Trapped in a Gambling Addiction That Almost Destroyed His Life

Introduction

After struggling with gambling addiction, Ike Dweck slowly turned his life around. He has gone on to help others in need. He created the SAFE Foundation, an outpatient treatment program located in Brooklyn, New York. They serve as a reliable haven for those experiencing difficulties with cigarettes, vaping, prescription drug addiction, alcoholism, and compulsive gambling. In this video with That’s an Issue Podcast, he shares his inspiring journey from being a compulsive gambler to saving the lives of others struggling with addiction.

Quotes

“I remember [being 12 years old] flipping quarters at lunchtime in the bathroom and closest to the wall wins the money and I had a tremendous knack for hand-eye coordination. I’d win a dollar, two dollars, and after a while it just wasn’t enough – I needed more money and I started betting on basketball games and then on football games, and then all of a sudden it just takes a life of its own.”

“When you start gambling … there’s always that time where you hit it big … and then you spend half your life chasing those winnings and that’s where the issues really come from.”

“The highest rate of suicidality is with compulsive gamblers.”

“There’s always something underlying somebody’s trouble … the majority of people have underlying trauma that has cuased them to self-medicate.”

“As you progress in your disorder, there are no rules. You break your own rules, everything is out the window … the addiction takes over them and they just can’t stop themselves.”

“If you win, you can’t wait to bet more. If you lose, you have to chase, you have to go the next day and do more and more. And then when things are not going so well, you don’t want to be around people … it’s a very detaching addiction. You are alone and you feel alone.”

“They have the internet, they have phones, they have cable TV, they have all this, so if you’re not in tune with what your child is watching and what they’re involved with, you’re only going to see a problem after it happens.”

“Where else can you go to open your heart and let everything out on the table and nobody judges you? That therapy is the best therapy in the world.” [Speaking about 12-step meetings]