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The gambling industry spends billions convincing us their product is harmless entertainment, but Christine Paladino's real and raw journey reveals a different truth. From innocent childhood bingo halls to high-stakes casino floors, her evolution from casual player to compulsive gambler unfolds with painful clarity and remarkable self-awareness.

Christine's story begins with those seemingly innocent early exposures – grandma's lottery numbers in a glass jar, family "baby pools" betting on newborn characteristics, and trips to the racetrack as cherished family outings. These formative experiences normalized gambling as simply another form of entertainment, planting seeds that would later blossom into full-blown addiction.

What makes gambling addiction so insidious is its invisibility. Unlike substance abuse, there are no physical symptoms for loved ones to notice. Christine maintained her professional life as a police dispatcher and volunteer firefighter while secretly spiraling out of control. When New Jersey casinos launched online platforms in 2013, her occasional Atlantic City trips transformed into constant accessibility through her phone. No longer constrained by physical location, gambling became her emotional escape from career disappointments and daily stress.

The neurological parallels between gambling addiction and substance abuse are striking. Christine explains how brain scans of gambling addicts and substance users show identical patterns during addictive behaviors – her brain had essentially rewired itself to treat gambling as essential for survival. She wasn't chasing money anymore; she was chasing the anticipatory high of "bonus rounds" regardless of winning or losing.

Perhaps most disturbing is how addiction transformed her character. When appointed treasurer of her fire company, Christine began embezzling funds to support her gambling habit. "I became a master manipulator, a master liar, and I was great at hiding things," she confesses, revealing the devastating personality changes addiction can trigger in even the most dedicated public servants.

Are you noticing signs of problematic gambling in yourself or someone you love? Don't wait for rock bottom. Reach out for support and understand that recovery is possible, even from the darkest places.

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From Rock Bottom to Rock Solid.

We all have them...every single day, we wake up, we have the chance to make new choices.

We have the power to make our own daily, "Breakfast of Choices"

Resources and ways to connect:

Facebook: Jo Summers
Instagram: @Summersjol
Facebook Support: Chance For Change Women’s circle

Website: Breakfastofchoices.com

Urbanedencmty.com (Oklahoma Addiction and Recovery Resources) Treatment, Sober Living, Meetings. Shout out to the founder, of this phenomenal website... Kristy Da Rosa!

National suicide prevention and crisis, hotline number 988

National domestic violence hotline:
800–799–7233

National hotline for substance abuse, and addiction:
844–289–0879

National mental health hotline:
866–903–3787

National child health and child abuse hotline:
800–422-4453 (1.800.4.A.CHILD)

CoDa.org
12. Step recovery program for codependency.

National Gambling Hotline 800-522-4700