Another year off to a bad start.
another day living a lie. Today’s the day I try again to beat my demons and fight this horrible 18 year addiction of pain and guilt. I have signed up to gamcare, and been to meet a hypnotherapist next step is a ga meeting. I’m determined and going to give this the best shot I can.
i feel focused ready and up for the fight I know it won’t be easy but I feel with a few more tools in my bag and looking deep into the route problem I can start to fix myself.
i wish everybody here strength and courage.
With that attitude, I would say this year is off to a great start. Mistakes are worth making if you learn from them.
We can solve our gambling problems if we come to realise what it is that makes gambling attractive to us. Why do we keep going back to it? What is it offering us? If you can spend time really analysing your gambling and your attitude towards it, then it can help you unravel this mess and see your way clear to move forward.
I also gambled for 2 decades, first 12 were reasonable....last 8 were full blown addiction and £40,000 loss. I will be 2 years gamble free come May. This can be done, yes it takes work, but it is the biggest sense of achievement I have ever felt. All that pain, all that hurt, guilt, worry, stress.....it was all worth it because today, I stand here better, stronger, happier than before. If someone gave me the chance to wipe my mistakes away, I'd say no. I stand by my mistakes and I am a better me because of them.
You can turn a horrible situation into something wonderful and your life can not just go back to being like it was before, but it can be better than before. All it takes is the strength and will to make this happen, which you seem to have in abundance. 🙂 I also wish you strength and courage and I hope that you will be able to draw on the past and tap into that pain, so that it will help shape your future as a non gambler.
Lock down all access to gambling. If you only gamble online, keep your money at home, or block your cards. Lock up your money or use it to pay bills as soon as you get it. Sign up to Gamstop if you gamble online. Don't let your right hand undo what your left hand is trying to achieve. This is the nature of addiction and it will be a hell of a fight but one you can win. Look after each day because if you don't gamble in the present, then your future will also be gamble free. Having gambling in our past doesn't mean we have to stay like that....gambling will only feature in our future if we gamble in the present, so allow yourself to be proud of your decision to make a good future for yourself.
Look back only to learn from your mistakes and to unravel your triggers and try to alter the way you see gambling. You must also forgive yourself your mistakes. You are human. We mess up.
Don't let guilt fuel more gambling. If you have debt, then this can keep you gambling too. However, it is no point dealing with the debt if you are still gambling, so take care of your addiction first. Prioritise yourself and your needs and then you will be free to get your money back under control because if you don't then you will clear the debt, only to make it again.
It will really help to understand why you gamble. Is it about winning money, excitement and thrills or killing time....Is it about socialising, boredom, distraction or avoidance. Mine was about depression. Gambling just gave me a place to forget. I made so many problems for myself by gambling that it worked to distract me from the real issues that were bothering me and I was addicted to not thinking.
It just became about making problems for myself and hating and self loathing as I went......
I really recommend Allen Carr's easy way to stop gambling book. It was the best fiver I ever spent. It helped me so easily see through all the stupid pitfalls and traps of gambling to the point that I wondered how I ever fell for all of it in the first place.
Take good care of yourself and be proud of your decision to quit gambling. Just keep trying....you might stumble along the way, I know I did, many, many times....but in the end, something changed....something clicked and slowly my thinking changed and I grew strong. Days turned into weeks, weeks into months and months into years....I finally stopped counting the days and just got busy being me again. Bearing in mind I gambled EVERY day for 8 years, even Christmas and Birthdays....that's pretty good going if I don't mind saying so myself! 🙂
Keep the faith. You can do this.
All the best.
