In this forum and other forums where gambling is one of the topics of discussion, one of the recurrent topics is people who write about how their gambling addiction has ruined their lives. We usually encounter topics like "Gambling ruined my life," "I lost all my life savings to gambling," "I gambled away my entire salary," etc. Then they go on to tell a sad tale. It makes me wonder: why do gamblers tend to wait until they have suffered a catastrophic loss or a string of losses before quitting or seeking help?
I think an addiction is an addiction.
Science shows and doctors say that the biochemical activity in the brain is the same for someone who drinks as for someone who is addicted to gambling. Now why does an alcoholic not stop drinking before life is ruined? Because they can't. For gamblers that is the same and often times it is the damage caused that can turn into a wake up call and actually help you get away from what makes you unhappy. It can also lead into an evil downward spiral and actually destroy your entire life.
That's why it's even a good thing when you learn your lesson as a 20 year old gambling away your 2,000 USD savings and you think you ruined your life but you didn't because you can make a comeback.
If you are a father of two and have a wife and you gamble away your house, your savings, then lose your wife and she takes with her the kids. Well, then you did pretty much ruin your entire life.
This is not to say that gambling at a young age is good because it is a timely lesson. But if you fall for an addiction and get out of it again and learn from it, it's better when it happens when you are young I guess.