I have a friend who caused a fair bit of mayhem in his life with gambling.
He gambled every penny he could get his hands on, had borrowed money from virtually eveyone who knew him, destroyed relationships to the point people including his family disowned him, lost numerous jobs, his self respect, dignity and most of the people who cared for him and told lies that Walter Mitty would be proud of.
I always kind of stood by him and tried to help him. I encouraged him to seek help and he never did. 3 years ago he literally had no one or anywhere to go or turn to. (I was on holiday at the time). He stood on a bridge and was going to throw himself off and in the end never went through with it.
The next day he walked into gamblers anonymous off his own back and has not gambled since. He got himself a flat, a job and attends 3 GA meetings per week. He has a new partner in his life, his family and various friends are back in his life and has really turned things around and in my opinion back to the guy he was before he turned into a compulsive gambler. Last week I attended his 3 year PIN which is a celabration and what GA call a year off a bet. Like a birthday in AA.
I had lunch today with a mutual friend. He loaned him £500 4 years ago which he got back but wants nothing to do with him and has not spoken to the mate who's a gambler for 3 and a half years.
I was explaining that he has made huge strides to change himself and his life but he reckons it's all just an act or just a phase and will revert back to his old ways at one point as "a leopard can't change his spots" and will never speak or have anything to do with him ever again.
I wholeheartedly disagree and genuinely think that people can change.
What's your thoughts as I was a bit pissed off at my mate for being so close minded?
He gambled every penny he could get his hands on, had borrowed money from virtually eveyone who knew him, destroyed relationships to the point people including his family disowned him, lost numerous jobs, his self respect, dignity and most of the people who cared for him and told lies that Walter Mitty would be proud of.
I always kind of stood by him and tried to help him. I encouraged him to seek help and he never did. 3 years ago he literally had no one or anywhere to go or turn to. (I was on holiday at the time). He stood on a bridge and was going to throw himself off and in the end never went through with it.
The next day he walked into gamblers anonymous off his own back and has not gambled since. He got himself a flat, a job and attends 3 GA meetings per week. He has a new partner in his life, his family and various friends are back in his life and has really turned things around and in my opinion back to the guy he was before he turned into a compulsive gambler. Last week I attended his 3 year PIN which is a celabration and what GA call a year off a bet. Like a birthday in AA.
I had lunch today with a mutual friend. He loaned him £500 4 years ago which he got back but wants nothing to do with him and has not spoken to the mate who's a gambler for 3 and a half years.
I was explaining that he has made huge strides to change himself and his life but he reckons it's all just an act or just a phase and will revert back to his old ways at one point as "a leopard can't change his spots" and will never speak or have anything to do with him ever again.
I wholeheartedly disagree and genuinely think that people can change.
What's your thoughts as I was a bit pissed off at my mate for being so close minded?
