Day 17
Watching YouTube clips tonight of some recovering gambling addicts. Can’t believe that 2 of the clips were preceded by clips for C*ral and L*dbrokes ... FFS !! Then I watch the football, dozens of Gambling adverts in the break, advertising hoardings full of gambling adverts, I see Ray Winstone claiming that his company wants you to “gamble responsibly” (I think the word “irresponsibily” is closer to the mark). I then see the “When the fun stops, stop” banner flash on the screen for what was around 1/50th second. FFSx2. I really hope Gamstop signups go through the roof and really hits Gambling firm profits.
Day 18
The urge to gamble hasn’t appeared now for a few weeks. Gamstop and self exclusion means that it’s pretty much impossible to do it now, so not even thinking about it.
Day 20
Keeping the diary going. Starting to rack up the days. Not getting any urges now - since the gamstop sign up, it’s like the switch has been turned off. The debt is huge, but provided it’s going down every month, then that’s good enough for me at this stage.
Hi Michael35,
Thank you for sharing your journey thus far. I think it's important to air your feelings on the forum and if it's helping to post daily to keep you on track then even better. Congratulations on Day 20, you're doing a stellar job.
However, don't get complacent! I myself fell into this trap. Just because you don't have urges, doesn't mean you won't tomorrow. The switch is never turned off, we're Compulsive Gamblers. Stay strong and focused just as if it's day 1, exude that same desire.
Keep up the good work.
Andy (Compulsive Gambler 245 days GF)
Day 22
Couldn’t agree more Andy. From bitter experience before, even after 2 or 3 years gamble free, we’re never cured. A few quid on the slots (“What harm can it do ?”) and then you wake up and your £1000 down.
Anyway, 3 weeks in. Can’t gamble if I really wanted too. Do I feel better for it ? Not really, not at the moment. Think I’m still incredibly angry at my senior manager inventing some new rules to block the overtime. Extremely lucrative and massively useful in my situation. Anyway - another weekend, and a long list of boring jobs to deal with.
Day 29
With the help of my Gamstop signup I arrive at Day 29. Do I feel better for it ? Yes and no. Gone are the massive highs and lows, but the pre-occupation with where my next “fix” is coming from has been replaced by real-world problems. Various qualms both at work and at home have gone unchecked for a number of years now. It’s becoming very obvious that when my focus has been shifted, that I’ve been “taken for a ride” by both my employee and my family. Without wanting to indulge the specific details, I know it’s time to start digging my heels in. No longer can I take the course of least resistance, I need to start doing what is right for me.
Day 34
Seems easy at the moment. Have decided to not stress about the debt. Minimum payments on each card and £500 on the largest interest card for the time being. I’ll keep around 2 months salary in my main current account to pay for whatever and I’ll let that ride for the next 6 months or so. No need to review or worry about it.
Day 35
Nice and easy. A busy Easter weekend completing those half-finished jobs around the house I’ve been meaning to finish over the last few years to complete.
38 days GF
40 days GF
Well done micheal your self therapy is going great keep going and keep inspiring !
43 days gf.
Blocks in place, no way to gamble, so no point in even trying.
Well done on 43 ?
Blocks are part of the parcel in this journey. They do their job for sure but I guess additional work on ourselves is required too.
Do you have any external support or any ways how to deal with urges?
S&B xx
46 days gamble free. Keeping busy is my only therapy and it seems to work. I’ve had counselling in the past but personally I didn’t get anything out of it.
As far as I’m concerned, I can’t gamble so don’t waste time thinking about it, I have enough in my bank to cover 6 months CC min payments, and it will take 5 yrs to fully pay them off.
50 days GF.
Yeh ... great.
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