[bkholdem]

Taken from gamblersanonymous.org

I will provide my own answers so I don't sound condesending lol.

TWENTY QUESTIONS
1.Did you ever lose time from work or school due to gambling? Yes. I have blown off work and called in sick several times to go to Foxwoods to play poker. I have also left early on many many occasions and went home and played poker online. (I could go into justifications but the questions DO NOT ask that.
2.Has gambling ever made your home life unhappy? Yes. My girlfriend resents the amount of time I spend playing poker.
3.Did gambling affect your reputation? No
4.Have you ever felt remorse after gambling? No
5.Did you ever gamble to get money with which to pay debts or otherwise solve financial difficulties? No.
6.Did gambling cause a decrease in your ambition or efficiency? No
7.After losing did you feel you must return as soon as possible and win back your losses? No
8.After a win did you have a strong urge to return and win more? No
9.Did you often gamble until your last dollar was gone? No
10.Did you ever borrow to finance your gambling? No
11.Have you ever sold anything to finance gambling? No
12.Were you reluctant to use "gambling money" for normal expenditures? Yes
13.Did gambling make you careless of the welfare of yourself or your family? No
14.Did you ever gamble longer than you had planned? Yes
15.Have you ever gambled to escape worry or trouble? Yes
16.Have you ever committed, or considered committing, an illegal act to finance gambling? No
17.Did gambling cause you to have difficulty in sleeping? Yes (I am quite preoccupied with poker and think about it constantly...including when going to bed)
18.Do arguments, disappointments or frustrations create within you an urge to gamble? No
19.Did you ever have an urge to celebrate any good fortune by a few hours of gambling? No
20.Have you ever considered self destruction or suicide as a result of your gambling? No
Most compulsive gamblers will answer yes to at least seven of these questions.

So I come pretty darn close. I took this test about a year ago and actually scored 7 of 20 (18.Do arguments, disappointments or frustrations create within you an urge to gamble? used to be a 'yes' but I do not play my best when disappointed, frustrated, etc and am actively working on minimizing my play at these times while also working on developing better coping strategies so that I can play through these times and make fewer and fewer mistakes).

I could have justified a lot of my answers:

I skip work for other reasons as well.

Reluctance to use poker money for other expenses is bankroll management,...

etc but the questions do not provide for exceptions. They say 7 is the number so if you come close it is something to be aware of.

I am addicted to poker. I have been addicted to many, many things in my life. Poker is gambling. I am addicted to this form of gambling. I am a winning player but this does not change the fact that I am also an addicted player.