View this newsletter as the original email.
In This Issue:
- Notes from Wiley
- Name Change to OAPGG
- State Certification Program
- A Story about Gambling Addiction from a Person in Recovery
Notes from Wiley
Greetings,
I hope your summer is going well and you are able to have some fun. You deserve it!
During the next few months, two major changes will take place at OAPCG. Beginning July 1, the Oklahoma Association on Problem and Compulsive Gambling will change its name to the Oklahoma Association on Problem Gambling and Gaming. We will continue to be the state advocate for problem gambling but will also embrace the issues related to problem gaming. Perhaps you have already noticed that gaming, e-sports, and online gambling have mushroomed in recent years, and we are seeking to embrace this field and the issues it will cause in the coming years.
The name change also means that our email addresses and website will now end with oapgg.org. We hope this part of the transition will be smooth, and the old address will forward to the new for the rest of the year.
Beginning November 1, 2021, there will be a State Certification for Problem Gambling Counselors. The Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (ODMHSAS) has titled this as Title 450: Chapter 75; Standards and Criteria for Certified Problem Gambling Treatment Counselors. The certification process will be administered by OAPGG with Kenzie Simpson (Communications and Outreach Coordinator) leading.
Chapter 75, the application, and instructions will be loaded to our website by August 1, 2021. You may begin the application process on September 1, 2021. The certification will be numbered so get your application in early to get the lowest number possible.
In-person continuing education trainings have resumed so I hope to see you in person soon.
Wiley
Wiley D. Harwell
Executive Director of OAPCG
Name Change to OAPGG
Beginning July 1, OAPCG will be known as the Oklahoma Association on Problem Gambling and Gaming (OAPGG). We look forward increasing the scope of our mission to include awareness, resources, and training for gaming addiction. New resources will be coming soon to the website and social media.
State Certification for Problem Gambling Counselors
OAPCG has been working with the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services to develop a state certification for problem gambling counselors. The certification process will include basic training, consultation calls, and clinical experience. Those that have already received basic training and participated in consultation calls will have an opportunity to be grandfathered into the certification.
The certification will be administered by Kenzie Simpson, Communications and Outreach Coordinator. Kenzie earned her bachelors degree from the University of Chicago and a masters degree from the Claremont School of Theology. Her work at OAPCG includes coordinating outreach, assisting with research projects, designing awareness materials, overseeing the website, and updating social media. She looks forward to strengthening the connection between OAPCG and problem gambling counselors through the certification program.
A Personal Story
addiction The fact or condition of being addicted to a particular substance, thing, or activity.
When I thought of addiction, I thought of alcoholics, drug addicts, and even smokers. This is probably why it took me so long to realize that I, too, was an addict.
I’m addicted to gambling. I can’t remember when gambling turned into an addiction since it was so gradual. I’ve spent 15 years gambling in casinos, with the last eight of those being particularly detrimental to my life. There were times toward the end that I wanted to end my life. I couldn’t see a way to stop. I grew exhausted of my addiction affecting everyone I loved. I felt so alone. How could anyone understand the things I’ve done to feed this addiction? How could anyone understand the guilt and the shame that left me struggling to breathe?
However, I do remember my last day in the casino. At least I hope it was my last day in the casino. I was asking myself why I was even there. I knew I didn’t want to be there, but I couldn’t help myself. I would win some and then I would pay it back in. I would then hit the ATM until there wasn’t anything left. I walked out of there hating myself. I had bills that were behind, and I just gambled all my money away. I was tired of this viscous cycle and I knew I needed help. I’ve been throwing myself into recovery ever since that last day. While trying to heal, I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about this addiction and how it rooted itself in my life.
Until the realization that I was an addict myself, I never even imagined gambling could be a problem. Starting in grade school, there were programs that focused on the damaging effects of alcohol, drugs, and smoking. Did those programs work? For some they did. I didn’t develop those addictions. I remember going home and telling my mother that her cigarettes were going to kill her. I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about how it could have made a difference if I’d just been made aware of the problems it could cause in my life. How many years could I have back if I knew the compulsion I felt for gambling was a disease?
Oklahoma is second to Nevada in its number of casinos, with just under 4% of our state’s adult population affected by problem gambling. This addiction affects all demographics. It does not discriminate. The truth is, it affects everyone from young adults to retirees, male and female.
Are we keeping up with the growth of this addiction? Are we making the resources that are available known to the public? Are we doing enough?
Suicide rates are highest in compulsive gamblers, with the destruction of lives going unnoticed until it’s too late. This silent and destructive addiction remains hidden in many lives because of the shame and guilt associated with it. It is just starting to be talked about in the medical communities as an actual disorder of the brain.
Would it not be beneficial to our communities to have advocacy and awareness programs available to schools and colleges? The more we can destigmatize and advocate for this addiction, the more lives we can save.
I am early in my recovery, I’m attending GA meetings, working the steps with a sponsor, and currently in counseling.
I can’t promise I won’t relapse, but I do promise I don’t want to.
Thank you for reading my story.
Christina
Consultation Calls
OAPCG offers consultation calls every third Tuesday of the month at 2:00 pm for counselors to get help with difficult cases and build knowledge for certification. Call 405-801-3329 to get instructions for connecting. Wiley looks forward to hearing you on the call!