Cant stop gambling

Hi Stephen,

Great job joining and getting ready to face this thing head-on.  I guess you can go to my profile to read my story if you would like…. I just know that this is the first time (and there have been MANY times) I can honestly say that I WANT to quit for good.  It’s enough already.  I chased losses (past tense!)….and I chased wins!  As gamblers we all do.  If we don’t just put it right back into the machine right then….we just wait a few hours or days and do it then. 
I guess my thought to you is when you say you “can’t stop”…I don’t like it!  You gotta believe!  I believe in you!  Like you said, think of all the things you are missing out on.  I actually discovered (at age 50, which was devastating) that my problem was actually the off-shoot of a much more significant mental health issue.  Once I got that treated and under control….my gambling decreased significantly.  The final straw was when my big mental breakdown led to my divorce.  Horrible.  Heart wrenching.  I lost money that should have paid for my kids to travel the world and enjoy vacations.  Instead we sat around and I took them to 7-11 for slurpees.  Makes me ashamed and sad to look back.  That will not do anyone any good, though.  So I fight to move only forward every day.  Even when someone is committed as I am to quitting…I know the urges will never go away and it will be a “day-at-a-time” venture.   I don’t want to ever let my guard down.  I used to use gambling to release the dopamine and feel good.  Now I find other ways.  I am about to go spend time with my daughter.  The memories we make will be money in the bank that nobody can ever take away!  Please respond and reach out if this strikes a chord with you.  I love communicating with people on here!  
Take care,

Greg

@gdiddycourogen yea it does 100% iv always had a problem but see since lockdown its got so much worse with isolating etc being bored gambling was jst easy to pass time now its so out of control when i back a looser im punching stuff anol its scary. I no im not gona win and loose everything but still doesnt make me stop il literally gamble until iv nothing. I can’t remember the last day i didnt have a bet which is sad

Hi @bailie1010

Welcome to the forum and thank you for sharing your story. I would like to make you aware of an addiction service which provides support for problem gamblers in Northern Ireland. This is the website and contact number for the Dunlewey addiction service in Belfast  http://dunlewey.org/gambling-services/   028 9039 2547

Warmest Regards

Rachel

Forum Admin

Hi there Stephen 

hope your doing alright.

I feel your pain, not knowing what do do or how to break it, sometimes it takes rock bottom to make changes but you don’t want to get to that point, if you haven’t already.

I think I have and am still struggling, gambling is on my mind constantly, but I’m trying And now getting my priorities in place, realise this and focus on all things most important to you and try to see how gambling needs to be the last thing we should be spending any time on.

all the best 

Martin