My H and I moved to a state where gambling is legal and now it seems like he can't get enough of poker. He usually plays about 2 nights a week, for about 8-10 hours each night. He enjoys it and likes to chit-chat w/ the other guys there. This past weekend we went to a casino about 2 hrs. from home and over the course of Friday - Sunday night, he lost $900, which, luckily, is pretty uncommon for him. (He has a poker fund in the budget - but at this point it is either VERY low or gone - so he's taking money from extra that we have. We are still able to cover all the bills - so it's not like he's skimming money from where we really need it - just using our extra money.) He's a good player and usually does okay. So now today he is ultra depressed, talked about wanting to sleep and not wake up, etc... He also said(and he later said he was just joking) he was going to take my paycheck we got the other day, cash it and go play again and try to win. When I came relatively unglued at the idea of using my paycheck and also wanting to go again tonight, he got mad at me and said I was kicking him when he was down. He said he would not take my check and do that, but that he does want to play again tonight and try to win. When I tell him I think it's a ridiculous idea considering the large amounts he lost this past weekend, he tells me how mean I am and to just keep on kicking at him. I am SO frustrated!!! It's like when he does well, the world is great, and when he loses, he'd be happy to die. - and then when I don't just totally sympathize and feel bad for him, I'm horrible! He put himself in the situation, and he knows it, and I ask him what then can I do or say to make him feel better? and he says "I don't know, but kicking at me sure doesn't help!" AUGH!!!! And if I say that we can't afford for him to lose any more money, he says that I don't "believe in him as a poker player or a man" and what would I do "if we ran a business and lost money - just quit the business?" AARRGH! Any ideas or words of wisdom on how to deal w/ this!? or how to deal w/ Men!?

Definately sounds like he has a gambling problem. This is not something to be taken lightly it can develop into a much bigger problem. My MIL is a gambler as well as a friend of mine, they both ended up in bankruptcy, on anti-depressants and still are in trouble with gambling. <BR>Unfortunately, it is very hard for a gambler to realize they have a problem, and hopefully you can make him see this before it turns into a heavy addiction. It can quickly turn into one. I would personally talk to someone in regards to gambling addictions - gamlbers annomynous and get some support and ideas how to avoid this turning into an addiction if it isn't already. Good luck, I wish I had more advice for you, on dealing with men - they definately are from mars!