Gamblers Anonymous

Short Memory
Author : GA

Keep telling your story at your GA meeting and remind yourself of what brought you through the doors in the first place. We assume that you have passed the “90 day” mark. You may or may not be free of gambling at this time, but let’s assume that you are.

Life is a little bit better; the pain that brought you to GA is beginning to ease. Very soon, if you are not careful, you will wonder if it was ever there at all. You will forget the pain. If you get to this stage, there is a real danger that you will go back out there and get some more pain. So many times we have heard members say to a new member at his or her first meeting, “If only I could keep your therapy on tape and play it back to you when your memory fades”.

The Short Memory seems to be a characteristic of the compulsive gambler. How many times did we gamble all our money away, suffer the pain of defeat and the agony of reality only to be lifted to the highest levels full of sheer joy when we laid our hands on more money or had the occasional win? Instantly our past troubles were forgotten. “This time it will be different.” It never is. It always ends with the same result; misery and pain.

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