5 years ago
By Jennifer Brice First Coast News Staff
JACKSONVILLE, FL -- Ask any area teen if they play cards and more times than none they will tell you yes. It sounds harmless. Some parents are even getting in on it by staging poker parties for their children. But, child psychologists in Florida say it's becoming an epidemic. Dr. Stephen Bloomfield says poker is becoming so popular among teens because of an explosion of TV shows about the game. "Gambling has gone from being a sin, to a vice, to a psychological disorder, to now being social virtue. It's become the in thing to do."
Bloomfield says, unlike other addictions, gambling is tough to detect. "The problem with gambling among teenagers is gambling is increasing much quicker than among adults." Dr. Bloomfield says two to three percent of American adults are compulsive gamblers. Teenagers are up to seven percent.
A recent study by the University of Florida shows almost 70 percent of children between the ages of 13 and 17 have gambled in their lifetime. The age they start is 12 years old.
"To think it's a fad that's going to go away because you have the extra eliminate of gambling, the money part is a real rush."
There is a four question assessment tool you can use to see whether you or someone you love may have a problem with gambling. Just ask these questions:
Have you ever borrowed money to cover a gambling loss? Have you ever talked about having a gambling problem? Have you ever had to lie about the extent of your gambling? Have you ever tried to stop or cut back how much you gamble?Check the gambler's anonymous link for more information about how to get help.
First Coast News