"DYING TO WIN"?

Hi folks ,in the course of some research I am conducting for an assignment on writng skills looking at the need for addiction treatment centres in ireland i came across some very scary stats concerning suicide in the student population.
What on earth has rthat got to do with "blogging"? you may ask well bear with me and i will explain.
On admision to college these days all students are given an I.D. that enables them to log on to various college sites,then in the name of research they may have to refer to various internet sites,depending on the key words entered they find themselves being bombarded with pop ups directing them to the various gaming sites and casinos on line.
So what?you ask well the stats show that a growing number of students are becoming addicted to these sites,after initially playing the so called "free" games then then progress on to becoming members of the on line casinos.
what starts aas a simple ,normal and accepted passtime can in certain predisposed people lead to full blown addiction and all the misery that comes with it.
Addiction by its very nature is insiduous (it creeps up on you slowly)but before long some of these victims are paying a price.
the stakes may be high but the price is infinite.small stakes soon increase as you chase your money,you start borrowing,bills dont get paid,books for the course you were so proud to be accepted on to dont get bought,you go hungry in the hope that just one win will restore you to financial liquidity not so..... the cost now extends to other areas of your life,you dont sleep,skip class,become a loner stuck in front of a screen chasing the gambling dragon.
Now the cost is no longer just about money,your brain is mangled ,your emotions all over the place,of necessity you become secretive you start to lie to your friends and family .
The physical effects of what is now a full blown addiction become obvious,you stop buying all that street cred gear,you dont shave (cos you dont have the cash for blades)so you grow a beard in the name of your "indivuality" if a girl you stop wearing make up getting your hair done etc.
You may physically become ill through neglect.
Not a pretty picture is it?
And so it continues with the possibility that you finally make it onto that stats list another wasted life another sad loss to family ,friends and society.
So a word of warning before you take that first step or make that first click Think .
This is the best time of your life a time for fun craic romance being "part off".
Its a time of laughter, great hope,and aspirations.
Dont become another statistic on that list of those that are literrally !Dying to win".