Within 2 years of my life I have ruined my finances , become depressed and subsequently physicslly unwell. How did that happen for someone who has never gambled before . At the age of 43 I have realised that I am an addict and need help

Hi Kasandra welldone for reaching out its a horrible addiction to have started gambling around 2006 took me 5 years to realise i had a problem in recovery ever since started going Ga 2011 on and off have had many relapses on the only recently understood this addiction is life long im currently on day 342 almost a year clean and for the first with the help of Gamecare i feel more confident this time around the illness is life long however with the right approach and continous support i can contain this illness the aim is finding ways to overcome the urgues and to remain gamble free it always one day at time, u can get support for putting all the blocks in place, handing over finances to a trusted member especially for the first couple of months you can also start a diary on here which will help u keep you focussed their are other members on here who have remained gamble free for decades and still continuing strong u can also try going into local GA meeting and see what works best if u require financial support you can try your local Cab and they can arrange u a debt management plan 

Well done on taking the first step. Everyone on here has been in your position in one way or another. 80 days ago I came clean. I was in huge debt, credit report shot to pieces, couldn’t get a loan to save my life. Couldn’t sleep, barely ate, was in constant fear of the mail coming or the phone ringing. 

My first step was to contact GamCare, then I set up a new bank account, put all the gambling blocks I could on my devices, contacted stepchange, found a GA meeting and then took an open and honest look at my finances. It was an eye opener. 

It was a busy first week but the weight off my shoulders was immense. I’m now 80 days gamble free, my finances are sorted in that I pay stepchange an affordable amount each month and they do the rest. They talk to your creditors and sort it all out. Amazing charity. 

Gambling ruined my relationship, my home and my mental health, but after introducing myself on here and taking all the help available I can see a way out, and I feel so much happier with life. 

Good luck in your journey. Embrace it and get yourself back to that strong amazing person you were before this took over.

It’s never over. One day at a time, find yourself again and move on. Time will heal and time will clear the debt. Keep strong through this hard period. I have been in recovery for around 5 years. Still gamble but have joined this and feel ready to quit for good now. 

Hi

I am a non religios person.

Yet today I am a much healthier spirtual person which are the spirtual values of my healthy conscience. 

Sadly there have been so many people who focus on abstaining and think that long time off gambling you are stable and safe.

For me only once I was abale for some time only then could I heal the hurt inner child in me.

I walked in to recovery a very scared iandequate insecure inept person.

Once I got to sharing some serious therapies my hurt inner child came out of living in his many fears.

The pains earlier in my life caused fears in me that I did not understand.

The pains earlier in my life caused frustrations in me that I did not fully understand.

I also understand that showing my gratitude and appreciation is an expresssion of my healthy spirtual values.

I was told that once I abstrained from unhealthy habits I would learn to love and respect my self.

Just for today I do not want or need to gamble.

Each time I gambled I made more pain and suffering to my self.

For me gamble was a kind of self abuse.

To work hard for months and then give it away to complete strangers while we went with out.

All addictions ad obsesssions are unhealthy for me.

I both want and need to be the healthiest person I can be for myself today.

Being in the recovery program I have the choice to become the person I lie and love today.

Healing Love and peace to every one.