"CHARLIES BARKLEY TELLS US WHAT HE THINKS WE WANT TO HEAR"
BY: DR. FOREST LEWIS
Charles Barkley has an addiction!
Barkley is no different than an alcoholic, or a crack-cocaine addict. He has "A Disease." Barkley's disease is gambling. From newspaper accounts over the years, I have been able to deduce that Barkley had a drinking problem at one time. Why else would an NBA star go into a public bar, get into fights, and toss a customer thru a window? Why would someone with all of his "Alleged Money" risk being sue?
I believe Charles Barkley switched one addiction for another!
Last week, it came out that Barkley failed to pay a Las Vegas gambling casino, "400,000 Dollars." Law enforcement announced that Barkley would be indicted if he didn't pay up. Barkley issued a statement that said in essence that the unpaid bill, was "All A Mistake." He said that it "had Slipped His Mind." Tell me something. How does a bill in the amount of "400,000 Dollars Slip Anyone's Mind?"
The fact of the matter is, it doesn't!
My thinking is, Barkley's addiction told him that he could get away with not paying the debt. When cornered, he attempted to place the blame to the casino. Typical behavior of an addict. Appearing on TNT last night, Barkley said that he will pay the casino off. Then, he said something strange. Barkley said that he was, "Quitting Gambling."
I say this is strange, because an alcoholic does not "Up And Quick Drinking After Twenty Years." The crack addict doesn't stop smoking crack, "All Of A Sudden!"
NEWS FLASH: CHARLES BARKLEY HAS NOT STOPPED GAMBLING.
He simply told his audience what he thought they wanted to hear. By swearing off gambling, Barkley accomplishes several things, (1) He receives lots of love, (2) He can get the spotlight off of himself, or so he thinks, and (3) He can go back to using people, and "Oh Yes," (4) Charles Barkley can continue to gamble, "Secretly."
An addiction will tell the addict all types of crazy things. Barkley will eventually get caught gambling, once again. Remember where you heard this!
Chances are, Charles Barkley suffers from a Major Depressive Disorder. Look at how fat he is. Gambling has a way of assuaging some of the depression. The food does the rest. If Barkley stops gambling, how will he cope with his psychological problems? He never once mentioned that he would seek out the services of a qualified Clinical Psychologist. According to Barkley, he will just forge straight ahead. My advice, don't believe him. The man is out of control.
Anytime that a person gambles away a fortune, something is wrong, psychologically speaking. By his own admission, Charles Barkley has gambled away over the years, "Ten-Million Dollars." Yet, he says he is solvent. Do you buy that? I don't.
The man is a train wreck, careening out of control. He should "Fire His Agent:"
"My agent has really worked with me to try to get it where I can go and gamble and have fun. That's easier said than done"
The action of Barkley's agent is like someone giving an alcoholic "One Drink, Or A Crack Addict, One Line Of Coke."
If he has any friends, they should consider performing an intervention, before something terrible happens to this man!
I am not a fan of Charles Barkley's. However, because I am a Clinical Psychologist/Substance Abuse Specialist, I detest seeing someone, "Crying Out For Help," and his friends patting him on the back, and saying, "Nice Job Chuck, Your Admitting That You Won't Gamble Anymore."
But, maybe his friends are as clueless as Charles Barkley is!
