Stupid reasons for gambling

Hi holycrosser,

I used to always be the same and could never understand why. Looking back from being in recovery for a while I think it was because I wanted to use money for gambling only and was also a reason/justification for me to get back in action.

Have a great day!

Walliss77 wrote: Hi holycrosser, I used to always be the same and could never understand why. Looking back from being in recovery for a while I think it was because I wanted to use money for gambling only and was also a reason/justification for me to get back in action. Have a great day!

Yes I agree, I needed the money for stake money, I’m very early into giving it up so understanding the why is important to me, also a huge trigger through the day as I work independently on the road all day was boredom, when I’m busy I very rarely think about gambling.I hate what it’s done to me personally, the lies.

It's really difficult in early recovery as the withdrawals are very strong. It takes a while for the brain to adapt back to normal levels of dopamine once you stop the stimulation that gambling creates. I remember the feeling of boredom that comes from stopping but we all know that the alternative is a life of destruction for us and our loved ones. I take my hat off to anyone who is actively seeking a solution to this psychological illness as it's really not easy. I found stopping was easy but staying stopped was something far more difficult.

Walliss77 wrote: It's really difficult in early recovery as the withdrawals are very strong. It takes a while for the brain to adapt back to normal levels of dopamine once you stop the stimulation that gambling creates. I remember the feeling of boredom that comes from stopping but we all know that the alternative is a life of destruction for us and our loved ones. I take my hat off to anyone who is actively seeking a solution to this psychological illness as it's really not easy. I found stopping was easy but staying stopped was something far more difficult.

I stopped for 100 days a year ago but started again, so I agree staying off is hard, I’m on last chance street as many have been.i font think my OH would understand that it’s an illness

Yes it runs deep as we had lost control of our own minds. The trigger point is the addiction talking because the whole thing makes no sense. It only takes one but several trigger points can also work together to persuade you.

Buying a pack of socks...how boring my addiction would say...you can win that back to spend on better things

Feeling anxious or stressed....soothe yourself my addiction would say.....hide from the world......you know you like the feeling of playing those machines and thats where you want to be.

feeling aimless or lonely...go to those flashing lights my addiction would say...you can look like mr big, mr casual, a big hit with the ladies, mr easy come easy go...go and kill time. it makes sense because you are a winner today......theres a free coffee and a bag of crisps ( Ive chucked away £1000 for stale crisps and a cup of brown dishwater)

Of course its all nonsense but an addicted mind plays on our insecurities for its own ends. It plays on the natural care with money within us...it plays on our fears,our hopes and it ultimately destroys us. Money is a man made concept and a gambling addiction is far more powerful than the concept of money

Have you seen a full blown alcoholic or heroin addict? It looks extremely sad doesnt it but somewhere in their minds they thought it was fun until the mind and body becomes totally dependant on it.

Gambling works the same way. Your body craves the drug even though you arent physically taking a substance. You can drug your body through an activity that creates neuron paths and pleasure rushes. That what the medical experts know.

I would say to everyone...study the addiction and realise its overwhelming power.

It must be fought and it can be beaten by resetting the mind and learning again that it offers nothing but pain.

Its a hard reboot of the mind and its not easy

Best wishes to everyone on the forum

I’ve done that quite often mate and I think it’s the gambling mentality of looking for quick buck and greed sort of wanting cake and eating it . I used to do this as a punt to cover bets I had lost to get my original stake back to gamble ‘proper’ . Thank god im seeing how crazy that sounds

Thanks for sharing and hopefully

.....your doing ok

Good to catch up on this. I'm finding spending money is cool still but did have the dreaded thought last night as I came home from asda after spending £30 on food ....it popped into my mind..you can win that back, thankfully I know the pain, I know I can never go down that path again.

It's desperate to get at me, I'm learning my triggers but still need to be on my guard.Funny but it's when I'm at my most desperate for money when I make the wrong choices.i hope I can beat this.still no gambling thankfully

Enjoy your food because having money to spend on nice food is a great thing. Develop a new relationship with food spending and treat yourself to something you really enjoy

Spend some time analysing that feeling of "just winning a bit back to cover things" It makes no sense if you talk it through with people close. That implies some level of certainty which gambling doesnt offer. It also assumes we have any control when drugged by a gambling addiction

As part of my craving for a fix my mind gave it the green light that I would just casually win something very early on

No FOBT machine is just ready and waiting to be nice when you walk in. The chip inside doesnt know youve been to Asda and the chip inside doesnt care if you end up bankrupt divorced or homeless

Best wishes from everyone on the forum

It's stupid,my mind wanted to win back everything I had to spend. Nuts

Posted by: holycrosser

Morning all,

I have this stupid thought that triggers gambling at times and I wanted to know if it was common.

Whenever I need to pay for something or a bill I try and win the money, instead of just accepting that I need it to come out of my budget, little things like my lunch , a £3 meal deal, I have thoughts of nipping into bookies and picking up an easy £3 on the roulette and that’s my lunch paid for.

I do it so often I just wondered if anyone else had these thoughts?

Of course now I’m taking it day by day and not doing it but just wanted to give you an insight into my mind at times.

Hi

How often would I say to myself it costs to much.

Yet willing to waste money on gambling and regret it.

When I say to myself it costs to much, am I saying I am not worthy of treating myself in a healthy way.

The same with saying I save cloths for a best occasion.

Sadly a best occasion never comes and i cheat myself from dressing in a nice way.

After all if I am going to change how much I value myself it is by my actions that will change that.

Before my recovery I felt shame regret self hatred ignorance insecure inadequate, those unhealthy feelings get replaced with pride confidence and a healthy self worth.

Once in recovery we need to reward our self by healthy actions and healthy words towards our self.

I use to feel like dog c**P on waling in to the recovery program.

Today I am just above dog c**P.

Before my recovery I would justify every unhealthy things I did or said.

Love and peace to every one

Dave L

AKA Dave of Beckenham

Hey mate

I just came across and do resonate with  those urges and triggers you have mentioned.

I even got to the point where my mind and body would trick me into thinking I needed a pee when I walked past a bookie so I would go in, have a couple of spins then use the loo... All justified in my own head because I needed the loo apparently.

This is how powerful this addiction is. It will gnaw away at you by any means necessary. 

We will never get the better of it. It will destroy us before we even get near it. 

And yes, despite the above I used to take risks for meal deals or haircuts (there was a bookie next door to my barber)

I remember sitting in the barber chair once almost in tears. The barber thought I was on drugs or something because I was all over the place.

I think we chatted before on your other thread about the 'gamblers fantasy world' 

Recovery is basically about journeying out of that world and reintegrating into normal society. In normal society things go up, things go down and you have to work at things if you want them to work.

Almost a year into my recovery and I can vouch that thoughts like the one you've outlined dissipate over time, when I look back at those thoughts I just realise how sick I really was. Time is a healer (cheesy but true in this case) - but you have to use the time wisely in recovery. Don't just wait for things to happen.

Hope you're well.

I used to use bookies a lot for a wee.i work on the road so need places to go.ive found different places now to cut out temptation   , it's subtle little changes to stay away from gambling 

Posted by: holycrosser

I used to use bookies a lot for a wee.i work on the road so need places to go.ive found different places now to cut out temptation   , it's subtle little changes to stay away from gambling 

Wise moves for sure ?