13th August 2017

Smashed, well done for pouring the booze away

drink water, go back to bed, get some sleep, when you get back up call gamcare, get some help, it's time buddy.

I'm only on 128 days without a bet, I too used to watch all those channels, I used to put everything on the back burner so i could gamble, now, for today I have chosen to not gamble

You're going to need to some professional help, some advice on the debts - even if you think you know the answers you need to start opening up, make yourself accountable

There is life out there to be lived, it's not going to be easy getting there but you can do it.

no more gambling, you've given them enough money, it's time to repay those debts, get your health back and start looking forward.

Clear your youtube history, delete your twitch accounts and save gamcare as your homepage

let your last bet be the best money you ever spent, the bet that changed things, the last one you ever placed

best wishes

Hi mate, I am really sorry to hear of the impact and distress that gambling has caused you. I personally believe anyone can develop a gambling addiction if they induldge in it enough, I dont think a gambling addiction affects just a few gamblers as the industry like to project. I lost 7.5k last Thursday and the previous month 53k in one night. So I know your pain, I am on the brink of despair everyday and get severe anxiety attacks at night. I want to think about the future right now, where I can be if I just stop this filthy addiction and stick to saving and paying off debts instead of gambling all this money.

Thank you for replying, yesterday was one of those days where you realise what you’ve done and just sit with your head in your hands, thinking. Today Monday I feel I have to take responsibility for my actions. It’s a lot of money to pay back but you have to start somewhere right. I still cannot figure out the d**n stupidity of it all as today i feel I’m a different person who totally lost the plot on Saturday and a good few other days but never done anything just dwelled in my own stupid gambling secret. I will never watch those YouTube videos again, like gambling pusher men convincing us we are just around the corner from the Mega Wins. Your replies mean a lot. Day 2 free from the curse.

Hey guys! All three of you are incredible for admitting you have a problem. It's a huge step, but you have all taken it willingly and from here it can only get better. It sounds like you Smashed and Problem Gambler can support each other as you are at similar stages. I've read lots of your posts Compulsive Gambler and I have such admiration for the way you were/are so compliant with your wife. I would not like to call her a lucky lady, but well, you must love her a great deal to put in so much effort.

It appears I nor our children are worthy of such effort. My husband (thrown out ten days ago) is still lying to himself. He has gone through roughly (still not uncovered everything) £80-100K at the very least. He has broken his children's hearts (aged 11 and 14) and desecrated our family. Yet, incredibly the lying and deceit matter more to me than the money. His children just want him to admit what he is and say sorry. He has never once apologised during our 23 year marriage so I know that won't be happening. He would lose contact with his own children rather than admit a weakness.

I know he is unstoppable and a true lost cause. He was/is into every kind of gambling there is....lottery, scratch cards, machines, bookies, online gambling. He also has access to cash 24/7 via our business so taking money off him would not be an option. He does not want to stop, you three do.

Take one day at a time, support is fantastic on here so use it!

Good luck to you all.

Because that is Compulsive Gambling you really don’t care, because we all think we need this and we must have that, and our 50” TV is too small. And why not get those stupid material things quickly by depositing a sneaky £50 here and a casino will match it and you too can get this lovely Apple product, come on you know it can be done you’ve seen it on YouTube. And you do it you turn your £50 and lose 8 hours of your life but you done it you’ve got a pending withdrawal and you feel all smug with yourself, you’ve got this gambling thing sussed, you know how to build up a balance. Well compulsive gambler mode kicks in lets turn that £750 we won into a grand so we can have a free shop at the supermarket, as well as our new gadget. Lets bet bigger spins to get that balance looking good. £750 £600, £500 lets get the balance back to £750 and ill quit, £400, £300, £100 BUST. d**n as long as i get my £50 back ill stop. d**n i want my £100 back, deposit a £100 gone £500 in I just want my money back. Another £500 then another, and thats the way the story goes. Good luck if your Husband can see the light, I hope he does for the kids sake. Thanks for the feedback.

Smashed, well done on stopping. I may sound like an advert but if you're in the crapper money wise then consolidate your loans. I was tens of thousands of pounds in debt and I called the Citizens Advice Bureau who put me in touch with a debt management company that are more of a charity so they don't take any money off you for their services. They talk to the people you owe money too, work out a repayment plan you can afford and you make one payment a month while they do the rest. It really did save my life back then. The best thing is they stopped all the interest that was building up, allowing me to pay it off instead of constantly fire fighting.

Thanks for the advice Thange, i will look into that as interest on CC is bad. You just think about the length of time it takes to clear, a lot can change in 5 years and I hope I too can help others as it does take you to very very dark places gambling and it is constantly there waiting to laugh in your face if you relapse. It just wants your money not a little bit all of it wherever it comes from however you got it whether its yours or not.