Another months worth of hard work down the drain!

@silent-slots  I feel terrible too, because I can't let my family/partner know about my habits because of the shame. I tried it once it didn't go well. I felt alone after seeking closure for my losses and debts. But now I have realized this battle is only mine, I should fight and get myself out of it. Likewise, I can't wait for Xmas to be over with. 

 I started a fresh slate, I hope you should and stick to it this time.

Im actually in the same boat as my family don't believe it an illness more of a stupidy on my part i am thankfull im not as bad as i use to be i only seem to blow extra money which i have saved over the two years since i gambled my last relapse cost me £750 rather then £4500 which i had saved for not gambling i nearly blew the whole lot yesterday but i resisted the urgue and have now spend the rest wisely which i would have never have managed few years back the temptation came back strong due to mental health issues i am glad i paid 6 months rent in advance and treated myself for a change i am going back to Ga meetings which i stopped going for some time as i seemed gamble regulary i had no intention to gamble due personal issues which were out of my control got the better of me let be back into gambling i have now excepted i cannot be too complacent as the last thing i want it to do is destroy me completely like it did previously 

My turning point was losing the money for the family holiday the day before we left. I had £10 left of a 10k overdraft and drew it out for a last bet. That was my lowest point, but incredibly the bet won, I had the holiday money back, I told the manager of the betting shop the story, thinking he would be happy, he wasn't and told me to bank the money, he also banned me. That was Sept 10th 2011. We had the holiday and I told my family everything, going to GA when I got home. I have not gambled at all since that date. GA saved my life in every way.

The gamblers biggest battle is not with gambling but with himself

Many gamblers have a constant dialogue with themselves

"i'll stop tomorrow"

" maybe one more spin "

" my luck has to change"

" I'm sick of losing" 

"next payday will be different"

" i'm going to do XYZ" when i win"

It's a drug that quickly becomes a lifestyle / obsession but it is not a mental illness because you have the ability to exercise your willpower 

If you study compulsion , obsession and euphoria you begin to understand why gambling becomes so addictive to the human mind

Add in the financial element and you have a powder keg waiting to go off 

It sounds simple but honestly the solution is 

Chalk up your losses and walk away , turn your back on the lifestyle and you automatically cure yourself

The biggest problem comes because most gamblers do not want to stop gambling they just want to stop losing .....

@tazman it’s very isolating and having it all on your shoulders also. I agree with you, I can’t tell my family/ friends as I’m always the sensible one etc and the thought of me telling them my struggles with gambling I just feel as if I’m going to get judged. It’s hard. But I’m not sure how I’m going to cope this time as I have always relied on getting loans etc to pay my bills and now I can’t get a thing, il no doubt loose my car too. It’s funny after I had did it I went to sleep and wanted to wake up as if it was a dream. That’s so good that you have had the urge to stop yourself. Well done hopefully you keep it up and can treat urself like you should be doing. 

@sampsontchidi this is my biggest fear about telling family. Even though they are really supportive I just can’t bring myself to tell them I would rather deal with it on my own as you said it’s your own battle and none is going to help you but yourself.

I hope your doing ok. Any other month I would feel guilty.. but not as much as I do this month esp with Christmas coming. But hopefully this will be the start of a journey ahead for us both.

@faith-777 hi faith, that was really a lucky one, I  did that recently with my wage and manged to get it back but didn’t profit anything more just the money i had lost and I stupidly put it back in again. I told myself no but I just couldn’t help myself. You would have thanked yourself for telling him as people with gambling addictions wouldn’t blink twice if you told them that. But he’s realised what u have risked. Hope your doing good. 

@silent-slots i'm going to my first Ga meeting after 5 years since i last went am actually looking forward to it, i was actually just thinking i have lost close to 100k yet i was too bothered about measly £750 loss it was not the money that concerned me it was the actual fact i had forgotten about the previous losses mounted up since 2006, maybe it a blessing as its a reminder what gambling can do to you the funny thing is the gambling binge lasted nearly 3 weeks and could have resulted in far worse situation financially as i have come to my senses, i can always save up for a holiday next time ?

These stories are so sad I just want to cry.......I have gambled for nearly 50yrs and it is a massive massive waste of time, trust and money. I have lots of what I think is good advice to give to people but it is just so upsetting that many of you younger people are simply going to make the same mistakes that I made and not only ruin your own lives but those of your partners and childrens too.

I feel very sad at the moment.