Socially Acceptable Until it goes Bad

Now here's one that I can speak to with much experience. I have a PhD in gambling and scored 20 out of 20 on the list of problem gambling characteristics. In other words, I started as a socially acceptable gambler, then progressed to a full-blown, pathological gambler. Was I addicted? Most definitely. Did it cost me? Almost everything. Am I the only one? Unfortunately, no.

While being in court-ordered treatment, I learned that my membership in gambling addiction is a very small part of a large, and growing, assembly. What may surprise many, is that the largest group of members in the society of gambling addicts are the states that promote gambling. So much revenue is being generated by gambling that the states have come to depend on that revenue for existence. Hence, they have become addicted to the result of gambling. (If you find that unbelievable, try starting an initiative drive to get rid of state-sponsored gambling where you live)

More and more people are ending up either dead or in prison as a result of this addiction, yet for the most part it is still socially acceptable. Are there other socially acceptable addictions that have dire consequences for those addicted? Well, lets get to those later . . . for now, are you starting to see a picture develop? Can you still look around and find someone who is not addicted?