Hi
I recently starting gambling around june time online mainly slots, won big and lost alot. Before it all got all out of hand i had to tell someone. So i told my family and my wife about it all. Luckly they have all stood by and help me so far get through this.
Luckly i haven't taken any loans or credit cards to gamble with ive just used my own money which i had saved up. So i've only got save up agian that i lost.
Im now on day 20 and lets hope i conitue free from gambling.
Thanks for reading
David
Afternoon David , Welcome to the forum :))
Well done on realising you have a problem and admitting it to your family , that's usually a toughie for most people but it's a great tool to use against addiction which thrives on secrecy , the fact that you haven't borrowed money to fund your gambling is another plus point , usually by the time we end up here weve dome some major financial damage not to mention the damage to our loved ones who weve lied to and cheated on .
Ok , youv'e lost a bit of your own money , which in time can be replaced with honest hard work and I'm sure with time and the support of your family you'll be just fine .
That being said you may want to look at installing blocking software on you laptop or tablet as you gamble online ? , there's a few available , Netnanny , Gamblock are available at a cost while K9 is a free version so maybe worth considering if you get any urges to go back again ? .
All the best for now but if you need any Info on anything then just put another post up and someone will respond , or contact Gamcare direct who will answer your questions :)).
Best wishes Alan
Thats great David. Welcome.
A point I want to mention here is that the solid blocks are crucial. Counting the days is important in the early days but with really solid blocks the days will mount up.
The crucial thing in the earlier stages is that you have no outlet and are monitored closely. This means you will twiddle your thumbs and have to cold turkey any gambling feelings until it finally clicks that you need focus on whats important like your family, a hobby and new interests worth doing in life.
Over time you get so used to this better way of life, that gambling will seem strange and totally irrational to you. You will begin to wonder why you ever did it.
Keep talking about it and with the support of your family you will get through it
You must never be complacent and part of any counselling is that your family need to be aware it may always be lying dormant within us
I have no problems with the thought that I may have to prove myself to some extent for the rest of my life
Best wishes from everyone on the forum
Hi Wdavidw1089,
Welcome to the Forum, and thanks for sharing your story with us.
I’m glad that you decided to seek help from Gamcare before your situation becomes worse. Also, you did well by informing your wife and family about your gambling problem, and thus got their support too.
I realised that you’ve already got good response and support from fellow forum members, and I think it would be helpful to you should you decide to consider their suggestions.
Maybe, you’d also like to contact our free phone Helpline on: 0808 8020 133, for a 1 to 1 chat with one of our advisers. Any of our advisers can refer you to 12 sessions of free counselling in case you feel that would be an additional support for you to overcome your gambling problem.
It pays to try and stay in touch with us so we can know how you’re progressing with your recovery, and just in case you happen to need further advice and support.
You demonstrate a good effort and attempt to overcoming your gambling problem, and I wish you well.
Always remember to keep up the good work, and please keep posting.
Kind regards,
Beatrice
We are available 24 hours a day, every day of the year. You can also contact us for free on 0808 80 20 133. If you would like to find out more about the service before you start, including information on confidentiality, please click below. Call recordings and chat transcripts are saved for 28 days for quality assurance.
