Ex-AFL player Allen Christensen joins campaign to stop stigma of gambling addiction after losses crippled career
Cats premiership player Allen Christensen estimates he lost between $200k and $300k when he was in the grip of his gambling addiction. This is what he’s doing now to help other avoid going down the same path.
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A Cats premiership star who has battled a gambling addiction is lending his voice to a campaign aiming to smash stigma.
Allen Christensen, 29, estimated he would have lost between $200k and $300k during his gambling addiction.
The 29-year-old, who has returned to the Geelong region following his retirement from the Brisbane Lions this year, stopped gambling in October, 2014.
He described himself as a “full-blown gambling addict” from 18 to 23, but had begun building bad habits as a teenager.
Christensen, who played in the Cats’ 2011 premiership side, said while in the grips of the addiction, major life milestones were marred by gambling.
Once he gave up gambling, Christensen said his relationship with his mates had become a lot more genuine.
“You sort of work out who your real friends are,” he said.
He used the people around him as a support network while quitting, and sought professional help years later.
Christensen hosts the Addicted to the Game podcast, and raises awareness for gambling reform, working with organisations around advertising and the normalisation of gambling for young kids.
“It’s made a difference and I’ve found a good community of people,” he said.
He has leant his voice to the Rethink Addiction campaign, the result of a coalition of organisations advocating for a change to Australia’s attitude and response to addiction.
It has a petition supporting the campaign’s goals including pushing for a national plan and road map to address addiction.
“I thought it was really important to shine a spotlight on addictions,” Christensen said.
“I think it’s unfair people who go through addictions don’t get the care and help they need.
“If we can flip the mindset more people will reach out and we’ll be able to smash the stigma.”
He told people living with addiction not to be embarrassed.
“There’s nothing to be ashamed of if you’re going through gambling addiction,” he said.
Dan Lubman, executive clinical director at Turning Point, said it was important for stories like Christensen’s to be told.
“What we don’t hear is stories of hope and recovery, so many people get well and lead really meaningful lives,” Prof Lubman said.
“Hopefully it encourages others to talk about it and seek help.”
Prof Lubman said unfortunately there was enormous shame and stigma associated with addiction, which led to delays in people seeking help.
“It’s a real travesty that we see this enormous delay in help seeking,” he said.
“The reason we’re doing the campaign is to encourage an honest conversation around addiction.”
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Originally published as Ex-AFL player Allen Christensen joins campaign to stop stigma of gambling addiction after losses crippled career
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