and people trust blindly. Vegas states something and gamblers start automatically and compulsively to dream of it. They claim they can make millionaires – but the millionaires move to Vegas. Vegas did not make them rich. They possess wealth and for this reason they are to be found in Las Vegas. That is a big difference which people should keep at the back of their minds. It is sometimes used as an argument, you dream of Vegas; but it is not a glamorous city which will automatically make you a glamorous person. Vegas changes its visitors to become gamblers and finally, you allow yourself to be blinded by all the spotlights and you dream of a life which becomes more distant with every dollar.
How many millionaires could Vegas create every year – and how many are there really? Think about it objectively and logically and not as a gambler. Las Vegas boasts the highest number of foreclosure auctions of real estate in the whole country. Respect – That is not a sign of wealth. People allow themselves to be influenced too much by their environment – in this case by Las Vegas. However this process ought to be reversed. You should influence your environment by fighting the addiction successfully.
The inhabitants of 1las Vegas possibly have an apartment or a house. However, one look into the future is generally sufficient to understand that solely gambling will be responsible for possibly having to spend the rest of one’s life out in the street from one day to another. The inhabitants of Vegas indirectly confirm this. Most people don’t even know their next door neighbours simply because they are exchanged more often than the slot-machines in the casino. From the point of view of a slot-machine gambler, Vegas has a negative and very dangerous connotation. However, you must be willing to recognize it in order to be able to see it.
In my opinion, Americans are so-called good persons; they consider life to be too good which means that they don’t expect misfortune while the rest of the world is forever expecting a misfortune to happen. For this reason, life is definitely more idyllic in America because people do not worry so much. There is no extra burden. This is the case for most regions. However, this also means that a disappointment is so much more painful. Gambling at the slot-machine is just one big disappointment from beginning to end. However, since people think that life is all good, they will not understand that they fell for such an inhuman and cold lie. What would America be- or more generally – what would have become of humanity if we would always give up after just one single disappointment? We would still be in the Stone Age. But since people are able to create something new every day, to perform on demand and to think big while growing bigger, we will also be able to draw new energy in order to liberate ourselves from the clutches of the addiction. You have that energy inside you. All you have to do is to activate it.
You don’t need a Las Vegas in order to be able to lead a happy life. The lights in Las Vegas will still be on when you have stopped gambling away your life for no reason. But it is a start because every gambler who stops gambling, changes the circumstances. If you have just one single really good argument why you should continue to risk your life as a slot-machine gambler in Las Vegas, please let me know. Also think about whether you are only continuing to gamble in order to continue keeping up the lie. At the moment that appears to be the case. Gamblers hold on to an illusion for so long that even the truth behind the facade can no longer be believed. Very often, such an experience can be painful and I can understand that well because I was in the exact same situation once. However, such an experience is part of life and we should never forget that we will survive it. As I said before, we can achieve anything if we really want to. We can redirect our life every second to take a different direction.
“[...] and the pursuit of Happiness.” The pursuit of happiness was even included into the Declaration of Independence of the United States. However, it ought to be considered more closely what Las Vegas presents in the splendor of the USA. After all it was only the pursuit which was included. Not the certainty of ever being able to be happy. Here gambling is adorning itself with borrowed plumes because gambling at slot-machines definitely has nothing to do with happiness, but rather with systematic self-destruction. Vegas is an artificial oasis and it is increasingly alienating itself in its own country. Every day gamblers charge into Vegas and not only lose their money, but themselves also. They are lost at the slot-machine and cannot find a way out. I want to change this because only change can contribute to an improvement of the situation.
Also Karas and the legendary The Run do not change the fact that the addiction to gambling is to be found everywhere. I am not claiming that a gambler does not have the possibility of winning in a casino; however, in the long run this is definitely not possible. I know this from experience and unfortunately I had to live through it very often. And as I have mentioned before, I was quite a good gambler who failed in the end because of his own blindness. Poker-professionals, card-counters and yes – there are even Roulette-professionals who can recognize where the ivory ball is going to land. But there is not one single slot-machine-professional because technical tools will prevent that. Don’t let anyone mislead you. Nobody is able to finance his life by playing the slot-machines. On the contrary, the gambler risks his life in order to be able to gamble and thus pay for the life-style of others.
The Kiss of Judas
It would be a direct contradiction to believe that you can find compassion and support in a gambling hall. That is the place where sorrow, frustration and hopelessness originate. From experience I know that you are very doubtful – full of doubt about what I have written and about your own view of things.
If you allow doubt to get the upper hand, you’ll find yourself back at the slot-machine. You must not hold on to a wrong decision made in the past, but rather hold on to future successes. After withdrawal from your addiction you will definitely get to know the feeling of success. However, if you continue to gamble away money at the slot-machine, you may as well shake hands with the devil. It is nothing but pure self-destruction. Trust your inner voice rather than trusting anyone else. The others are not gambling away their money, but you are. Therefore withdraw and listen to what your mind is trying to tell you. I always trusted other people around me – until I realized that the withdrawal from gambling was solely my business. Trust has nothing to do with passing on responsibility.
You can confide in other people; however, you absolutely do not need their agreement – you must know yourself what needs to be done. Most gamblers fail when withdrawing from gambling because they either choose the wrong perspective or they abide by a wrong starting position. I believe in you; but you must also believe in yourself in order to successfully get started into the future. Do not depend on others because only you can live your life. You are the way and you are the destination. Of course, a lot of things are much easier when there is somebody on whose shoulder you can have a good cry and who will speak words of encouragement and will make life easier from time to time. However, it is not necessary to have someone. The simplest road does not necessarily have to be the essential one to take. It is up to you to change your life, to make your life worth living again and to make those things you wish for come true – but only, if you believe in yourself.
Gamblers appear to experience similar misfortunes and scenarios. However, despite so many things in common, we walk past each other and live in the belief that we are alone and lost. You are not alone – not even when you feel alone. Even the greatest darkness can be lit up with one single light. However, we must be aware of whom we want to share our anxieties with. If you speak to a slot-machine producer about the injustice of gambling, then he will agree with you; but he will also do everything in his power for you to continue gambling. If you communicated those same anxieties to an ex-gambler, then he would understand and possibly offer help. To be quite honest – I have done it and seen it as a third party. You open your heart to the wrong person just to get the answers you want to get. A gambling sympathizer will of course downplay your addiction and make it all sound less serious. Only those who are affected themselves will openly and clearly address the danger.
A typical vicious circle of depressions, boredom and frustration paves the way into gambling. Sometimes there are no words to describe our emotions so clearly; as a gambler I had that problem nearly every day. I only thought of slot-machines and at the same time about suicide. The thoughts about suicide became increasingly predominant and the idea of withdrawing from gambling did not really make the situation any easier because for me withdrawal was unthinkable.