I need help :(

Hello Kayleighemma14,

How about registering with GamStop on 0800 138 6518 

https://www.gamstop.co.uk/contact-us

Some of our forum members also bank with Monzo 

https://www.gamcare.org.uk/news-and-blog/news/monzo-give-customers-option-to-block-gambling-transactions/

Another additional approach is to allow someone trustworthy like a parent to supervise your banking transactions in case that transparency helps to address any slips.

Please call us on freephone 0808 8020 133 if you'd like to talk about it.   The helpline advisers can also help you access free treatment appointments, (You can have those locally or by telephone or online by videolink, if you like).

Take care,

Forum admin.

Hi Hun 

I am a 35 year old woman who’s been gambling for 5 years. You have reached out at the right time. Gamban can be good, but sign up to Gamstop. Get excluded from every site for 5 years and then you will truly have a chance.

Look into counselling, the advisors here at gamcare are so helpful and understanding. Get as many blocks in place as you can to physically stop you, and then look at getting to the root of the problem.

I am only on day 12 so I’m no expert, but I really can’t stress enough that to start, the blocks are paramount 

good luck 

Hi,

You have made the first move, admitting it's a problem and seeking advice on here.

Gamstop is great, seriously limiting the online side of it, which tends to be where things reall escalate. Totally recommend it.

Well done on deciding to beat it

Great advice above. Get your blocks in place. Read around the forum. There is a good looooong post by @mixer which ticks every box. Well worth a read

I’m on day 13, I’ve tried giving up loads but this time I feel different. Definitely change your bank to monzo as they can block gambling from your card ( best thing I ever did ) and gamstop block you for up 2 five years from gambling. And I’m now at day 13 and I don’t even want to gamble. I’ve had a few hard times and I know there will be more bad days when I’m bored and lonely, but I’ve just kept my self busy or even gone for a nap. 

 You can do this 🙂 

Hi

For me I could not do it on my own.

When I walked in to the recovery program I had lost all faith and hope in myself and felt very nervous and scared.

Sticking being in the recovery program I was going to learn that I was no longer on my own.

Once I put a lot of time and effort in to my recovery and handed over all of my finances and started to abstain my recovery was going to become much easier.

What I did not understand was that I could not trust myself with money.

The money was just the fuel for my addiction.

I did not respect myself and I did not respect money.

I was unable to show appreciation and gratitude sincerely.

Each time I went back to my addictions I needed to understand what was my last emotional trigger.

The recovery program helped me understand that I was like a rat in a wheel going faster and faster getting no where healthy.

The recovery program helped me understand that I was not a bad or evil person, I was just emotionally vulnerable.

When I felt emotionally vulnerable I would escape in my fears and my anxiety to my addictions and my obsessions.

The recovery program helped me understand that I needed to identify when I feel vulnerable and to do some thing about my emotional triggers.

Just for today is about setting boundaries.

Just for today I will not gamble is not about any type of gambling or addiction, just for today I will not gamble is a boundary that means I am not willing to hurt myself or any one else any more, just for today I will not gamble means that just for today I am going to value myself.

The recovery was not going to stop me gambling, that had to be my own conscious choice.

The recovery was going to help me understand each of my emotional triggers.

The healthy people in the recovery program was going to help me and nurture me in to exchanging unhealthy habits in to healthy habits, in my work time, in my want time, and in my family time.

The simple sad fact that when we walk in to the recovery program we have already been survivors, we have already understood by our guilt and remorse we have gone against our own conscience, we have gone against our instincts and said and done things that were very unhealthy to us and to other people.

I am a non religious person and yet I have achieved so much that at one time I thought was impossible.

I am able to be more stable and more at peace with in myself and with other people.

The pains of my past caused fears in me that I did not understand or even know about.

Please keep going to meetings, you will benefit from it in so many ways.

Love and peace to every one.

Dave L

AKA Dave of Beckenham

Thank you all for your advice, 

I currently bank with Monzo but just seem to use my paypal account so I am waiting to close it once pending transactions have been completed and I am trying to sign up to Gamstop now but it is taking a bit longer due to not remembering the security questions required to set up. 

I just feel as thought I can’t talk to anyone in person about it because they will all judge me and say it’s self inflicted which I know it’s only me who has done this but I just need to know that it can and will get better I guess. Luckily it has only affected my savings so I have still been able to pay for bills etc. As I seem to ensure that I don’t spend that money. It will just be increasingly difficult with my partner when they find out I don’t have as much savings as they do.

I think most here will understand and will have experienced being reluctant to open up to others for fear of judgement. Most would say that things only have the potential to get better when one gets through the shame and start to share what is happening.

It is difficult but necessary.

Hi . 

I will never tell people how much money or for how long I have gambled.  Here we are all in the same position just for different amounts of time and money .  I feel your pain. Day 8 for me and all I did was use the gamstop to block for 5 years as soon as I done that I felt relieved that from now on the money I make is mine . I will need to work the next few years and save everything to get it all back but it's worth it in the end . We never win in the end . Always chasing . Forget the money you lost it's gone that is when you really can start to recover . I now accept the money has gone and need to make fresh start . You can do it.  Just come here for a read when you feel a urge you will begin to feel guilty for even thinking about gambling . Good luck