Dear Ann Landers,
once heard you say that gambling is just as much a disease as alcoholism. I think my husband has the illness. He keeps denying it, although I haven't seen his paycheck for seven weeks. (It's a good thing I have a job.) What are the symptoms of a compulsive gambler? How does one tell?

Dear Wish,
Gamblers Anonymous, an extremely effective organi-zation that operates along the same lines as AA, has prepared these 20 questions. If you answer yes to more than seven, your husband is a compulsive gambler. Here they are-and please keep in mind that women can have the sickness, too. Does he lose time from work because of gambling? Is gambling making his home life unhappy? Is gambling affecting his reputation? Tie Be si he Ah Laniers 2 8 .1 Has he ever felt remorse after gambling? Does he ever gamble to get money with which to pay debts or to otherwise solve financial difficulties? Does gambling cause a decrease in ambition or efficiency? After losing, does he feel he must return as soon as possible and win back his losses? After a win, does he have a strong urge to return and win more? Does he often gamble until the last dollar is gone? Does he ever borrow to finance gambling? Has he ever sold any personal property to finance gambling? Is he reluctant to use "gambling money" for normal expenditures? Does gambling make him careless of the family welfare? Does he ever gamble longer than planned? Does he ever gamble to escape anxiety or personal problems? Has he ever committed, or considered committing, an illegal act to finance gambling? Does gambling cause him to have difficulty in sleeping? Do arguments, disappointments or frustrations create an urge to gamble? Does he have an urge to celebrate any good fortune by a few hours of gambling? Has he ever considered self-destruction as a result of gambling? Most loved ones of compulsive gamblers will answer yes to seven or more of these questions. For more information, contact: Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc. General Service Office 475 Riverside Dr. 1 Ith Floor New York, NY 10115 (212)870-3400 Al-Anon Family Groups (for family members affected by alcoholism) 1600 Corporate Landing Parkway Virginia Beach, VA 23456 (800) 356-9996 2 8 (i ANN LANDERS Narcotics Anonymous P.O. Box 9999 Van Nuys, CA 91409 (818)773-9999 Gamblers Anonymous P.O. Box 17173 Los Angeles, CA 90017 386-8789 Parents who want more information on inhalants can call the National Inhalant Prevention Coalition at 1-800-269-4237. We have to eat to live, but for some of us, eating is not so simple. For those with eating disorders such as anorexia, bulimia or gross overeating, food can be life-threatening: Dear Arm Landers: I am a nurse who saw a 37-year-old woman die today. She left three young children. That woman didn't have to die. She starved herself to death. They call it anorexia nervosa. The poor dear weighed 60 pounds. Her body was just a skeleton, but she had the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen. I saw pictures of her when she was 25 and she was truly gorgeous. I first heard of anorexia in your column. Please continue to tell your readers how dangerous it is to starve, just to be thin. Keep telling them that this insidious practice can turn into a compulsion-a mental ill-ness-and the result can be death. -Sad in Sandusky Dear Sad: I've been harping on this subject for ages, urging every-one who suspects she is a candidate to get professional help at once. The same for bulimia-binging and vomiting. Both illnesses can be life-threatening.