James Cooper, now a support worker at the Bournemouth-based homelessness charity Hope, began gambling at age 17 and quickly fell into addiction throughout his 20s.

Financing his addiction through multiple credit cards, James fell into debt, lost relationships and reached a point where he became suicidal.

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James Cooper began gambling at age 17 and quickly fell into addiction throughout his 20s. (Image: Hope)

The 37-year-old said: “I had what you might call quite a normal upbringing.

“My parents were together, and I went to a grammar school.

“But when I first tried gambling and won a small amount of money, it felt like an escape – a chance to become a so-called ‘hotshot’.

“That’s not meant as a positive reflection.

“At the time, I thought I had found a way to escape life’s troubles and reinvent myself as someone I wasn’t.

“But gambling ended up taking everything.”

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He said nothing could tear him away from the gambling table, not even the most basic needs.

James continued: “I would even wet myself and sit there in my own urine.

“When I did eventually get up from the table, I would stagger and struggle to breathe.

“It’s like I was draining the life out of myself.”

His addiction also affected his relationships, including a holiday in South Africa where he insisted on visiting a casino every night instead of enjoying the trip.

James went into rehab in September 2019 after being he started fighting with people and ended up being arrested.

He said: “It was a wake-up call.

“I was completely out of control and had suicidal thoughts.

“It was either rehab or die, and it was my mum who eventually took me there.”

After leaving rehab and becoming homeless, James was supported by Hope in Bournemouth, where he began attending AA meetings and rebuilding his life.

He said: “I love it here. People come to Hope because of all different kinds of problems in their lives, and I get such joy from playing a part in helping them grow and make positive changes.”