A RECOVERING gambling addict from Westbury is campaigning to raise awareness of addiction and the impact it can have on people’s lives.
Andy Gallie, who served in the Royal Navy for 13 years and spent 15 and a half months in jail for fraud linked to his addiction, has written a book to help other addicts and their families.
He has told his heartbreaking story in ‘HMS to HMP – 33 years in gambling addiction’ which is available on Amazon, with all proceeds being donated directly to his fraud victim.
“I believe that my own story of a shocking life lived with addiction may be able to help others and highlight the ongoing abuse of vulnerable addicts within the gambling industry,” Andy told White Horse News.
“I served in the Royal Navy for 13 years and have served 15 1/2 months in prison through fraud and am currently awaiting a court case for fraud to the value of £198,000.
“Every penny was gambled in a five-month period, along with my salary and sale of everything I had.
“The shocking thing in this is that my figure is much lower than many I can name and it will not stop until these companies are stopped from manipulating individuals and accepting these funds.
“I am now in recovery and I’m thriving, which is why I want to share my story in a bid to help others identify their own downfall or their loved ones’ demise.
“I have given talks to the NHS as well as other organisations within the industry, but I want to do more.
“I want to highlight how the addiction is becoming and maybe already is an epidemic that is breaking not only individuals, but families, and taking lives.
“The book is my story, warts and all and my battle with a 33-year-long gambling addiction.
“I wish I had exaggerated and falsified parts of it, but unfortunately, it is my life, I have lived it, and those around me have lived it and experienced every bit of hurt.
“From the age of 9, my life was dominated and I was controlled by gambling. My teenage years and young adulthood saw the beginning of behaviours that would cause hurt and anguish for those I loved.
“I joined the Navy at 18 and could have had an amazing career had it not been for my addiction. I had many opportunities to change and ask for help, but I ignored them as my addict’s ego was huge. This ego would win and take me to what I believed would be my lowest point by being sent to prison in 2018, but this wouldn’t be the end of the hurt.
“The book covers my childhood, young adulthood, 13 years in the Royal Navy and my pathway to prison. There are stories of addiction, domestic arguments, emotional abuse and even an episode of physical violence.
“For the addict reading this, I try to explain the thought processes, the feelings and the emotions that drove my behaviour, as well as identifying areas that you, yourself could identify and work on to avoid these same behaviours.
“For the affected others, I hope that by sharing my thought processes, and explaining the way I manipulated others, that this will help you to recognise the signs in your loved ones, to assist you in getting them the help they need, or if needs be, to leave and protect yourself, before you are broken by the addict inside of them.
“A gambling addiction is like all others, it is relentless, cruel and shows no mercy; it is hard to spot and easy to hide.
“I was a manipulative monster who would lie, cheat and take everything and anything I needed to feed it; it will destroy loved ones, relationships, careers and ultimately, it takes lives through suicide.
“It is not though, impossible to understand it, to identify the trauma or behaviours that allow it to flourish and to take back control. Recovery is possible; it will be hard, it will take time and there will be many hurdles to overcome, but it is worth it.
“There is always hope, help and a way out if you choose to ask for and accept the help available. I could never achieve abstinence alone, let alone recovery.
“My support network is huge, the people involved care and my peers are my idols. I am now in recovery and thriving – thanks to all of these people and the help they have given me.”
Andy’s book is available on Amazon at https:// amzn.eu/d/0ScLD7f
