Where do I belong

Hi Merrygoround

Thanks for your question. No, everything you write doesn't have to be in the f&f section. Most affected others on here use that section for their main thread or diary, but if you want to start a diary in 'recovery diaries' you can, as you are also on a recovery journey. If you want to pose a question or start a discussion about an aspect of overcoming gambling and the problems it causes, then you can post in Overcoming Problem Gambling. You can also post here in Debates if you want to start a debate about something as opposed to ask for advice. It's up to you. It can be useful to post outside Family & Friends if you're looking for perspectives from recovering gamblers. Sometimes Forum Admin might move a thread if they feel it's more appropriate somewhere else. If this happens and you feel strongly about it, email us on forum.admin@gamcare.org.uk and we'll consider your request.

Best wishes

Deirdre

Forum Admin.

Start a diary in the recovery diary section, recovery is not just for CG it's also for those effected by gambling.

I think it would be a great insite to see on a day to day/week to week diary of your thoughts and I'm sure you would receive plenty of interaction from other diary users.

KTF

Hi again .

Firsrtly I really feel your pain at the moment and can understand all of your dilema's , from my point of veiw as a CG I think it has to be about you now , what you want and what your needs are and if you want to post anywhere on this forum that's entirely up to you . When I first came here I did believe this site was all about us as gamblers but when I got my first few post's from family members of CG's many of which had a different tone to them than I'd been used to , a little more to the point or direct if want I was a little flustered and in all honesty It wasn't what I was prepared for or really wanted to hear but that being said as time's gone on I realise just how an important part of our recovery you all play in tha tand it's good therapy to hear your side of thing's and how it made you feel , were a selfish group when we gamble and really give little thought for those we leave in our wake .

As for your husband ? well only my opinion but if he dioesn't want to talk about it then it just say's to me that he really doesn't want to give up gambling because once you know then you vcan only move forward , I may be wrong but if you confess it's one thing as youv'e started to think things through but if your Found out for whatever reason then that's a different ball game completely and He's been taken by suprise and maybe he think's that when all the dust has settled he can go back to the way it was ? .

I suppose deep down none of us truly want to quit and again being honest if I could go back to gambling " Responsibly" then I probably would but for me that's just not an option anymore so it has to be stopped completely Gambling is something weve alway's got a buzz from but that comes at a heafty price the longer we gamble and it becomes totally unmanagable to continue with.

As tough a thing as it is to do I really think it has to be about you now and what you truly want , will he change , will he open up and give you total transparency as you deserve ? and how long will you put up with it is more to the point ? Your the innocent party here and he need's to know in no uncertain term's what your plans are if he doesn't comply with your wish for honesty for which the foundations of any relationship sit .

Whatever happen's It's nice to have you on the forum and telling it like it is :))

Hi Alan he will talk about gambling, I have all finance, he has no money. It's the other stuff, like his mother and how they treat me. Why didn't she tell me? All that duff. She's the same, can only talk about what she wants. Controlling. Avoidance, guilt!

She's probably ashamed of him To be honest or maybe it's a " Genetic " thing or again has he learn't his trait's from them ?

But your right it is all avoidance of dealing with the problem's in front of them , as a gambler avoidannce was a trait of mine too !

Instead of taking responsibility for my actions or dealing with everyday things in life such as Bill's ect I'd just bury my head in the sand and pretend they weren't a problem because the answer alway's lay in a bookies shop which in itself just created a bigger mess and further avoidance . When I came to addresing my issues this whole avoidance thing was initialy ver difficult to overcome and still today I get moments where my mind looks for the easy way out " The path of least resistance " I believe it's called , the difference is that now I face my demon's and when some issue arises it's dealt with head on .

He's got to accept change in his life now , nothing will be the same anymore for either of you and I'm afraid you need him to open up regards his family and how their making you feel , you need to have this out with them preferably when their all together as this is not a mess created by you , it's thier son and them deflecting any blame and redirecting it toward you is not going to solve anything .

I can't give you a difinative answer to all of your concerns as much as I would love to , all I can do is tell you what went on in my mindset when I stopped ,so I hope it helps but apologies if not .

Hi Alan don't apologise. I just feel it's another betrayal and he never understands how I feel. Plus why don't people warn you if they know? His mother just treats me with contempt and I just keep my mouth shut. I just feel even if I did explain she doesn't care. Who knows, I feel I need courage to confront it. Then is my wisdom telling me to leave it? See even I can talk myself out of it!

We can all talk ourselve's out of almost everything we want to confrot in life and it's usually just fear of the uknown that holds us back but I think you do have to confront those fears that are chaining you down otherwise how will anything ever be any different ? .

All this gambling issue could well be the first of many that may need to be addressed before you get to be in a Good place again ? and it may not be just your husband that has issues with opening up and confronting things head on .

I sounded quite harsh then and that wasn't my intention but obviously if things are to move forward you need to have many answers and some will be from the in laws.as it sound's as though they are also a cause for concern , maybe a time for the " Bridget jones big pant's" to go on and have a word ? ( can't believe I just addmited to watching those movies , still that's just between you and I ) :)) .

