改过自新的赌博成瘾者分享了成瘾和救赎的肮脏故事

基伦·史密斯 (Kieren Smith) 曾是一名赌博成瘾者，在体育博彩中损失了超过 10 万英镑，他从 8 岁起就开始了他在海边老虎机上的赌博之旅。成年后，他因过度赌博而面临经济困难，导致无家可归。尽管史密斯在 2018 年戒掉了毒瘾，但他仍在与信用问题作斗争，并主张改变赌博广告，以强调潜在的风险和后果。

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

赌博成瘾：一个失去生命又重生的肮脏故事

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证词中，基伦·史密斯 (Kieren Smith) 是一位改过自新的赌博成瘾者，讲述了他从童年街机老虎机的天真刺激到 10 万英镑投注损失的毁灭性深渊的痛苦经历。

Early Roots of a Destructive Passion

破坏性激情的早期根源

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.

基伦八岁那年，在一次家庭度假时，他开始迷上了赌博。海边老虎机的诱惑在他内心点燃了炽热的火花，将他推入兴奋和无法满足的欲望的漩涡中。很快，他发现自己霸占了凳子，到达诱人的投币口，他年轻时的兴奋感油然而生。

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.

除了老虎机之外，基伦的赌博能力还扩展到宾果游戏，他非凡的野心促使他玩弄多张牌，寻求超越竞争对手的优势。这种早年的热情预示着他在晚年的不懈追求。

Teenage Years: A Growing Obsession

青少年时期：日益增长的痴迷

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.

随着基伦进入青少年时期，他的赌博习惯也逐渐形成。他在家人的帮助下进行足球投注，他年轻的热情演变成对财富的永不满足的渴望。达到法定年龄后，他一头扎进体育博彩世界，让博彩公司成为他发薪日后的第一站。

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.

很多时候，他辛苦赚来的工资在一周内就化为乌有，因为他无情地沉迷于赌博。这种模式变得再熟悉不过了：一阵疯狂的欣快感随之而来，随后是痛苦的崩溃，因为他的希望破灭了。决心追逐难以捉摸的大胜利，他诉诸借钱，陷入了发薪日贷款的循环。

Despair and Addiction's Grip

绝望与成瘾的掌控

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.

基伦毒瘾的后果以令人震惊的方式显现出来。为了继续赌博，他不顾一切地忽视了自己的责任，未能支付房租，最终发现自己无家可归。他的绝望之深最终导致了服药过量，这充分证明了赌博成瘾的破坏性。

Breaking Free: A Journey of Redemption

挣脱束缚：救赎之旅

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.

经过一番思考，基伦意识到自己的毒瘾是徒劳的。通过拨打国家赌博热线，他踏上了康复之路，下定决心打破奴役的锁链。自2018年12月起，他一直坚定戒赌。

Lingering Scars and a Plea for Reform

挥之不去的伤痕与改革的呼声

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.

虽然基伦已经摆脱了毒瘾，但伤疤却依然挥之不去。他的财务历史给他目前的生活蒙上了阴影，使他无法获得抵押贷款，甚至无法获得手机合同。

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.

根据他的经验，基伦恳求博彩公司重新考虑他们的广告做法。他认为，对赌博的光鲜亮丽的描绘未能描绘出那些屈服于赌博诱惑的人可能遭受的毁灭性后果。

"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."

“它们展现了浮华和魅力，但没有展现现实，”基伦说。 “它们没有展现那些支离破碎的家庭、失去家园的人们以及被迫自杀的人们。”

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."

他强调需要提高对赌博危险的认识，以便个人能够做出明智的决定。 “我并不反对赌博，但我希望人们知道其中的风险，”他说。 “我希望他们了解广告中没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.

基伦的故事是一个警示故事，揭示了赌博成瘾的阴险本质。它强调了负责任的广告实践和提高社会意识的迫切需要，以防止无数其他人陷入同样的​​深渊。