Too late? Is it ever too late?

It could be the start of something good, it could. Your post makes me think.

Its like I have been "at it" for 25 years admittedly with a couple of long spells "off it" but never really completely kicked "it" in to touch. But ive never given up hope that I can stay stopped. I do want to live an ordinary life, not a life lurching from one crisis to the next, which is all ive ever known if I stop to think how things have "really" been.

I really fancied a take away after work today, but ive got no money because of my last gambling binge. In fact I cant remember the last time I had a takeaway or a pie and a pint on impulse, cos ive never got any money.

We can stop at any point, however long we have been "at it" for. I want a bit of dignity and self-respect for however long ive got left on earth.

All the best for your gambling free future

I too have been gambling for 30 years and more, I dont know if I will ever be free of this fully.

Every day I battle, it's hard, one day if I fall of the rails however I think I've learned enough this year to never ever let this disease cause me heartache again.It may get me again it may not but as the days go on I feel I will never ever be like the old me who gambled every day, I wont ever be that person.

So no it's never too late to change, quitting all together might be too much to ask but folk have done it.

Good luck, you must block any online access to gambling, it's a massive help

Hi

Im trying to avoid that overused cliche its never too late but you are still with us and there is a  real quality of life to be had gamble free.

I have a new relationship with money. Ive actually got some now.  I dont run a fancy car or own a house but I can afford the food I like, meals out, collectable treats and I have a rainy day fund

I can afford a mega breakfast on impulse 🙂 and many other treats. I do sometimes battle a lifes not fair feeling when I work hard and see rich people in my area but I  feel far better than my gambling days. I cant believe that was me and it confuses me to think it had hold of me for forty years.

Forty years in a delusional state thinking I could ride out my gambling habit. £100 in a pub or hundreds more in the arcades and bookies. I have never earnt enough or really felt carefree to chuck a tenner away never mind the thousands every year I wasted. I was very ill and highly addicted

Thats the crux...I saw it as a habit rather than a full on addiction which totally controlled my mind.

Its too late for those who lost their lives through gambling. So we have to put it into perspective that recovery must be started before a rock bottom moment takes it that far.

Best wishes to everyone on the forum

That is so true joydivider... I think it is only really too late when you are dead.

Where there is life there is hope then...  And the bigger the gap between quitting and dead the better.

I also had that delusion too, that it was a habit, a hobby, a bit of harmless fun, and was in denial over how

much I was losing...every week, every month, ever year, remembering the wins, and blocking out the regular

ongoing losses... (even £25 lost every week turns into £45,000!!!! over 35 years....)

The figures make horrific reading...

Onward and upward

There use to be a Clifford on here few months ago, that you? Ring gamcare, put on all the stops. Gamstop stops everything online. Some dodgy sites maybe not, but not guaranteed to allow you to draw out money so stay clear. Ask gamcare helpline for help with counselling.

Never to late as long as your breathing.