "not another f#@$%ing dollar!" and she would yell it and yell it whenever she felt like she needed to play, she turned her rage against those predatory machines into a weapon to empower herself against the addiction and I can tell you , you could feel the wow in the cheers of the audience, a collective energy that absolutely agrees.

Speaking of whole room reactions, we also heard a devastating and ENRAGING story. A young father, deep in gambling related debts and overdrafts, was targeted by a sports betting company to gamble with them, as he wasn't already a customer. When he said he was in a bit of trouble, instead of leaving him alone they gave him $50k credit and a fake name to get gambling with them. Some $7M later this poor guy is going to prison. You could have heard a pin drop there, but the rage was palpable. The real criminals are going unpunished here, and those people in front of us were taking the fall!!! We were devastated and enraged.

I share these stories with as many people who will listen since that day, because these companies need to be exposed for what they are, and people who gamble need to stop being made to feel like they are the ones with the flaws or moral failing. The only moral failing is inaction of our governments against this predatory industry!

So what are peoples thought on this issue? We also hear about Star on the news lately, is any of this fuelling your fire? Do you feel the conversation is changing?

[AGHS]

Speaking of whole room reactions, we also heard a devastating and ENRAGING story. A young father, deep in gambling related debts and overdrafts, was targeted by a sports betting company to gamble with them, as he wasn't already a customer. When he said he was in a bit of trouble, instead of leaving him alone they gave him $50k credit and a fake name to get gambling with them. Some $7M later this poor guy is going to prison. You could have heard a pin drop there, but the rage was palpable. The real criminals are going unpunished here, and those people in front of us were taking the fall!!! We were devastated and enraged.

This is absolutely disgusting...where is the accountability for the company. Punters are wooed every day to gamble more and more and then they have the audacity to tell US to gamble responsibly. How can people gamble responsibly when the whole gambling industry is set up to bleed every last cent out of people. It makes me so angry. Even watching the glorified ads they put on for the likes of sports bet absolutely infuriates me. 98% of the ad celebrates gambling, makes everyone look like a winner and right at the end in small writing they rush through the gamble responsibly message. Imagine if we flipped it and showed footage of kids going hungry, kids neglected, animals not being fed, rent not paid, power at risk of being turned off, relationship breakdown, domestic violence, loss of job, suicide (this list could go on and on) …..i am sure these images would have more of an impact to encourage people to 'gamble responsibly.'.

[smokey86]

Hi @Pikachu

Thanks for the tag and apologies haven't been around much. I've been back to work this week so very limited time.

I have a rewarding but challenging medical type of career. The stuff I have to deal with, see, hear etc can be quite daunting sometimes and that's how I believe my addiction started, to "not think" for a while.

Between work and my commute to work takes up just over 50 hours of my week. (Rotating roster)

I have a husband, a tween and a teenager (both boys) that I try to spend as much as my free time with as I can. (Teaching the teen how to drive currently too!)

Often when I was on days off, my husband was working and the boys were at school, I'd find myself down the pub. I had a big win once (well, I thought it was big - $1800 all up) and ever since then I was hooked.

My husband helped me open up my eyes unintentionally when I found what was basically a suicide note on our budget by accident. That was the wake up call I needed.

Thankfully, he's doing ok now. But the guilt, shame, embarrassment etc I felt was so intense that I felt nauseas.

I have just started my own small business that I hope one day will earn enough for me to be able to quit my full time job.

So to sum it up......I am a medical professional, mother, wife and small business owner.