改過自新的賭博成癮者分享了成癮和救贖的骯髒故事

基倫史密斯 (Kieren Smith) 曾是一名賭博成癮者，在體育博彩中損失了超過 10 萬英鎊，他從 8 歲起就開始了他在海邊老虎機上的賭博之旅。成年後，他因過度賭博而面臨經濟困難，導致無家可歸。儘管史密斯在 2018 年戒掉了毒癮，但他仍在與信用問題作鬥爭，並主張改變賭博廣告，以強調潛在的風險和後果。

Gambling Addiction: A Sordid Tale of a Life Lost and Regained

賭博成癮：一個失去生命又重生的骯髒故事

In a chilling testimony, Kieren Smith, a reformed gambling addict, recounts his harrowing journey from the innocent thrill of childhood arcade slots to the devastating depths of a £100,000 betting loss.

在一份令人毛骨悚然的證詞中，基倫史密斯(Kieren Smith) 是一位改過自新的賭博成癮者，講述了他從童年街機老虎機的天真刺激到10 萬英鎊投注損失的毀滅性深淵的痛苦經歷。

Early Roots of a Destructive Passion

破壞性激情的早期根源

At the tender age of eight, while on a family holiday, Kieren's fascination with gambling began. The allure of seaside slot machines ignited a fiery spark within him, propelling him into a vortex of exhilaration and insatiable desire. Soon, he found himself commandeering stools to reach the tantalizing coin slots, his youthful excitement bubbling over.

基倫八歲那年，在一次家庭度假時，他開始迷上了賭博。海邊老虎機的誘惑在他內心點燃了熾熱的火花，將他推入興奮和無法滿足的慾望的漩渦中。很快，他發現自己霸佔了凳子，到達誘人的投幣口，他年輕時的興奮感油然而生。

Beyond slot machines, Kieren's gambling prowess extended to bingo, where his extraordinary ambition propelled him to juggle multiple cards, seeking an edge over his competitors. This early-life passion foreshadowed the relentless pursuit that would consume him in later years.

除了老虎機之外，基倫的賭博能力還擴展到賓果遊戲，他非凡的野心促使他玩弄多張牌，尋求超越競爭對手的優勢。這種早年的熱情預示著他在晚年的不懈追求。

Teenage Years: A Growing Obsession

青少年時期：日益增長的痴迷

As Kieren matured into his teenage years, his gambling habits evolved. He enlisted the help of family members to place football bets, his youthful enthusiasm morphing into an insatiable hunger for fortune. Upon reaching legal age, he plunged headfirst into the world of sports betting, making the bookies his first port of call after payday.

隨著基倫進入青少年時期，他的賭博習慣也逐漸形成。他在家人的幫助下進行足球投注，他年輕的熱情演變成對財富的永不滿足的渴望。達到法定年齡後，他一頭栽進體育博彩世界，讓博彩公司成為他發薪日後的第一站。

All too often, his hard-earned wages vanished within a week, consumed by the unforgiving embrace of gambling. The pattern became all too familiar: a frenzied burst of euphoria followed by an agonizing crash as his hopes were dashed. Determined to chase the elusive big win, he resorted to borrowing money, spiraling into a cycle of payday loans.

很多時候，他辛苦賺來的薪水在一週內就化為烏有，因為他無情地沉迷於賭博。這種模式變得再熟悉不過了：一陣瘋狂的欣快感隨之而來，隨後是痛苦的崩潰，因為他的希望破滅了。決心追逐難以捉摸的大勝利，他訴諸借錢，陷入了發薪日貸款的循環。

Despair and Addiction's Grip

絕望與成癮的掌控

The consequences of Kieren's addiction manifested in alarming ways. In a desperate bid to continue his gambling, he neglected his responsibilities, failing to pay rent and eventually finding himself homeless. The depths of his despair culminated in an overdose, a stark testament to the destructive grip of gambling addiction.

基倫毒癮的後果以令人震驚的方式顯現出來。為了繼續賭博，他不顧一切地忽視了自己的責任，未能支付房租，最終發現自己無家可歸。他的絕望之深最終導致了服藥過量，這充分證明了賭博成癮的破壞性。

Breaking Free: A Journey of Redemption

掙脫束縛：救贖之旅

In a moment of reckoning, Kieren realized the futility of his addiction. Reaching out to the National Gambling Helpline, he embarked upon a path of recovery, mustering the resolve to shatter the chains of his enslavement. Since December 2018, he has remained steadfast in his abstinence from gambling.

經過一番思考，基倫意識到自己的毒癮是徒勞無功的。透過撥打國家賭博熱線，他踏上了康復之路，下定決心打破奴役的鎖鏈。自2018年12月起，他一直堅定戒賭。

Lingering Scars and a Plea for Reform

揮之不去的傷痕與改革的呼聲

While Kieren has broken free from addiction, its scars linger on. His financial history casts a dark shadow over his current life, preventing him from obtaining a mortgage or even securing a mobile phone contract.

雖然基倫已經擺脫了毒癮，但傷疤卻依然揮之不去。他的財務歷史為他目前的生活蒙上了陰影，使他無法獲得抵押貸款，甚至無法獲得手機合約。

In light of his experience, Kieren implores gambling companies to reconsider their advertising practices. He argues that the glamourous portrayals of gambling fail to depict the devastating consequences that can befall those who succumb to its lure.

根據他的經驗，基倫懇求博彩公司重新考慮他們的廣告做法。他認為，對賭博的光鮮亮麗的描繪未能描繪出那些屈服於賭博誘惑的人可能遭受的毀滅性後果。

"They show the glitz and the glamour, but they don't show the reality," Kieren says. "They don't show the families that are torn apart, the people who lose their homes, and the people who are driven to suicide."

「它們展現了浮華和魅力，但沒有展現現實，」基倫說。 「它們沒有展現那些支離破碎的家庭、失去家園的人們以及被迫自殺的人們。”

He emphasizes the need for greater awareness of the dangers of gambling, so that individuals can make informed decisions. "I'm not against gambling, but I want people to know the risks," he states. "I want them to be aware of the other side that they don't show you in the advertisements."

他強調需要提高對賭博危險的認識，以便個人能夠做出明智的決定。 「我並不反對賭博，但我希望人們知道其中的風險，」他說。 “我希望他們了解廣告中沒有向你展示的另一面。”

Kieren's story serves as a cautionary tale, illuminating the insidious nature of gambling addiction. It highlights the urgent need for responsible advertising practices and greater societal awareness to prevent countless others from falling into the same abyss.

基倫的故事是一個警世故事，揭示了賭博成癮的陰險本質。它強調了負責任的廣告實踐和提高社會意識的迫切需要，以防止無數其他人陷入同樣的深淵。