--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I went through a period when I was…" description: "\"I went through a period when I was addicted to gambling. It was a compulsion that I struggled to get to grips with. By 1990, it was in danger of ruinin..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/619/john-virgo-23763_compulsion_i-went-through-a-period-when-i-was-addic_3025029.jpg" --- # I went through a period when I was addicted to gambling… ![“I went through a period when I was addicted to gambling. It was a compulsion that I struggled to get to grips with. By 1990, it was in danger of ruining my life.” quote by John Virgo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/619/john-virgo-23763_compulsion_i-went-through-a-period-when-i-was-addic_3025029.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/619/john-virgo-23763_compulsion_i-went-through-a-period-when-i-was-addic_3025029.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/619/john-virgo-23763_compulsion_i-went-through-a-period-when-i-was-addic_3025029.jpg) > “I went through a period when I was addicted to gambling. It was a compulsion that I struggled to get to grips with. By 1990, it was in danger of ruining my life.” [John Virgo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-virgo/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Gambling addiction is a compulsive behavior that can jeopardize life, requiring awareness and intervention. **In simple terms:** Addiction harms life; seek help. Key Takeaway Recognize and address compulsions. Themes addiction self‑control mental health Mood somber hopeful Type personal educational When to use this quote - counseling - support groups - financial planning Key Concepts compulsion risk recovery Questions to Reflect On - What triggers your compulsions? - What support helped you most? A Different Perspective Recovery is challenging and non‑linear. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Compulsion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compulsion/) [Danger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/danger/) [Gambling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gambling/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Ruining My Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ruining-my-life/) ## Related quotes > [“She was reluctant at first, but when I screamed that she was ruining my life, she relented. I’d have to use that tactic more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-sterling/she-was-reluctant-at-first-but-when-i-screamed-that-she-was-ruining/) [J. Sterling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-sterling/) > [“All I could do was watch her leave, but I’d been getting good at that. I’d had a hell of a lot of practice.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-drake/all-i-could-do-was-watch-her-leave-but-i-d-been-getting-good-at-that/) Harrison Drake > [Geez, I should stop ruining my life searching for answers I'm never gonna get, and just enjoy it while it lasts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-allen/geez-i-should-stop-ruining-my-life-searching-for-answers-i-m-never/) [Woody Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-allen/) > [I'm sick and tired of you people living interstate and overseas from people you want to be with. You're ruining my life! All of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-marchetta/i-m-sick-and-tired-of-you-people-living-interstate-and-overseas-from/) [Melina Marchetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-marchetta/) > [“Look at this thing. It’s ruining my life. I’m trying to live a peaceful, meaningful existence, but I feel like I’m sitting on top…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-a-singer/look-at-this-thing-it-s-ruining-my-life-i-m-trying-to-live-a-peaceful/) [Michael A. Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-a-singer/) > [“Anyway, I like you but you're ruining my life. Bye.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-wolf/anyway-i-like-you-but-you-re-ruining-my-life-bye/) [Sara Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-wolf/) > [What if the worst is true? What if there's no God, and you only go around once, and that's it? Don't you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-allen/what-if-the-worst-is-true-what-if-there-s-no-god-and-you-only-go/) [Woody Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-allen/) > [She: You are my drug. He: Because you're addicted of me? She: Haha, no, because you're ruining my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/she-you-are-my-drug-he-because-you-re-addicted-of-me-she-haha-no/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Katie McGrath got me hooked on the 'Great British Bake Off.' It's ruining my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-de-gouw/katie-mcgrath-got-me-hooked-on-the-great-british-bake-off-it-s/) [Jessica De Gouw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-de-gouw/) > [You're my best friend and I want you to see yourself from my eyes, then youll know why you are worth me ruining my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-re-my-best-friend-and-i-want-you-to-see-yourself-from-my-eyes/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm not looking for sympathy. If there's other footballers addicted to gambling, then maybe me speaking about my battle might help them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-lafferty/i-m-not-looking-for-sympathy-if-there-s-other-footballers-addicted-to/) [Kyle Lafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-lafferty/) > [If you're addicted to gambling, you know where to go to gamble. So, if you have a condition where you're addicted to sex, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-fassbender/if-you-re-addicted-to-gambling-you-know-where-to-go-to-gamble-so-if/) [Michael Fassbender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-fassbender/) > [Shockingly, a University of Pennsylvania study says the number of young people addicted to gambling - largely due to increased exposure to the Internet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-bachus/shockingly-a-university-of-pennsylvania-study-says-the-number-of/) [Spencer Bachus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-bachus/) > [I love blackjack. But I'm not addicted to gambling. I'm addicted to sitting in a semi circle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-hedberg/i-love-blackjack-but-i-m-not-addicted-to-gambling-i-m-addicted-to/) [Mitch Hedberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-hedberg/) > [I like to play blackjack. I'm not addicted to gambling. I'm addicted to sitting in a semi-circle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-hedberg/i-like-to-play-blackjack-i-m-not-addicted-to-gambling-i-m-addicted-to/) [Mitch Hedberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-hedberg/) ## More by John Virgo > [I don't like tea that's too sweet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-virgo/i-don-t-like-tea-that-s-too-sweet/) [John Virgo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-virgo/) > [You can't be giggling and joking when you miss a shot in the modern game - not like the way when Ray Reardon used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-virgo/you-can-t-be-giggling-and-joking-when-you-miss-a-shot-in-the-modern/) [John Virgo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-virgo/) > [I don't mind cheese with a nice glass of port, but I prefer chocolate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-virgo/i-don-t-mind-cheese-with-a-nice-glass-of-port-but-i-prefer-chocolate/) [John Virgo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-virgo/) > [Cricket had John Arlott, Wimbledon had Dan Maskell, we had Ted Lowe. He was great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-virgo/cricket-had-john-arlott-wimbledon-had-dan-maskell-we-had-ted-lowe-he/) [John Virgo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-virgo/) > [When I started playing all the players were trying to sell the game of snooker. Nowadays the prize money is so great, competing in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-virgo/when-i-started-playing-all-the-players-were-trying-to-sell-the-game/) [John Virgo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-virgo/) > [I was born in March 1946, almost exactly 10 months after V-E Day, so I imagine my parents got carried away when peace was declared.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-virgo/i-was-born-in-march-1946-almost-exactly-10-months-after-v-e-day-so-i/) [John Virgo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-virgo/) > [It's a different world now and as we see with footballers and everybody else, and the fall from grace of any sportsman, it's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-virgo/it-s-a-different-world-now-and-as-we-see-with-footballers-and/) [John Virgo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-virgo/) > [When the results weren't coming on the snooker table, I tried to supplement things by gambling on horses even more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-virgo/when-the-results-weren-t-coming-on-the-snooker-table-i-tried-to/) [John Virgo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-virgo/) > [I grew up on a street that's similar to the ones you used to see in Coronation Street on TV. We had an outside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-virgo/i-grew-up-on-a-street-that-s-similar-to-the-ones-you-used-to-see-in/) [John Virgo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-virgo/) > [The game really started in 1969 with Pot Black, but in 1970, along came Alex Higgins and the game took off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-virgo/the-game-really-started-in-1969-with-pot-black-but-in-1970-along-came/) [John Virgo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-virgo/) > [I get the 'Daily Mirror,' purely and simply because they put the Racing Post prices in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-virgo/i-get-the-daily-mirror-purely-and-simply-because-they-put-the-racing/) [John Virgo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-virgo/) > [I have never invested directly in stocks and shares. That's never been my type of speculation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-virgo/i-have-never-invested-directly-in-stocks-and-shares-that-s-never-been/) [John Virgo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-virgo/) > [The worst time was in 1985 when house prices crashed and interest rates went up to 14 percent. I was not winning on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-virgo/the-worst-time-was-in-1985-when-house-prices-crashed-and-interest/) [John Virgo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-virgo/) > [Particularly now with social media, you only need to turn round and someone will have a camera in your face and occasionally someone will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-virgo/particularly-now-with-social-media-you-only-need-to-turn-round-and/) [John