This is my story (long, boring)

[TStoneMBD]

ive hit rock bottom a couple of times in my life if theres any similarities. you can feel like there is no way out and feel overburdened. this is why he keeps losing more money, he keeps playing bigger games to try to get lucky and get it all back which is obviously the wrong attitude. i agree that he should ideally quit gambling forever but what im saying is that poker may be his only outlet for recovery. that is, if he can actually control himself and build discipline. if he cant do that and he starts moving up again then of course he has to quit. if he can discipline himself to never move up in limits until he has 1000BB+ plus reasonable expectation for an increase in hourly rate he may be able to pull out. just because hes had a past of uncontrollable gambling problems shouldnt mean he cant find a way to adhere to good bankroll management. i think a guy whos hit rock bottom should come to the realization that his only chance of turning it around and making good for himself is to take responsibility, build patience and overcome your gambling problem. ultimately hes going to make the decision whether hes going to quit gambling or not. if hes willing to accept his 50k+ in debt and never turn to gambling again then thats awesome, good for him. if he does turn back to gambling at least ive tried to make him realize that the only way hell be able to overcome his gambling problem is to never move up in limits ever again until you are overbankrolled. to add in other guidelines he should never move up until hes played nearly 100k hands at each level and has a winrate of over 2. it sounds like he knows hes a winning player at low limits. i dont think he should just throw that opportunity away if he can learn to control himself.

[Bona]

Gambling addiction is a progressive disease. OP's best solution is finishing the approach he has started.

* Open up to his family about the nature and scope of the problem. They can be his strongest support.
* Find a competent therapist with an adjunct support group to learn how the problem originated and how to control the urges. Gambling addiction is a complex problem but knowledge is power. Many states, especially those with casino gambling, have these resources available.
* Stay completely away from any gambling activity.
* You can probably speed the recovery process and minimize your losses. See a competent bankruptcy attorney. Don't even think about the "shame" of it. Credit card companies are the ones who should be ashamed. And don't worry about your "credit rating" it will recover faster after bankruptcy than it would have if you spent years struggling through it. Talk to a professional.

Many winning poker players are skilled enough to beat the other players, over time, by enough to overcome the rake and show a profit. Everyone reading this knows that. But what we don't all know or least don't consider sometimes is that some losing players (estimates vary but generally are about 2-5% of people who gamble) are dealing with personal tendencies and personality issues that make it IMPOSSIBLE TO WIN in the long run. No matter how well they understand the game.

IMO advising such a player to "play his way through it" is not far removed from yelling "JUMP" to deter a confused potential suicide on a ledge. If OP knows he has a problem, and it sounds like he does, he already knows the answer. STOP. THINK. GET HELP.