A man who “lost everything” through gambling has said asking for help to deal with his addiction was one of the hardest decisions of his life.
Liam Colebrook, from Ripley in Derbyshire, said there was a stigma attached to asking for support with addiction.
He said he was on a “one-man crusade” to fight the stigma.
Gambling harm support group GamCare said its helpline received more calls in 2023 than ever before.
The 40-year-old said it was difficult to pinpoint exactly when his problems first started, having been through a divorce, losing money and struggles with his mental health.
He said: “For me, gambling was the norm really, you would go out and have a few beers, have a bet, be a part of the social circle that society accepts at the minute.
“I lost everything really, I don’t mean just financially, which I’ll be paying for a long time to come. From an emotional perspective I lost everything, even to a point I was losing my own soul to gambling.
“I was successful in the workplace, and I wore masks that resembled that.
“I have two amazing kids, I was a dad that wore a mask in front of them. I’m from a loving family, an amazing great friendship circle, but the masks that I wore allowed me to hide my addiction on a daily basis.”
After recovering from his addiction and going to rehab twice, Mr Colebrook said he was on a “one-man crusade” to lower the stigma for people to ask for help from gambling addiction.
He said: “There’s a perception for me in society that people say, ‘just stop, it’s only gambling’.”
Mr Colebrook urged anyone who is struggling with a gambling addiction to seek help.
He said: “Gambling can make you feel isolated, lonely and it’s not as simple as just stopping.
“Embrace every bit of help you get and understand no-one will judge you and you won’t be the first person to be struggling with this and unfortunately you won’t be the last.
“You can turn your life around and you can get back on track.”
Charity GamCare said its National Gambling Helpline received 52,370 calls and online messages from people seeking support in 2023 – a 24% increase on 2022, when there were about 42,000 calls, according to GamCare.
Latest figures from the charity also show there was a sharp rise in calls during the festive period – a 39% increase in calls throughout December 2023 compared to the same month the year before.
If you’ve been affected by addiction, help and support is available via BBC Action Line.
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