Virgo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-virgo/) > [I remember that if you went down to the Crucible or other snooker tournaments it was all the snooker writers, and then all of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-virgo/i-remember-that-if-you-went-down-to-the-crucible-or-other-snooker/) [John Virgo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-virgo/) [Explore all 25 John Virgo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-virgo/) ## More Compulsion quotes > [Nothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature... what compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his action. If you know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernbach/nothing-is-so-powerful-as-an-insight-into-human-nature-what/) [William Bernbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernbach/) > [“I take my actions because of my passion not because of compulsion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/i-take-my-actions-because-of-my-passion-not-because-of-compulsion/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [The individual, by means of the discipline imposed on him by sport, not only plays and finds relaxation from the various compulsions to which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-ellul/the-individual-by-means-of-the-discipline-imposed-on-him-by-sport-not/) [Jacques Ellul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-ellul/) > [For many people it's Facebook, or sports on TV, whatever it is. I have my own demons that I battle. But whatever they are,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-walter/for-many-people-it-s-facebook-or-sports-on-tv-whatever-it-is-i-have/) [Jess Walter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-walter/) > [Knowledge which is acquired under compulsion obtains no hold on the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/knowledge-which-is-acquired-under-compulsion-obtains-no-hold-on-the/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [I think it's in our nature to try to get beyond that next horizon. I think that when we as a species are scratching…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-howard/i-think-it-s-in-our-nature-to-try-to-get-beyond-that-next-horizon-i/) [Ron Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-howard/) > [Those of us with this ancient compulsion to tell stories sometimes start with a single kernel of something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-p-jones/those-of-us-with-this-ancient-compulsion-to-tell-stories-sometimes/) [Edward P. Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-p-jones/) > [You develop an instant global consciousness, a people orientation, an intense dissatisfaction with the state of the world, and a compulsion to do something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-mitchell/you-develop-an-instant-global-consciousness-a-people-orientation-an/) [Edgar Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-mitchell/) > [I found myself compelled - like this weird, shameful compulsion - to draw cute animals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynda-barry/i-found-myself-compelled-like-this-weird-shameful-compulsion-to-draw/) [Lynda Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynda-barry/) > [Why am I always at war with myself? Why have I told, as if upon compulsion, what I knew all along I ought to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/why-am-i-always-at-war-with-myself-why-have-i-told-as-if-upon/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [It is true that the virtues which are less esteemed and practiced now--independence, self-reliance, and the willingness to bear risks, the readiness to back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-august-von-hayek/it-is-true-that-the-virtues-which-are-less-esteemed-and-practiced-now/) [Friedrich August von Hayek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-august-von-hayek/) > [Not merely by rules of conduct and religious observances, nor by much learning either, nor even by attainment of concentration, nor by sleeping alone,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/not-merely-by-rules-of-conduct-and-religious-observances-nor-by-much/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I started off like everyone else does, slogging but having a compulsion to put words on paper. I didn't write or read horror or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/i-started-off-like-everyone-else-does-slogging-but-having-a/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [I have with me two gods, Persuasion and Compulsion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/themistocles/i-have-with-me-two-gods-persuasion-and-compulsion/) [Themistocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/themistocles/) > [When you are dealing with a serious compulsion or addictive pattern, then by definition self-will, self-discipline, and any other machinations of the conscious mind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/when-you-are-dealing-with-a-serious-compulsion-or-addictive-pattern/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) [Browse all 513 Compulsion quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compulsion/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I went through a period when I was addicted to gambling. It was a compulsion that I struggled to get to grips with. 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