Hi!
you can do it! Gambling is that hardest battle I’ve endured in my entire life, but it can be beaten!!!!
gamstop and sense is a must then the rest is up to us...
keep it real and stay sharp ??
c
Hi guys
appreciate the replies well I survived the weekend without gambling kept busy and feeling motivated to conquer this battle. Monday is the start of a new week and hopefully my first gamble free week under my belt. Life’s for living not for gambling
Good evening guys currently laid in bed and reflecting on what will be a week free from gambling this time tomorrow.
i feel like I have lifted the fog and dark clouds from my eyes and in a small amount of time I can see that life is so much better without thinking of the next bet or thinking how I can win every last penny I spend back.
i also attended my hypnotherapy last night and found it very helpful for my addiction and past memories.
I have closed my bank account and opened a Monzo account they block gambling transactions
Another Saturday passed without a bet feeling positive and motivated. Actually enjoyed watching the game with no money riding on it for a change.
With that attitude, I would say this year is off to a great start. Mistakes are worth making if you learn from them.
We can solve our gambling problems if we come to realise what it is that makes gambling attractive to us. Why do we keep going back to it? What is it offering us? If you can spend time really analysing your gambling and your attitude towards it, then it can help you unravel this mess and see your way clear to move forward.
I also gambled for 2 decades, first 12 were reasonable....last 8 were full blown addiction and £40,000 loss. I will be 2 years gamble free come May. This can be done, yes it takes work, but it is the biggest sense of achievement I have ever felt. All that pain, all that hurt, guilt, worry, stress.....it was all worth it because today, I stand here better, stronger, happier than before. If someone gave me the chance to wipe my mistakes away, I'd say no. I stand by my mistakes and I am a better me because of them.
You can turn a horrible situation into something wonderful and your life can not just go back to being like it was before, but it can be better than before. All it takes is the strength and will to make this happen, which you seem to have in abundance. 🙂 I also wish you strength and courage and I hope that you will be able to draw on the past and tap into that pain, so that it will help shape your future as a non gambler.
Lock down all access to gambling. If you only gamble online, keep your money at home, or block your cards. Lock up your money or use it to pay bills as soon as you get it. Sign up to Gamstop if you gamble online. Don't let your right hand undo what your left hand is trying to achieve. This is the nature of addiction and it will be a hell of a fight but one you can win. Look after each day because if you don't gamble in the present, then your future will also be gamble free. Having gambling in our past doesn't mean we have to stay like that....gambling will only feature in our future if we gamble in the present, so allow yourself to be proud of your decision to make a good future for yourself.
Look back only to learn from your mistakes and to unravel your triggers and try to alter the way you see gambling. You must also forgive yourself your mistakes. You are human. We mess up.
Don't let guilt fuel more gambling. If you have debt, then this can keep you gambling too. However, it is no point dealing with the debt if you are still gambling, so take care of your addiction first. Prioritise yourself and your needs and then you will be free to get your money back under control because if you don't then you will clear the debt, only to make it again.
It will really help to understand why you gamble. Is it about winning money, excitement and thrills or killing time....Is it about socialising, boredom, distraction or avoidance. Mine was about depression. Gambling just gave me a place to forget. I made so many problems for myself by gambling that it worked to distract me from the real issues that were bothering me and I was addicted to not thinking.
It just became about making problems for myself and hating and self loathing as I went......
I really recommend Allen Carr's easy way to stop gambling book. It was the best fiver I ever spent. It helped me so easily see through all the stupid pitfalls and traps of gambling to the point that I wondered how I ever fell for all of it in the first place.
Take good care of yourself and be proud of your decision to quit gambling. Just keep trying....you might stumble along the way, I know I did, many, many times....but in the end, something changed....something clicked and slowly my thinking changed and I grew strong. Days turned into weeks, weeks into months and months into years....I finally stopped counting the days and just got busy being me again. Bearing in mind I gambled EVERY day for 8 years, even Christmas and Birthdays....that's pretty good going if I don't mind saying so myself! 🙂
Keep the faith. You can do this.
All the best.
Love your response Reminds me of myself so much Almost 2 years free. I also fell for it because of depression and anxiety. Hope you are doing well
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