Am I addicted?

[dawade]

My mother just gave me a big long speech about how I am becoming addicted to poker/gambling. (I don't even gamble on anything other than poker.)

She says that I have "all" these books (4), and I come home and do nothing but play poker (from like 3-12 or 1 in the morning, I play poker maybe 2 hours unless something else is going on). She says that if I don't stop gambling she will not buy me a laptop for college because she is afraid I will use it to just gamble all the time.

How can I tell her that not only am I not addicted, but that I'm actually doing pretty decent? (Deposited $50 end of March up to $650 now) She says she doesn't care how much I'm winning because one day "my luck could be good and then the next day I could lose everything".

This is so frustrating. None of this would even have happened if I didn't have to get a Social Security form so stupid Neteller could open my account!

[imported_CaseClosed326]

Is she any good at math? If not...you're possibly SOL. If she is then explain the math behind it as best you can.

It does not seem like you are addicted. Maybe check out the gamblers annonmous (sp) site if you are worried about that.

I had the same problem with my mom, but I got the lap top first [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]. Just try to explain it to her best you can. And if she won't comply tell her you will stop and take the lap top. It's not worth going to war over with your parents.

[Chykynlyps]

she just raised huge - its time to bluff her out and take down the pot - tell her you dont play anymore and only play when she is not around or asleep - you have to be passive aggressive in this situation so you can get the laptop to play in college but you also want to keep playing

[BoxLiquid]

can you live without poker? If not then you're addicted... simple as that. People that do not know about the mathematics and logics involved about poker will think it's just another "game" where there is nothing more than chance involved, Like Craps and roulette. It's only natural that your mom is acting like this. Phil Hellmuth and probably a ton of the 2+2'ers here have been where you've been.

[shoepolish]

Tell your mom that you quit poker, and don't play until you are off at college with your brand new laptop.. And then once you are there, you can ruin your education by playing as much as you want.

[csuf_gambler]

b1tch azz hoes just won't understand.

i get the same sh1t all the time also. people are just naturally too stupid to understand long term and expected value. don't even try to explain it to your mom. just try to hide your poker activities.

[brick]

It's good that your parents know what you are up to.

I suggest backing off for a while (i.e., not playing) and every few days during normal conversation throw something in about odds and slowly help her understand that poker is slightly different because you are playing against other player and not the house.

ps. she is right that someday you might not be the favorite and you might start losing. someday you might turn to poker as an outlet. she is right that poker is gambling. she is right that you will use the laptop to gamble and that it will distract from your school work. Better make her a deal about grades you will keep and the number of hours/money you will spend playing poker.

[dawade]

She was like "well I can call the bank and get them to check your account" at any time. I swear it's insane. What sucks is the SS Department sent me the right letter yesterday but dumb ass Neteller wouldn't accept it because it didn't have an official seal. I called and got another letter today THEN she confronts me about the whole SS # and gambling bit.

It's not like I come straight home, hop on poker for like 10 hours and then sleep. I go to school, come home, go out and hang with friends, and come home and unless I'm doing something else play poker.

[dawade]

She's not mad about the grades. I mean I make the same grades I did before I started playing, she just thinks that I am going to lose my money, I think.

[csuf_gambler]

[ QUOTE ]
can you live without poker? If not then you're addicted... simple as that.

[/ QUOTE ]

absurd. if someone has a job and works at mcdonalds and goes to work everyday, is he addicted to working at mcdonalds?

poker is a form of income to a lot of us here, just cause we want to work and make money doesn't mean we are "addicted" to poker.

if i never had to play another hand of poker in my life, that would be great. but unfortunatly thats not going to happen because i love making money.