Long read ahead no doubt!
I am 40 years old and have gambled small amounts since I was 14, scratchcards really, but the last few years I had been totally hooked on online slots.
I am disabled so rely on disability money so I was the worst kind of gambler of all,
I would spend around three hundred a month and even when I was ahead on the odd occassion I would keep going until every penny had gone "just incase".
Two weeks ago this all came to a head when I realised I had spent an entire months money and had no food in, THAT was the last straw, that morning I rang Gamcare in the early hours and they soon realised what a serious condition I'd got myself in to, they said they would organise a counsellor as fast as possible and sure enough I recieved a call the same day from an organisation called BreakEven, a lovely lady explaained I would have my counselling oer the phone (at time of writing the Covis-19 thing is happening).
Well at this point know how breathtakingly stupid I had a been a good friend I had to beg for some food, and did a little research thanks to some emails GamCare kindly sent to me. I signed up for a GamSTOP self exculsion for 5 years, Added myself to the National Excusion Scheme for Hugh Street bookies (I have never been to one - but just incase I ever got tempted) I also added GamBan to my computer for two pound fourty nine a month, and told my local shop staff if they EVER sell me a scratchcard again I will never shop there again, in a nice way of course and they have been most obliging, I even opted out of our towns bingo hall thru a scheme I found. So yes there is now nothing I can possibly gamble on.
I have had 4 counselling sessions so far and the lady thinks I am doing well, I have taken much inititive but regret not taking the Bull by the horns all those years ago. The counselling is proving amazing but if I could coney one message you MUST self exclude from eerything - just don't dwell on it - do it, you can and will solve so much.
Thats great, keep up the good work!
Good for you!
Things will get better.
Exclusion is necessary or we will find a way to gamble, no matter how much we tell ourselves we're not going to gamble again.
It is a great weight lifted though when you do finally put all the temptations away from you and you know you just can't lose your money any more.
Yes, that's what we do, lose our hard earned money! How mad is that?
No more though. Wishing you all the best. It'll be hard at first..but so worth it in the end.
Take care
Elizabeth
Good work, keep it up!
Thank you all for the lovely support messages very kind of everyone, if I can offer a friendly ear to anyone just get in touch, thank you
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