I start again

Try to get some exercise this month, go out for walks, in the fresh air, its lovely out at the moment, take a flask of tea from home costs nothing, go to parks, meet people, relax, you dont need any money for this and it makes you happy and healthy.

just an idea

all the best, try to make this the last time you make yourself unhappy in this way, its just money is it worth and the anxiety, stress, thoughts, time etc.....

just some ideas adam

Dear eckybhoy,

Some nice suggestions from Adam there. Sorry to hear you feel low with that uncomfortable familiarity of your situation. You may feel stuck right now and in a number of ways, but we can help you become unstuck with the support on here and also via a one to one chat on our helpline and Livechat 24/7.

Keep sharing, 

Best Wishes

Fiona 

Forum Admin

This is where I was 65 days ago going round and round - gambling , losing money, gambling more to chase the loses. I told my husband and family amd that has made a huge difference. I have blocked all ways that I can and cannot get hold of money to gamble online now. It has been extremely difficult like many would tell you here. I got councelling which helped and I have had to dig deep and rethink my life and not give up. You have to want to stop. It has been 65 days now and I am not looking back. I have changed my lifestyle - go for long walks, read more, keep busy, jigsaws, ...... even colouring books ? .Me and my husband talk much more now and he has been amazing and I know I have been lucky and I have ONE chance which I am taking with open arms. Take care and think about your future you can do this believe in yourself 

Just thought... there is no cure for me .. i just take each days at a time and deal with it . I know I don’t want to go back to that life and I have to be strong for myself. No one else can do this for themselves only THEMSELVES. You can get help from family, friends and councelling but only you can help yourself at the end of the day. If I can get through to someone today how I am feeling now then it will be worth it . I still struggle.. yes... however I have different coping mechanisms now I turn my negative thoughts to positive thoughts. Night time is my worst but I will go to bed same time each night usually around  10ish .. I leave my mobile phone downstairs and switch off the TV and I now can get to sleep without any thoughts of gambling but I have trained myself (in a way) to do this and you can too 

Thanks all for reaching out. I wish I had someone in my life that I could turn to but I moved to Edinburgh 14years ago to be with my boys mum but  we broke up 5 years ago and she moved away with my boy to other side of country so I'm literally here on my own, I find it hard to make friends due to anxiety and hardly getting out due to having blown all my money gambling at the beginning of each month. I've been gambling since I was 13 and I'm now 47 and in all those years I've only managed to stay gamble free for 2 years due to financial difficulties but once I got back on my feet I started gambling again. Gambling has been my life from a young age and I don't know any different, this is how it's always been. I know if I stopped I'd be in a much happier place but that one night of gambling which I can lose £400 upwards keeps me prisoner in my home for the rest of the month and in that month because I have no money left I won't even think about gambling but once I'm paid it just ticks away in my head till I give in. Its just a constant fight and once I deposit it feels like a whole lot of stress has been lifted but then you all know where it goes from there. I really wish I could just rince out my head and press a reset button and start over. I'm actually seriously thinking of doing away with online banking so I can't do bank transfers in to casinos but it's just another way I'd be determined to find a way around. I know there's success stories out there and to  take one day at a time and I've been so determined before but I always give in. I do think a lot of it too has to do with being on my own and boredom kicks in and the urges know when to pounce. I really do want to stop but deep down I'm not sure if I can and maybe I should just accept this is who I am due to the fact that it's been my life since I was 13.  I will come on each day and do a diary and read over it to help give me the motivation I desperately need. 

So I've not been thinking about gambling in the sence that I want to gamble but I have been thinking a lot about my gambling addiction. The whole thing just takes up way too much room in my head whether it's urges or me thinking about my addiction. So this is day 3 but as I've said the real test is when I get paid 

Hi eckybhoy

I can absolutely relate to what you have said. I just wanted you to know that I hear you, and you are not alone with this struggle. 

Here is a link to Gamstop. It will exclude you from all UK online gambling sites. I know the thought of registering (free) is scary; but even if you initially sign up for the minimum period of 6 months, it will give you some breathing space GAMSTOP - Gambling Self-Exclusion Scheme

I gambled for more years than I care to remember, and lost more money than I care to remember; it was very much a part of my life and a coping mechanism. I quit gambling in October 2017, have been registered with Gamstop and attend GA meetings every week; for me personally, I could not have reached this point without this intervention.

I know you are in a bad place at this moment in time, but please consider the link above to self exclude.

I do wish you every success in your first steps to becoming gambling free, and a happier life.

Pete123

Hi. I signed up to gamstop the day it came out and signed up for 5 years. I have gamban on my phone and gamblock but I always seem to find a way to gamble online. One thing I can say is that the last 2 times I've deposited I deposited fairly lage sums of money but I was so bored playing even when I hit the bonuses I was just numb and had no reaction so I am hoping something inside my head is changing. Why play at the end of the day if it no longer does anything for me. 

So a week has gone by since my first input in my diary. Today I had a text message from a new casino wanting me to deposit, I was tempted to click on the link but my blocks would have kicked in anyway so I just deleted it and marked it as spam! Once my contract is up on this phone in December I'm going to change my phone number as its pretty clear some of these casinos I've signed up to in the past have sold on my details to 3rd parties as I constantly get bombarded. I'll probably ditch my main  email address too as its constantly getting bombarded with emails for casinos. Anyway I'm still going strong here's hoping I can keep it going. 

@eckybhoy Just out of interest why don't you change your email and phone number now. Email is simple and as long as you all your phone contract provider they'll send you out a new sim. Just make sure you put the new email on your Gamstop account if you have one.

Chris.

Ive thought that myself. I have numerous emails so Im going to start using a different email as from today. I guess it's because I've had the email address forever and everything I'm signed up to is with this address so yeah it's time to start changing over but that won't be an over night process. As for my number I guess it's just a hassle that I don't but I know I should. I don't even think I need a new sim I could just contact o2 and I'm sure they would give me a new one. 

@eckybhoy Just seeing if you've done those changes yet?

Chris.

Hi Chris. Thanks for reaching out!!

I've started changing some of my emails over but I'm still carrying the same number. I've still not gambled this month and that's with having some left over cash in the bank. When I get paid this month I'm going to put what I'd have spare straight on my credit card and live off enough just to get by. This us usually how I live if I gamble so it's nothing new but at least then I've paid towards my debt instead of me leaving it in my bank and thinking I'm loaded and then thinking what the hell I'll have a gamble. I'm coming to realise how stupid I am signing up to these off shore casinos and the risks I'm taking not only with my money but with all my personal details too. I know this is all just words but at this moment in time I'm as  Determined as I've ever been.

@eckybhoy

Good work so far then, keep it up. Anything you can do to help make it harder to gamble is a step in the right direction.

Hopefully you'll find Ga or the Gamcare courses next and start your recovery.

Good luck.

Chris.