Elissa Hubbard has been battling an addiction for 30 years
Elissa Hubbard, from Rhyl, gambled away all the money she and her new wife were given as wedding gifts for their wedding day whilst sat in a hotel lobby. (Image: Adferiad)
Elissa Hubbard was supposed to be basking in the joy of her wedding day, having just tied the knot under the Cypriot sun. Instead, she found herself alone in the hotel lobby, engrossed in online casino games on her mobile phone.
It was far from the blissful honeymoon period her spouse was expecting, as Elissa was rapidly gambling away all the money that she and her new wife had received as wedding gifts. This wasn’t a first-time occurrence for the now 39-year-old woman. This was the peak of a gambling addiction that had taken root when she was just nine years old.
As a child, Elissa would accompany her family to local pubs where she developed an interest in fruit machines. This seemingly innocent pastime spiralled into a serious problem as she grew older and discovered online casino games.
Elissa, a former plasterer, would work tirelessly each day, only to rush home and gamble away her hard-earned wages online, reports Wales 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 the height of her addiction, she was losing £40,000 a year, resorting to payday loans, and concealing her destructive habit from those closest to her.
Elissa Hubbard, from Rhyl, gambled away all the money she and her new wife were given as wedding gifts for their wedding day whilst sat in a hotel lobby.(Image: Adferiad)
She revealed that things reached a boiling point when her ex-partner questioned her about the wedding money gifted by their family and friends.
As the truth unravelled, she lost everything.
Her marriage, home, stepchildren, job, and dignity were all stripped away.
Elissa said: “My wife had absolutely no idea what had been going on, she said I had basically lived a double life.
“It cost me everything; my marriage, my step-kids, my home, and job.”
In the wake of her exposed lies, a family member directed Elissa towards an Adferiad pathway to tackle addictions and enhance mental health.
Following an assessment, she was referred to Adferiad’s Parkland Place rehabilitation unit in North Wales.
She said: “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.”
At Parkland Place, Elissa gained insight into the science behind addiction and was encouraged to boost her self-esteem through crucial counselling and education.
However after leaving the support system, Elissa relapsed, resorting to alcohol and prescription drugs, and once again found herself in crisis.
Acknowledging she needed further help, she sought advice from Parkland Place, where she was also directed to North Wales Recovery Communities, a recovery support group connecting individuals with similar experiences.
She said: “I found out a lot about myself, I don’t hate everyone – I just hated myself. People lift you up from similar experiences.”
Today, Elissa has completely turned her life around, drawing on her personal journey to help others at Adferiad.
Now living in Rhyl, Denbigshire, she has spent the last three years offering her wisdom and expertise to residents at Parkland Place, guiding people through different forms of addiction via counselling sessions.
The 39-year-old currently serves as a Welsh Women’s gambling coordinator for Adferiad, where she provides support to people across Wales who are battling addiction issues.
She said: “I don’t carry that shame anymore. 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 actively pushes for stricter controls on gambling, including getting rid of betting machines from all public venues, such as pubs and family entertainment centres commonly located at holiday parks.
She said: “I remember first using a fruit machine at a young age by visiting pubs with family, 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.”