Michigan man is prime example of addiction to gambling among seniors

 Forged Rollers Unlike alcohol and drug addicts, whose diseases are recognized asphysiological and have established treatment programs, gamblingaddicts are usually faced with the shame that comes from thinkingthey should just be able to exert some willpower and stop. Theiraddiction is invisible, and they may not seek help until theirworld comes apart. Experts estimate that between 2 percent and 5 percent of theoverall population has a problem. Each year, a little more than2,000 people are referred for treatment or to Gamblers Anonymousmeetings after calling in to the Michigan Department of CommunityHealth Problem Gambling Helpline. More than 300 each year ask tohave themselves put on the Disassociated Persons List, which bansthem from Detroit's three casinos. That may be just a fraction, said James McCurtis, DCH spokesman. "Alot of times, people don't recognize that they need help. It's adenial." "Usually when people come in to see me, they've reached some kindof crisis point," said Denise Phillips, who has counseled problemgamblers for more than a decade, working in Grosse Pointe, theBloomfields and Plymouth, Mich. "It's such a hidden disease. We'reabout 20 years behind substance abuse as far as awareness in thecommunity. There isn't any alcohol being ingested where you cansmell it. It can't be detected with a blood test or a urine test.There's no saturation point - as long as there's money left togamble with, he can continue." Burke practiced law for 25 years in the community, serving on thezoning board of appeals, the local United Way board, the BrightonHospital board. He worked on three millage elections. A recoveringalcoholic who had been sober for decades, his private practiceincluded many who had similar issues. "I was not the typical person people think of as having a gamblingproblem. I was nominated as citizen of the year in this community.Who would expect a citizen of the year to steal money from hisclients' trust accounts?" he said. But he did. "I traded oneaddiction for another." The lies began almost immediately. He helped to close a real estatedeal with a client in Florida, and the two took a trip thatincluded time at Bahamas casinos - a part of the visit he neglectedto mention to his wife, Jane. When the Burkes flew to Las Vegas, he counted cards and gambledheavily to get high roller status, which they enjoyed. But on theflight home from their next trip to Lake Tahoe, he was careful toflash a stack of thousands of dollars in cash that he claimed werehis winnings. In fact, he had withdrawn the money before they left,specifically to convince her that they should make another gamblingtrip. He started visiting the casino several times a week, losing a fewhundred dollars each time, telling his secretary and his familythat he was visiting clients. "In the beginning, it was just fun. I'd get away. It was the samekind of denial I used when I was drinking," Burke said. Ironically,every day, he'd pass a giant billboard on I-96 that proclaimed: "Ifyou are spending more money than you can afford, you have aproblem." "I saw that sign every day," he said. "I'd think, how can people DOthat? The first time I drove by that sign and applied it to me - itwas too late. I was done." After a year, he stopped going to Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. Itdidn't seem like a big deal at the time, he says, but he says nowhe sees it was because the spirit of the meetings clashed with thelies he was telling his family and coworkers to cover his gambling. "Once a person is hooked, it's been my experience that they'll loseeverything," he said. "It takes a crisis. We hide it. Thedifference between gambling and drinking is that gambling is a veryeasy addiction to hide. "All I ever dreamed about - I just wanted my money back. I wasgoing to quit. Of course, if I won the money back, I wouldn't havequit."