GamFam is a newly registered charity which aims to support the family and friends of anyoneaffected by a gambling disorder.
Steve Watts, 53, founded GamFam after getting no support whilst his son suffered from a gambling disorder in 2017.
The 53-year-old soon realised that professional medics had no real understanding of gambling addictions which left him and his family having to deal with it alone. He said: “We found that everyone we spoke to didn’t understand what support was needed to help families so what better way to solve it by setting something up yourself.”
He added: “It is important to understand our recovery. While you’ve got the individual dealing with a gambling disorder you also have the affected other struggling.”
Steve, from Essex, also set up GamFam to educate affected parents about the dangers of gambling. “As parents we all understand the dangers of drugs and alcohol but there seems to be a bit of a gap in parent understanding of what a gambling disorder is,” said Steve.
The 53-year-old also thinks it is important for family members of affected others to understand that gambling addictions are recognised as a mental health disorder. He said: “If we can understand that as a respected other then we are in a better situation to help our loved family member.”
GamFam also helps families recognise the early warning signs of addiction and how to prevent it by offering a range of support on their website - https://gamfam.co.uk/