‘I was blowing money instead of paying a mortgage or putting food on the table, that’s when things got dark’

An ex gambling addict from Summerhill who regularly spent nights without eating or leaving his room betting on “anything that had a chance of winning” says hitting rock bottom made him get the help to turn his life around.

At the height of his addiction, Stephen Husband’s life was spiralling out of control gambling every cent he had sometimes his entire month’s wages in the space of a few hours and leaving himself in debt without food, petrol or money to pay his mortgage.

That description is a world away from the determined, strong and committed athlete that we see on the ‘Underdogs’ the GAA series the dad of two is currently taking part in for TG4 but it took everything he had to turn it all around. Stephen (32) is now on a mission to raise awareness and to help others struggling with addiction.

“I did my first bet when I was 15. I’d find myself at lunchtime leaving school going down to the bookies and staying there until school was over. I got such a big interest in the horse racing industry, I bought books and studied everything about it. Gambling wasn’t a big issue then. In later years when I had kids to support, I was blowing that money instead of paying a mortgage or putting food on the table, that’s when things got dark.

The Summerhill man says that GAA was an integral part of this recovery 

Stephen describes how a flutter every now and then developed into a serious addiction that took a hold on his life,

“Anybody with a gambling addiction starts off small but you start chasing your money thinking I’ve lost 2k or 3k I’ve got to get that back so then you’ll go and spend another two grand and before you know it you are in the shit really.

“I could have a fiver left in my pocket with no fuel or food and would still go in and gamble it thinking I could go in and make the money back. You get so involved in it, that you can’t stop. I could be up until 3am studying horses’ forms and odds and I’d wake up the next morning and that’s the first thing I’d check. The whole day would revolve around gambling and keeping an eye on horses prices, looking at what’s running and what’s pulling out. It just sucks you in, once you get in that deep there is no way out.

“I’ve often laid in my bed for the whole night and not slept putting bets on Asian basketball and tennis games, stuff you wouldn’t have a clue about but it had a chance of winning. You don’t think of anyone or anything else around you, all you are thinking is putting on that bet.

“I was a broken man before I went into treatment, I literally crawled in on my hands and knees. I was depressed, on medication and felt like there was no way out. I got everybody out of my life that would have tried to help me. I was nearly in self destruct mode where I was trying to destroy everything that was around me so I couldn’t hurt anyone else.

 

A crippling gambling addiction took over Stephen's life 

“I hated myself more than anyone else could have hated me. I was so angry that I just couldn’t stop what I was doing.”

The GAA man says that the introduction of online gambling sites and apps plunged him further into addiction.

“When online gambling came in, that was horrific because it was like you didn’t even have money, you were just transferring money to gambling apps the whole time. I used to get paid monthly and I had my wages gone in two hours one day and had to last four weeks with nothing.

“I got more of a rush when I was seeing the money in my hand. I could sit in the pub for hours and have one pint in front of me, I wouldn’t even be drinking it I would be focused on the races. I could win a few hundred in that first hour and think I was a great lad and buy everyone a drink but three hours later I’d be walking out the door with my tail between my legs and not a cent left in my pocket.

“I’ve gone into counselling sessions with dockets in my pocket, telling them I’m going to the bathroom when really I’d be checking if my horse won. Gambling addicts are compulsive liars. You will lie about anything to get away with it.”

 

The proud dad with sons, Harry and Jack 

The constant highs and lows of gambling took its toll on the dad of two over the years.

“I’d go into the bookies and look at the screen and I’d say €50 on the favourite, I wouldn’t even know what the odds were I just wanted to get the bet on. When it’s running the feeling you have is pure adrenaline. One minute you are on top of the world the next minute you are the bottom and that can happen in the space of ten minutes.”

Stephen credits encouragement and support of family, friends and most notably his former partner Emma for finally seeking the help he needed.

“Emma left me and that made me hit rock bottom but always checked to see if I was ok. She bought food for me instead of giving me money because she knew I’d gamble it. I just got to a point where I knew I needed to get help. I signed myself into the Cluain Mhuire treatment centre for 12 weeks.”

If there is one person who knows the depths of a gambling addiction it’s former post office manager Tony O’Reilly who was jailed for stealing €1.75m to fund his habit, his account of events chronicled in his critically acclaimed book ‘Tony 10’. Now a counsellor offering support to those with addiction, Stephen can count on him as a mentor.

“Tony was my counsellor and he is my point of contact if I’m ever having a tough time. It’s good to have a man like that by your side, he’s gone through it all probably worse than anybody.

“I knew the treatment would be life-changing if I got it right thankfully I did and I’m still on the right path.

Stephen in action with Summerhill GFC.

“I try and go down every two or three months to aftercare and have a walk around the grounds because it reminds me of what I went through. To me, reminders are great because I don’t want to go back there.”

Stephen’s involvement in the GAA TV series ‘The Underdogs’ marks a new chapter in his life.

“I never gave myself a proper chance. Instead of going to a football game or training I’d go to the bookies. I’m doing this for myself to prove that I can still do it. It shows that I am getting stronger every day. GAA is a massive part of my recovery.

“When you are the height of your addiction you think that there is no way out of it but there is so much help out there. If you really want to get help you will find the right way for you.
 “It was the toughest 12 weeks of my life but it was the most worthwhile. I’ll never go back to my old life. I know that one first bet might cost me €20 but it’s going to cost me the rest of my life after that.

“Looking back to when I was at worst, I could never have imagined my life to be as great as it is now. I can finally be the dad I’ve always wanted to be. I was always there for my kids but I wasn’t present in the way that I should have been.

“Now I can wake up with a clear mind and can actually say that I like myself.”