Breaking the habit

Hi again Norman :))

I think it's something we all suffer from if I'm honest , the urges , cravings and withdrawl's are all part and parcel of trying to change from something we do into something we no longer do , unfortunately for us unlike smoking for instance as yet there are no anti gambling patches or Gum and we jsut have to endure those feelings and ride out the urges . that being said I think we have achoice as to how difficult or hard we make it for ourselves and if you just sit there going up the wall because you crave the buzz of gambling it's not going to help at all , the best thing I found early on was just get up and do something / anything that will distract you and take your mind off of it until the urges pass , even if it's just going for a walk or taking a shower it will gift you enough time to think things through and realise it's just gambling whispering in your ear to have a bet , which like myself it has alway's done .

The good news is that with time those urges do fade to apoint where you hardly think about gambling and when you do there dismissed out of hand :))

2yrs on and I still haver the odd dream about gambling though not very often these day's and I'm very glad when I wake up and realise I hadn't gambled , so it just goes to show how deeply this is set in our brain ! .

All the best mate :))

Hi,

Im currently 6 days GF. Slots were my poison. I definitely have felt some withdrawal. Mainly agitation, anxiety, and irritability. I dont know if this is more that the fog is clearing and the extent of what iv done is becoming more apparent. I certainly feel anxious when I think about how i am going to fill the time i spent gambling.

Good luck!

Hi Norman1892.

The dreams and the thoughts are normal especially in the early days so dont worry about having them. Keep talking it through on here and with people close to you. It is a period of cold turkey if you like and there are some withdrawal symptoms but its not a very tough battle if you focus in how worthwhile this recovery journey is.

I had a few nightmares but woke up with a sigh of relief that it was just a dream

Start some new hobbies and keep active. I see gambling for what it is now but I dont really think about it on a day to day basis other than being determined to help others on here

Now I dont have dreams or urges about gambling and I feel even better than last year. Its an old cliche but time is actually a great healer of the mind

Best wishes from everyone on the forum

Hi just to say as wife of cg, my husband has vivid dreams, shouting, swearing. I think you definitely have withdrawals.

Hi

One Saturday my wife asked me how I was feeling.

I told her I was feeling vulnerable.

She told me to put my jacket on and get to teh car.

I asked her where are we going.

She said we would know once we got there.

Well about an hour later while driving we found a ten pin bowling alley.

Went went in and had great fun.

Well every Saturday after that we were ten pin blowing.

Instead of fearing the day and doing nothing we took one unhealthy habit and turned it in to a healthy habit.

Instead of fearing all Saturdays I got to look forward to Saturdays.

Also our son joined us and it became a family outing.

You say you suffered withdrawal symptoms.

Do you think it was the fear based adrenaline rush you missed.

IT takes time to exchange from unhealthy habits in to healthy habits.

Yet once done makes life much easier. 

Dave L

AKA Dave of Beckenham