Counseling & Psychological Services

Exposure and access to gambling has grown exponentially. With an increased sense of independence, students may find themselves getting caught up in an activity like gambling that is causing stress in their lives. Students often engage in online gaming, poker, lottery, and sports betting. What may start out as a good time with friends can end up as serious financial and personal distress. Gambling can become addictive and students with a problem have a hard time stopping, even though they are losing money, spending time away from friends, experiencing stress, and ruining their lives in other ways.

Signs of a Gambling Problem

• Spending money one does not have, including maxing out credit cards
• Denying that one has a problem and lying to friends and family in order to hide the habit
• Stealing and borrowing from others, including using other people’s credit cards without obtaining their permission
• Frequent arguing with friends and family
• Experiencing conflict in school and at work 
• Not attending to responsibilities
• Engaging in criminal activity as a way to manage the habit
• Dropping of grades in classes
• Experiencing depressed feelings or suicidal thoughts

Things You Can Do

• Avoid places where you can freely gamble away your money, such as casinos and online gambling sites.
• Engage in healthy activities and hobbies that will distract you from the desire to gamble. Examples include hiking, photography, or playing a musical instrument.
• Control your sources of money. Get rid of credit cards, let someone else be in charge of your finances, have the bank make automated payments for you, and keep only a limited amount of cash on you at all times.
• Seek out support from friends and family. Let them know that you are trying to cut back and ask for their help.

Additional Information/Resources

The N.C. Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse Services has considerable information available on problem gambling at their website. They also have a helpline: the NC Problem Gambling Helpline, at 1(877) 718-5543.

Help is Available

It may benefit you to talk to someone at the Counseling Center. Stop by during our Initial Consultation hours Monday-Friday 8:30-11:00 a.m. & 1:00-4:00 p.m., or call (828) 262-3180. We can talk with you about your concerns. You may also learn more by checking our other links, or completing an online screening.

Crisis Services

If you or another AppState student is experiencing suicidal and/or homicidal thoughts or experiencing trauma in regard to a sexual assault, you may contact us after hours by calling the Counseling Center at (828) 262-3180 and select the option to speak with the counselor on call.