help - husband with depression/gambling
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help - husband with depression/gambling
| Fri, 06-18-2004 - 6:07pm |
Hi,
My husband suffers from depression. I knew this before we married. He had a really bad episode while we were engaged and living long distance before I moved to be where he lived after a job relocation. He had gambled and lost a lot of money and took some pills after leaving me a message on my voicemail. I was able to convince him to go to the ER and flew out to be with him. He has been under the care of a psychiatrist and taking Effexor, though he is not receiving any counseling. He had a lot of things from childhood that affect him - parents with an unhappy marriage including violence- and other events later in life previously divorced himself, a negative job experience, the early death of his father. After starting meds he seemed to be doing better and I handled the financial aspect of our relationship. We have been married 9 months and things have been good. He recently had an event that crushed him. His oldest daughter graduated from high school and she and her sister have basically shunned him. The one wouldn't even talk to him and the other politely refused his offer to come visit as well as money for college. He basically feels that they hate him. Immediately following this he went into a gambling spree again. He has spent 30 hour periods at a casino and wagered thousands of dollars. Fortunately to this point he has won back his losses and then some which is giving him a high to replace his other feelings. He has broken plans with me and is gambling almost daily now. I am not sure what to do or how to help him. I am trying to be patient and supportive and to get him to get into counseling. Anyone have any advice?
My husband suffers from depression. I knew this before we married. He had a really bad episode while we were engaged and living long distance before I moved to be where he lived after a job relocation. He had gambled and lost a lot of money and took some pills after leaving me a message on my voicemail. I was able to convince him to go to the ER and flew out to be with him. He has been under the care of a psychiatrist and taking Effexor, though he is not receiving any counseling. He had a lot of things from childhood that affect him - parents with an unhappy marriage including violence- and other events later in life previously divorced himself, a negative job experience, the early death of his father. After starting meds he seemed to be doing better and I handled the financial aspect of our relationship. We have been married 9 months and things have been good. He recently had an event that crushed him. His oldest daughter graduated from high school and she and her sister have basically shunned him. The one wouldn't even talk to him and the other politely refused his offer to come visit as well as money for college. He basically feels that they hate him. Immediately following this he went into a gambling spree again. He has spent 30 hour periods at a casino and wagered thousands of dollars. Fortunately to this point he has won back his losses and then some which is giving him a high to replace his other feelings. He has broken plans with me and is gambling almost daily now. I am not sure what to do or how to help him. I am trying to be patient and supportive and to get him to get into counseling. Anyone have any advice?
