— Kefilwe, Maun

My partner was the one gambling, but I was the one lying awake doing sums. I did not know that support was available to me as well — I assumed counselling was only for the person with the problem.

It is not. I was able to speak to a counsellor about my own worries, and that alone made a difference. I stopped feeling like I was managing something shameful in secret.

The practical guidance mattered just as much. We went through how to separate the money our household depends on, how to talk about it without the conversation turning into an argument, and what to do if things slipped again.

I am still standing beside him, but I am doing it with a plan instead of just hope. If someone you love is struggling, you are allowed to ask for support of your own. It is free, and it is confidential.