Tom was the son of a teacher and accountant, he had two younger brothers Dan and Samantha. As a child, Tom excelled in sports and in high school joined the baseball team. He lives in New Jersey.
Tom was a popular kid at school, team star and chairman of the college committee. He was an example among his companions and his younger brothers. Always being in the eyes of all, caused in Tom a great stress and pressure that little by little was causing him great anxiety.
His parents inadvertently pressured him at home to always get good grades and play well, so he would get a scholarship to go to college.
Tom felt trapped between the expectations of his parents and the coach of the team that always hoped to be the best hitter on the field.
One day after completing one of the training sessions, Tom met a guy named Paul, approached him and told him if he wanted to make money. Tom asked him what he meant and he replied that he accepted bets, that if he lost next Saturday against the opposing team he would give a part of what he won in the bets.
Tom did not accept the offer, but after that day he became curious about the bets and befriended Paul. This friendship was the beginning of how Tom channeled his anxieties and stress into the stakes. They made him feel relaxed, powerful, and above all he felt the adrenaline of emotion when he won a bet.
His personality began to change and what at first seemed a harmless game, gradually became a dangerous addiction. He started to lose money and for a 17 year old boy who lived with his parents and was a student, from where he would get $ 1000 to pay his creditors.
One night Tom was beaten to his house, when his mother saw him he was very frightened and demanded to tell him what had happened to him. Tom lied and commented that it was just a boy fight for a girl he both liked. His mother did not believe him, but when he did not have evidence, he warned him that next time he would call the police and the parents of that boy who beat him.
The months passed and things did not improve Tom's behavior was getting worse, he ran away from home at night and returned at dawn, his grades were on the ground and if he did not improve he would fail the school year. Money and valuables began to disappear from the house. His father exploded and faced him, and for the first time in his life he warned him that if he did not improve he would have to kick him out of the house. His mother was shattered Tom's behavior was affecting not only his family but his marriage.
When his mother found Tom stealing a chain from his jeweler, he broke his heart and told him that if he did not tell her because he was stealing his family, he would kick him out of the house. Tom started to cry and tell his mother that about a year ago he had been betting, that at first it was a harmless game and that as he almost always won, that relaxed him. But for months he had only lost, stealing in the hope of winning, and recovering the lost, but only losing more and more money. He was desperate and frightened because the men he should have threatened to kill him if he did not pay the debt.
Her mother could not believe how her son had gotten in so much trouble over the game. He told Tom that she and her father would take care of the matter and that they would seek help from a psychologist to guide them. His parents called the police and informed them of the betting network at school games.
Tom began attending a youth group with gambling addiction and receiving professional therapy. His family supported him at every step of the process and was gradually channeling his anxieties and stress in a healthy way.
Tom lost the year and did not graduate with his classmates. Two years after living the nightmare that almost destroys him and his family Tom is overcoming his gambling addiction.
Soon he will go to college and have a life to come. Today you know you must be careful, and how easy you can lose everything by making bad decisions.
