Absolutely fine until I'm suddenly not

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(@cerrry93)
Posts: 31
Topic starter
 

I'm now 18 days gamble free since my last relapse. If I'm honest I haven't found these last 18 days difficult at all. I've seen a lot of problem gamblers talk about every day being a challenge not to gamble which I do really sympathise with. However, I've never really been able to relate to that as I can months at a time with almost no urge to gamble at all. Whilst this sounds good, it makes it quite hard to work out what causes me to relapse. I'll go months without any real urge to gamble and then suddenly will snap and gamble straight away and there seems to be no obvious cause of this. 

 
Posted : 28th June 2022 9:10 am
Joydivider
(@joydivider)
Posts: 2156
 

Hello cerrry93 and welcome

Please do not mistake any gaps as a sign of control or that you are not addicted. You have a binge or trigger form of gambling which can arise at any time or place.

It's still very dangerous as you know. I spent years in this phase thinking well I can't be addicted because I havent done it for a while.

Then a massive binge would happen in an arcade and I would chuck away hundreds or all my bank balance. 

It would happen anywhere.....on holiday.....walking past a train station arcade...pubs ......motorway service stations etc etc

Suddenly I would crave it but these cravings can seem casual. I remember being suddenly overwhelmed with anxiety on a city centre shopping trip and I had to get to an arcade where I chucked about a thousand pounds

It's a progressive illness and this binging or trigger gambling is a known condition. You doing have to be doing it every other day to do real damage.....I knew some drinkers like this who could go weeks or months and then go on a several day binge which ended up in a police cell or trying to get taxi rides with no money etc

So please get help as you have no control at the harmful amounts of money you are throwing away. I spent many years thinking I was a la Di Da or casual gambler........truth is I could never afford to throw a tenner away 

It's a drug addiction more than anything and you need to learn about its power to control and alter your mind

Best wishes from everyone on the forum

 
Posted : 28th June 2022 1:15 pm
c43h
 c43h
(@c43h)
Posts: 607
 

You will win a prize if you can figure that out.

I had a vision of sitting in front of a screen being held in place with rope and hooks like gulliver and the little people. 

Fact is that we have no thoughts when we are hooked in front of our favorite games. Theres is a before and and after the game that make sense to look closer at. During the game we are just looking at the lights symbols nr and cash going out of the window. Very few addicts manage to shake the trance they are in when they are in it.

But you can make your routines so different that you don't have to get triggered. You can make those adverts go away. You can look in the different direction when you pass the bookies. You can stop hanging with your favourite gambling buddies when its payday etc

Change your routines so that you don't land in your old routines. And learn a bit of mindfulness. No it is not a rich man's invention. It is there to make you more aware of the present so you don't fall back into the pool of not thinking at all

I wish you well!

Best

C

 

 

 

 

 
Posted : 28th June 2022 2:30 pm

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