7 days gamble free

Good luck mate,

I'm 6 days gf! Also get paid in 2 days (bricking it to tell you the truth)

Good luck, you sound really positive 🙂

Hi

Excellent news and well done. I hope that by reading the forum you will learn more about the addiction and how to keep solid blocks in place.

My best advice is that you must never be complacent and you must discuss your blocks and what the real test is. If you can do this with people close as well as on the forum that would be great. You may well need to extend blocks and tweak them over time

Find out more about yourself and your true feelings towards life itself.

The urges do die away until you are easy with it. The biggest test for me was spur of the moment urges that came out of nowhere and can be sparked by stress and a bad day which we all have from time to time.

You will still have days when bills need to be paid and things go wrong. Thats life but gambling was and is never the answer to filling our empty and stressed souls.

Go out of your way to develop new hobbies and interests. In many ways I had lost sight of the joys of life and even just things to fill a daily schedule like swimming for example.

Best wishes from everyone on the forum

Thanks for the post. I think I am still trying to soul search as to why I have ended up down this path. Unfortunately I do have a very stressful job, need to find an alternative way of handling this which I am working on. Trying to take it one day at a time.

Hi fringe :))

I think half the battle is trying to find new way's of dealing with life's " Rubbish " which send's us scuttling off for the comfort of a bookie's or online gaming site , once you get into the habit doing something different it becomes much easier to deal with , it took me a while for the urges to subside and I'm now at 700 odd day's and can assure you it's soo worth the initial struggle , just remember where that dark place has alway's ended up taking you and where you really want to be with your life :)).

Keep racking those day's up Bud !

All the best :))

9 days, few urges today but came straight on here. Feeling determined. Beating this is tough. Getting paid tmw and had thoughts of gambling to try and make some extra money for next month which is a ridiculous way of thinking, need to change my mindset towards money. 700 going out inborrowed money lost gambling in the last few months should be enough of a reminder how damaging it is to me. Don't want to give my hard earned money away any longer, still feel guilty but to gamble is not the answer.

Hi guys who are getting paid today or tomorrow, you need to immediately get any spare or bills money out of harms way.

Immediately pay off any repayments to debts, such as credit cards. Yes It'll hurt doing it, but not as much as losing it on a gamble.

Having cash available will just increase the urges.

I spent over a year every month I got paid, paying off large chunks off cards and loans on payday. Yes for the first few months it really was frustrating and disappointing to see my money flying straight out but after a while you reap the benefits and I found I couldn't wait to get that next payment off.

Just leave yourself with how much you truly need for the month and a small bit over for anything unforseen.

My other real tip is get a savings account and put a bit in it each month. Get one that doesn't allow immediate withdrawals and has no card access. As I've said before on here, if you've money to gamble you've money to save.

Hi fringe31,

Welcome to the forum, and thanks for sharing your story with us. Also well done for abstaining for 7 days – that seems a big step in your recovery as that has not happen to you before.

This is a proof for you that the strategies do work if you try and apply them effectively. Since you’ve successfully manage to abstain for 7 days, maybe you can try and double and perhaps triple it too. However, do try and take it one step at a time so it doesn’t appear to be too much for you.

It also seems like you’ve been struggling with your gamble problem for many years (8years), and you’ve finally decided to do something about it. In fact, you seemed to be aware of what strategies are right for your circumstances, and have made good effort to put different blocks in place, and you’ve also try to keep yourself busy to avoid boredom, so as to prevent yourself from a relapse.

All these are steps in the right direction, and I’ll encourage you to hang on to them.

Gamcare offers advice and support for people who wants to overcome their gambling problem. How about contacting our free phone Helpline on: 0808 8020 133, speak to one of our advisers, and find out about other options available to you.

Our lines are open everyday from 8.00am to midnight.

I’m also glad to learn that you’re feeling good with what you’ve achieved now, and intend to post frequently to the forum to remind of the good feeling now, and also to help with your recovery.

Good effort, and please keep up the good work!

Best wishes,

Beatrice

Thanks for the help. Unfortunately I have had a major relapse this weekend and lost 550 pounds. I got paid on Friday and really don't know why I let the urge take over me. I'm feeling incredibly low this evening, I have chased tonight and opened a new online account and then self excluded shortly after. I feel out of control and am really struggling, it's making my life miserable. My wife is heavily pregnant so not the time to come clean, I'm worried for the harm it will cause yet I know that's what I need to do. I can stomach the loss, my debts and bills are paid. It's not the money I'm just angry at myself. Why can't I beat this? I've tried doing sports, tried self excluding, for some reason the blocking software didn't work. I NEED to stop or it's only going to get worse. I know all this but my brain says 'you have an expensive month' try and win a bit. We all know that's not what ever happens. I can't carry on like this. It's like I am going about my business and nobody knows my torture, it's so accepted. I feel disgusting for doing this to my family. Needed to let all that out.

Thanks for the help. Unfortunately I have had a major relapse this weekend and lost 550 pounds. I got paid on Friday and really don't know why I let the urge take over me. I'm feeling incredibly low this evening, I have chased tonight and opened a new online account and then self excluded shortly after. I feel out of control and am really struggling, it's making my life miserable. My wife is heavily pregnant so not the time to come clean, I'm worried for the harm it will cause yet I know that's what I need to do. I can stomach the loss, my debts and bills are paid. It's not the money I'm just angry at myself. Why can't I beat this? I've tried doing sports, tried self excluding, for some reason the blocking software didn't work. I NEED to stop or it's only going to get worse. I know all this but my brain says 'you have an expensive month' try and win a bit. We all know that's not what ever happens. I can't carry on like this. It's like I am going about my business and nobody knows my torture, it's so accepted. I feel disgusting for doing this to my family. Needed to let all that out.

Hi fringe31. I'm sorry to hear of your costly relapse. Unfortunately, as I'm sure you realise - this is part of the wheel of misfortune which incorporates a 'ground dog day' scinario. Going round in circles - trying to get the bills paid with frustration and anxiety, knowing that there simply isn't enough. Then convincing ourselves that the only option is to win some more money to make everything ok. But it's our crazy gambling minds talking and inevitably it will end up with even more debt and pressure.

So there has to be another way. 1st call must be to a Gamcare adviser. You will be treated as an individual by caring, understanding people and given positive advise and options.

You must take care of yourself and consider the future with critical importance, especially, as you say your wife is pregnant. Remember that however tough things are at the moment there are possible solutions and opportunities for a brighter outlook. But this does NOT involve gambling!

All the best

When someone stops posting there may be a good reason, but more likely they've decided not to listen to others. Recovery is not just about willpower, but humility, knowledge and reason.

Good luck with your plight. Just remember, the further you fall - the tougher the battle becomes.