Hi Alan, being on this site is a big wake up call for all concerned. Time is over for tip toeing around and listen to some truth. I get that totally and I am all for confronting her. But she is a liar and this is all just another deceitful ploy to ignore everything and carry on as if nothing has happened. It's not her fault he gambles, it's not her problem. In some ways it's not mine, but there are behaviours that we all continue with. I guess I just want to know if it's me being over sensitive. I'm a firm believer that your wife comes before your mother. It's his betrayal of me. But if I talk with him he says it's me. It's the 'game'. He will tell her not to talk to me and me not to bother. So I'm trying to work out a way to deal with it, not cause a row, not make things worse. I don't trust her so why should I confide in her? My problem is I can't stop thinking. I hate 'bs'. My husbands had lots of therapy and the latest was connected to work stress etc. Hypothetical balloons, let it go. It's a discussion about a subject which I'm sure many other families experience. I just need to find a way to get rid of it.

I think the problem is with husband not mum in law Merry go round. He speaks with her as he know she will be more likely to go along with his story than you. Again, this is perhaps a systemic/family issue with both his family and your marriage, if it was me I'd think counselling and setting boundaries for yourself and asserting your righrs in this relationship. Not all problems are about gambling and sometimes other supports are necessary; in the same way, just because someone has a gambling problem does not mean it is always all about them now in any relationship. I dont care if people gamble or not, manipulation, blaming and abuse are not right and need to be addressed separately.
No you are not overreacting. He is manipulating you.

Yes totally agree. I know he's manipulating the situation, me and her. I go to my gamanon meeting. I don't need her interference she's as much a game player as he is.

I think you belong wherever you like on this forum Merry Go Round and being the partner of a gambler shouldnt define you as a person.

I think there should be a friends and family section but I understand how it can seem thats the only section you should be in. Its really tough for the people affected by gambling and it too easy for gamblers to dismiss how they affect others around them.

There is a tendency for gam anon to be seen as a lightweight get together if you know what I mean. Not by me though. In reality the partners of gamblers are going through the same trauma and its worse in many ways because they feel so helpless and confused about something they didnt cause.

I didnt set about to hurt people around me with an evil laugh. Its something I was doing in the grip of an illness. Im not making excuses and I took them all along on the ride of lying and deception. To my shame I used them as a source of income which was used to gamble again. I was even kidding myself that it was to replace the money as I just gambled it again.

I feel that a gambler that is truly ready to stop will be handing everything over willingly. Any reluctance or sullen behaviour/refusing to talk is to me a sign that he is not happy with some aspect of recovery or some aspect of the relationship

This is about you and what you want from the relationship. If I had a girlfriend and she kept confiding in her mother and shutting me out, it would be a pretty short relationship as I cant think of a lot worse than that

Best wishes from everyone on the forum

I think maybe this is veering in the wrong direction. He will talk, he's handed everything over. He's told her about his latest relapse, 100+ days ago. What I find odd, weird, is that she never talks to me about it. The family have always functioned through her. If either kids had problem with each other they went to her. She likes it, she likes control. She likes to gossip. She has never said 'don't involve me, sort it out yourselves'. Subsequently they don't know how to. I have had her shut me up many a time 'end of conversation' is what she says to me. I have also been on the receiving end of her gossiping about me from the neighbours, and I mean literally over the garden fence. I don't think it's weird he talks to his mother, I think it's weird she doesn't talk to me. Offers no support. That's all. She's burying her head in the sand. That's fine, it's not her concern.

well you are talking about relationship issues with your husband and your mother in law. I am not a relationship counsellor and these are separate issues from the gambling. He doesnt seem to talk to you so Im not veering in the wrong direction

If he has handed all control of the finances over to you and has self excluded with strong blocks then I can only say that recovery is under way. However its positive if he can talk to you about his feelings about gambling on a day to day basis.

I wouldnt talk to my mother and make my wife feel she was being shut out as that is crass, insensitive and a recipe for trouble.

I dont like gossipers and it seems to be a classic mother in law problem scenario.

I dont know everything about your relationship so you need to tell him and/ or your mother in law whats upsetting you and talk it through. Ive read what youve said and one minute you are saying he wont talk ...then he will.

You are understandably annoyed and confused. I cant help with relationship issues so I feel Ive jumped in here where I cant offer much you want to hear.

Best wishes

Sorry to b**t in :(( I was thinking the same thing as Joydivider's point in that I feel it's two different issues really , Is it that your mother in law is forgiving of her precious son ( Mummy's boy ) comes to mind sorry if that offend's and he's get's less of a " Rollicking " from her just as he's alway's done or is it as JD say's a " Mother in law issue " ? It's her boy and nobody's ever good enough for him ? If she thinks she's able to control you by you being quiet when she say's " Coversation over " then I imagine she's feeling quite smug ?

Maybe time for some strong word's ?