Elissa Hubbard, 39, from Rhyl, Denbighshire, was first introduced to gambling at the age of nine, when she would visit local pubs with her family and play on fruit machines
Elissa Hubbard(Image: Adferiad)
It was supposed to be the most joyful day of her life. Elissa Hubbard had just tied the knot in the sun-drenched islands of Cyprus, on an evening that ought to have been spent with her new wife planning their bright future ahead.
The truth, though, was rather different. The bride found herself sitting in the hotel foyer, by herself, glued to her mobile phone, playing casino games. Yet what should have been a spot of entertainment and an innocent punt was actually something much more serious.
Elissa was gambling away all the cash she and her wife had received as wedding gifts on their big day, losing the lot in no time.
This wasn’t the first occasion for the now 39 year old, reports Wales Online. That incident marked the peak of a gambling addiction. The initial roots of which were planted when she was just nine years old.
Elissa would accompany her family to local pubs and would have a go on a fruit machine, a fascination that escalated as she progressed through life and developed a passion for online casino games.
Elissa Hubbard(Image: Adferiad)
The former plasterer would graft day after day, purely to bankroll her gambling habit, dashing home to bet her daily wages online.
She said: “Most days, I would skip my basic needs like lunch, I was constantly thinking about getting home to gamble online.
“I got sacked by several jobs because I would take cash-in-hand for jobs and would use the money for my addiction.”
At its peak, she was losing £40,000 annually, securing payday loans, and concealing her secret from those closest to her. She said matters reached breaking point when her ex-partner challenged her about the wedding money given by their family and friends.
And when the truth emerged, she lost everything. Her marriage, her home, her stepchildren, her job, and her dignity were all gone.
“My wife had absolutely no idea what had been going on, she said I had basically lived a double life,” she said. “It cost me everything; my marriage, my step-kids, my home, and job.”
Confronting an uncertain future after her reality was exposed, a relative of Elissa’s directed her towards an Adferiad programme to tackle addictions and boost mental health.
Following an evaluation, she was sent to Adferiad’s Parkland Place rehabilitation facility in north Wales.
“It was the best feeling I’d had in a long, long time – getting the dates to go into treatment and knowing I was finally getting help,” she said.
At this centre, Elissa discovered more about the research behind addiction and was encouraged to build her self-esteem through crucial counselling and educational work.
Yet recovery is seldom straightforward, and after leaving care, Elissa suffered a setback, turning to alcohol and prescription medication, once more finding herself in turmoil.
Realising she required additional support, she sought advice from Parkland Place, where she was also pointed towards North Wales Recovery Communities, a recovery assistance group that connected people with comparable backgrounds. “I found out a lot about myself,” she revealed.
“I don’t hate everyone – I just hated myself. People lift you up from similar experiences.”
Today, Elissa has turned her life around, using her personal experience to support others within Adferiad.
Residing in Rhyl, Denbigshire, she’s been offering her guidance and experience to the residents of Parkland Place for the past three years, assisting individuals navigate various addictions through counselling.
Now 39, she works as a Welsh Women’s gambling coordinator for Adferiad, providing guidance to individuals across Wales who are grappling with addiction issues.
“I don’t carry that shame anymore,” she declared. “The past is the past, and I’m doing something about it today. I feel like I’m turning all the negative stuff into positive – to help others.”
Elissa is an active campaigner for stricter restrictions on gambling, including the removal of gambling-related machines in all public-facing spaces, such as pubs and family entertainment centres often found at holiday parks.
“I remember first using a fruit machine at a young age by visiting pubs with family,” she recalled. “Children are often exposed to these environments at a young age, and I don’t think people appreciate that they can have a knock-on effect on their later lives.”
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