Did you know that 20% of most sports bettors (males) allocate 25% of their regular paycheck to gambling? Did you know that 20% of sports bettors are in debt from gambling? Are you aware of the fact that this average debt is between $55,000 and $90,000, with over 50% of these debtors filing for bankruptcy? This data regarding gambling debt in America doesn’t just indicate a household financial crisis, it reveals urgency to intervene against suicidal actions, thoughts, and self harm. And no, that statement is not hyperbolic. Please keep reading as the life of someone you know may depend on it.
Why Problem Gamblers in Debt Need Immediate Intervention to Protect Against Suicide and Self Harm (and where to get help)
Suicide Statistics Regarding Debt in America
The data regarding suicidal ideation, suicide, and self harm as they relate to persons in debt are well documented. Please take note of the following:
More than 5% of U.S. adults in debt have attempted suicide (NLM)
13% of adults in debt think about suicide (Guardian)
23% of those who made a suicide attempt (surveyed year) were in problem debt (Guardian)
Americans with four financial strains are 20 x more likely to attempt suicide than those who don’t have financial problems (Duke University)
16% of those who died by suicide in a recent year had been suffering from financial problems (CDC)
Adding to the mental health burden of debt, are both real and perceived practices of debt collectors who MUST be more mindful of their language in dealing with indebted persons. The following quote from Money and Mental Health Policy Institute sums it up succinctly:
“The personal finance expert who set up and chairs the institute, said letters to debtors, who can receive several a day, are so ruinous to mental health that they are pushing people to consider suicide.”
MMHPI
Suicide Statistics Regarding Gambling in America
The above referenced study conducted by Duke University shed additional light on debt being a “risk factor” in suicide.
“Elbogen and colleagues noted that financial problems have long been considered a risk factor for suicide, but often as a contributing factor amid other mental health issues, such as substance abuse and depression, and not as a driving force.”
Duke University
When debt is combined with a mental and/or behavioral health issue, the gateways to suicidal ideation, suicide, and self-harm open up significantly. Problem gambling is one such behavioral health concern. As the data in the introduction of this article on gambling debt suicide infers, debt and gambling go hand in hand, as do cooccurring (with problem gambling) conditions such as depression. Please take note of America’s suicide statistics surrounding problem gambling:
28% of problem gamblers report suicidal thoughts
42% of high risk gamblers have wished they were dead
14% of sports and 18% of horse race bettors report suicidal ideation
For further insight into the concerning statistics regarding problem gambling and suicide, click here.
What Needs to be Done
Get Help for Gambling Debt
Whether you or someone you care about is in debt from gambling, and if debt is indeed a risk factor for suicide, action needs to be taken right away to get out of the financial hole. Kindbridge has compiled resources to assist with this:
Get Help for Problem Gambling
It’s now time to get to the root of the problem. Kindbridge Behavioral Health is America’s preeminent provider of virtual counseling and therapy for problem gambling and cooccurring conditions. Reach out via the contacts provided below for yourself or on behalf of a loved one. Considering everything above, immediate intervention is needed.
Get Immediate and Effective Problem Gambling Support
CALL +1 (877) 426-4258
OR
Email [email protected]
