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Former Preston North End footballer opens up about the dangers of gambling

Posted on - 16th March, 2022 - 11:18am | Author - | Posted in - Health, People, Preston News, Preston North End, Sport
Clarke and Carrie Carlisle
Clarke with his wife Carrie

An ex-Premier League footballer has spoken about his relationship with gambling in a bid to help others deal with similar problems.

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Former Blackpool, Burnley and Preston North End player Clarke Carlisle, 42, is supporting Lancashire and South Cumbria Health and Care Partnership’s Let’s Keep Talking campaign, which focuses on problem gambling.

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The former defender has spoken openly about his problem gambling, his battle with depression and previous suicide attempts.

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Clarke said: “Gambling’s always been my little secret, and I don’t know why I coveted it so much. I’ve given up smoking and drinking in the past, but gambling was always the one that I kept.

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“Gambling can very, very quickly spiral and affect many different areas of your life. It’s a never-ending chase of wins and losses – it becomes incredibly draining.

“I’ve been actively suicidal on five occasions in my life, and on four of those occasions, gambling was a huge factor that took me to those depths. It becomes all-consuming – don’t let it get there.

“There might not always be a quick solution, but there is always a solution, so let’s break that cycle. Help is out there – please reach out.”

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The health partnership said being a compulsive gambler can harm your health and relationships and leave you in serious debt.

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The UK has one of the largest gambling markets in the world. Problem gambling not only harms the individual but families, friends and society.

In 2018, 24.5 million people in England gambled (54 per cent of the adult population, or 40 per cent when you exclude the National Lottery).

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The North West (4.4 per cent) and North East (4.9 per cent) had the highest prevalence of at-risk gamblers.

Gambling can be successfully treated the same way as other addictions, but it can lead to suicide if left untreated.

The health partnership said the past two years were difficult for many, and it is more important than ever for people to reach out if they are struggling with their mental health.

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Neil Smith, the Mental Health Multi-Agency Strategic Lead for the Lancashire and South Cumbria Health and Care Partnership, said: “Once again, we’re extremely grateful to Clarke for getting behind our campaign.

“We know his personal experiences will resonate with so many other people – particularly young men.

“Nobody sets out to become a problem gambler, but as Clarke has said, we understand things can quickly spiral out of control for some people.

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“We want people to know there is help out there, and the sooner they reach out, the sooner they can start to turn things around.”

Read more: Preston social care worker encouraging others to get into the sector

For help and support with problem gambling visit – www.healthierlsc.co.uk/gambling.

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