Back to day 1

I'd suggest you tell your boss you don't gamble anymore, can't make it to a party at his house to celebrate your birthday, or anything else that puts you amongst action, gambling or not.

I keep saying that you can't pick and choose what part of abstinence or recovery you do. If you keep any door open to a bet, eventually you'll find that door. 

All the advice is on here, just remember to read others stories and try and find the similarities.

Good luck to you.

Chris.

As gambling addicts and problem gamblers we can’t have a social bet or just limit our betting in moderation, it simply doesn’t work. We may kid ourselves and start of just betting in moderation but soon enough we revert to type, and start hammering it again, next thing you know we are in a bigger hole than the last time. 

Posted by: Leeiom33

I made the most stupid mistake today. I was over 100 days gamble free I felt great in myself. I haven’t saved anything as I decided to revamp our garden but was happy that I was putting my money into our house. 
today how ever my boss rings me and says we are having a racing day at his house in august to celebrate my birthday as this is a yearly get away we do as a group nothing major and I don’t put bets on. So I got paid today and i worked out that to complete my project I would leave me self quite short. So I ended up in w**********l thinking football was on. Now am happy having a little flutter on football as I feel I can control it as machine for me are the devil for me. You can see where this is going i blow 80% of my spare cash leaving me skint on those stupid machines.  Lucky I paid all my bills and transfer my half of the food shops to my partner so am thankful for that. 

am not writing this cause I want sympathy am writing this cause at times I’ve seen posts asking if it be possible for people to gamble if they can limit it or if their partner can look over it. And I was the one who actually defended it as I felt you could have a bet on football but avoid machines. But after what I did and I was in a good place it’s a no. Your taking a huge risk. I’ve got a month of worry and watching my pennies and leaving my project for at least another month. 

today I learnt a very big lesson and people who are starting their journey or are a few months in. Don’t take it for granted take 1 day at a time and always have it in the front of your mind

back to day 1 for me but I will beat this 

thanks for reading  

lee 

I can totally relate luckily like you my rent and food is paid for but all spare money was gambled and I haven’t done that for two months so is even more gutting 

Hiya Lee 

It's such a horrible situation when you think you can control your gambling and end up having nothing left in your pocket. As we're problem gamblers we can't have a social bet as we'll always chase our losses. I don't think it's a good idea for you to go on a racing night for your birthday, would you be comfortable telling your boss that you've got a gambling addiction? As the last thing you want to do is put temptation in your way. Gambling is such a horrible addiction and it doesn't mean we're weak just that we've got an addiction we can't control. Have a good think about it as could be good for you to get it out there 

No thank you guys for all your feedback, 

I spoke to him today and said funds were tight due to my project and losing bets. So I think we have knocked it on the head.

i do agree with everyone’s comments I do chase my losses and felt I was in control. Sadly not

i just need to think every day it’s a new day and go back to the place I was in during lockdown as I was in such a positive place and felt I could actually beat this. 

I still feel positive that I can walk away but I guess in my mind I wanted my cake and eat it I wanted to stop machine gambling but still be able to have a social bet. 

the month will be very very tight but it’s a life lesson to to repeat this. 

lee

@leeiom33

I think a lot of people, me included, would like the idea of being in control of a social bet or just betting on a certain type of gambling, i.e. Sports, the lottery, etc, but if you can accept that all gambling is out for compulsive gamblers that will make it easier. I kidded myself that it would be alright this time, or I'd only bet an amount I could cope with, but I couldn't. I never could but the addict in me just wanted me to place a bet. Once I could tell my addict to leave me alone, even for a little bit, it made it easier to stay away from the first bet. No first bet, no s******g up my life.

No s******g up my life, I actually have a chance of a good life.

Maybe you could sign up to MOSES to take away the temptation of the bookies?

Good luck to you.

Chris.

Hi lee. I started my gambling life at the bingo halls 20 years ago. My real destructive gambling took place online over last probably 6years. The bingo halls are still closed in Wales but I'm sure they will open soon. Like yourself I could convince myself that I could go to bingo and just leave it there as that's not what caused the trouble and it was fun nights out with mates........but hang on there are slots there same slots as I played on line. I'm an addict I accept that now, I've found out that I can self exclude from bingo halls too, and with my friends guess I'll find something else to do non gambling. Best wishes to you with your gamble free future