Hi. Tom here age 30.
Basically I’ve been gambling constantly since I was about 19 years old.
It started when I was introduced to bookies 20p roulette by a work colleague.
Then sports betting and eventually online roulette and bets.
When I was about 12 years old I wasted my birthday money secretly at an amusement park etc too ? maybe irrelevant though.
I’ve worked full time throughout all this and somehow still managed to function by the skin of my teeth.
I usually run out of wages before it’s even the 1st of the month (paid on 30th) but I’m not as bad as I used to be.
I’ve got 10k of debts and I deceive my family and girlfriend by borrowing money to get me through the month but end up wasting nearly all of that too on gambling.
I’m with gamstop and Gamban but I still get around it by using non UK betting sites.
Long story short I’m no where near as bad as I used to be but feel I could be so I’ll try again my “day 1” ?.
I’m the most confident I’ve ever been that I can quit this time.
I’m fed up of being happy one minute then miserable and moody the next.
I owe it to myself and family and partner to stop now before I lose everything and slip back in to how I used to be when I was younger. I’m still wasting lots of money lately but more responsibly if that’s possible.
Anyway I’m up for making some friends on here so feel free if you fancy a chat with me.
Thanks ?
Alright Tom hope your doing OK pal I only joined past after a gambling binge still feeling bad but it what it is was on group chat tonight and would recommend that m8 found it helpful keep your chin up
Here for you tom.
Hi Tom, replying as I’ve just joined today and feel the same way. I’m sick of lying to my friends, my family and even myself. So today I’m trying to make a change, I know I need to and I don’t even know why I keep doing this?!
I’ve been denying there’s a problem for so long that I often believe my own lies. I’ve always managed to function too ( with bits of debt and borrowing to make it through) but I’ve got a lot to lose now and I need to sort myself out before my partner realises what’s going on. It’s only a matter of time unless I make changes.
how are you doing so far?
Cheers everyone nice comments there appreciate it.
Happy to help you guys too.
I’m not doing good this week.
I got accepted for a credit card £450 limit and withdraw cash and loaded it onto my debit card and stupidly lost £300 on roulette. I initially thought I’d deposit £25 for a football bet and hey ho it spiralled ? I tend to gamble more when I’m tired I’ve noticed this.
done lots of early starts in work lately/long shifts.
Hi Tom,
sorry to hear you’ve had a bad week. I’ve done that in the past with credit cards and it’s not good…it’s scary how quick and easy it is to do isn’t it?!
And I totally relate to the spiralling…I’ve decided not to gamble at all because i know deep down that I can’t stop myself and I'm ruining my life.
I'm only on day 3 and it’s already really hard but trying to focus on being happy again and I won’t be unless I do this. It’s good that you know tiredness is a trigger for you , I think mine is stress so im working on reducing this.
hope the rest of your week is better
Thank you for coming to the forum and for sharing your story.
I am sorry hear how you have been affected by the roller-coaster of ups and downs in your gambling and how this has impacted on your relationship.
It sounds like at times you have made decisions that allowed you to gain control or even limit gambling harms.
You have taken some really positive steps in voicing that things may have moved forward but there is still a long way to go.
As I am sure you will find, the Forum is a welcoming and supportive space which allows you to talk to others who may also be experiencing similar issues to yourself.
If you haven’t already spoken with our Advisers, I would encourage you to do so as we want to discuss with you the options open to you and ensure that you have everything that you need to help you reach your goals and aid your recovery. You can use the netline or call the helpline on 0808 8020 133, we are here 24/7.
Keep posting.
Helen
Forum Admin
Hey Tom,
Seem to be in a similar situation, Ive just signed up here to reach out, would be good to talk to someone who gets it. Im 32, have just relapsed last night after not doing any gambling for over a year and it could be the end of my marriage if i tell her, otherwise im begging family to borrow money again to cover it up for me. Happy to chat on the forum so we can help each other.
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