Addicted to slots

Hello @chasing-slots,

Welcome to the GamCare forum. I am really glad you have joined and I hope you find the support and encouragement from other members to be helpful.

It sounds as though you have been going through a difficult time. You are very welcome to contact us on our helpline on 0808 8020 133 or on Netline to speak one to one with an advisor. We are here 24 hours, and can discuss with you various options that can help.

I am wondering if you could clarify what you mean by being "poached" by someone? If this is referring to a loan shark, I would suggest looking at https://www.stoploansharks.co.uk/ for help. You might also like to have a look at StepChange ( https://www.stepchange.org/) for free financial and debt advice. 

With the right support in place, people can and do recover from problem gambling. You are taking a really good step by accessing peer support, and I think it will be positive if you speak with an advisor for support as well. You are not alone in this, we are here for you and wishing you all the best in your recovery.

Best wishes,

Sophie

Forum Admin 

Being poached... Is not wanting someone else to play and win on slot machine that you have put alot of money in and been playing for sometime.

Good luck on your journey, I'm in a consistent battle of Gambling then relapse. Thankfully registered on gamstop and cut the online as this was the most dangerous.

What do you do to replace the buzz of gambling? I struggle with enjoying the everyday things I know I really should, a simple walk or activity. 

I'm day 10 and going to aim for 100 days this time, having holiday bored for end of May this is my target to remain GF until for now. 

Good luck! 

Sam

@forum-admin being poached is being watched by another and not wanting them to win your money so you keep going putting in money you dont have

@sam1987 hey sam thanks for the reply i plan on reading watching box sets and going for walks i have never been an online or daily gambler its Fridays and Saturdays for me the trigger days, i just want to be out of debt enjoying life , i didnt gamble at all in lockdown it honestly didnt bother me so i know i can do it and its a very bad habit ive got , good luck to you on your journey setting a 100 day target is amazing! 

In recovery they often speaks about journaling and understanding your triggers but no one understand what that means. How do you understand your triggers when you are halfway putting down the next bank notes to play? 

There is mindfulness but if you are not used to doing that then just feel your emotions when you get triggered. Take 3 deep breaths next time you are sitting there. Ask yourself in every breath. Is this going to do anything good? How will I feel when I am finished? Can I do anything better with my time? The gambling click in your mind is when your brain wants to shut of the outside world for a while. The more you become aware of that wish the more you can start to challenge it. Don't expect it all to work at once it takes a bit of time Look up acupressure points on youtube. Learn small pressure points to calm down You can also try fast tapping. Sometimes you can break habits by just having a small power nap so that trigger gets a chance to settle. 

CBT works. It helps you understand that whatever is going on for you at any given time is started and finished by you. Fear angst bad feelings. They are created by you. You can also uncreate those feelings. Learn cbt it makes you structure your thoughts better.

Last but not least. Never ever give up. Don't let these bgrs beat you down. They are ....  that feed of your mental pain. It is a scandal that we are allowing it to continue with the amount of people getting in trouble from it.

I wish you well.

Best

C

Is poaching even a real thing? Or just a psychological thing. Is there more chance of the next person winning the money after you played on a machine. Is this actually how the computers on a slot work or just an illusion. Genuine question.

Nope.

It might feel like that and it has been fueled on by countless players hoping for the machine to give. It is an excel sheet with wins and losses programed into the machine. The odds are c*P but they manage with operant conditioning to keep you going. Small wins that make it seem like you are winning but you are not. Operant conditioning is nothing new. We get in FB Tiktok etc small thumbs up etc to keep you going till the dopamine takes over and keeps you going longer.

Look up gamblers fallacy online. There was an article on BBC website not long ago.

To know more about the slot mechanics look up Dr Natascha Dow Schull who has been studying slots for years in Vegas

Best

C

@freshprince truthfully i believe its both where I played it would happen all the time i once got up to put my cup in the bin i had credits in my slot and this guy literally jumped straight in my chair, but yes i think your brain thinks oh this is happening when it isnt too, that person is simply playing their slot.