Just wanted to say hi to everyone here 🖐️
I have finally acknowledged tonight that I have an addiction - it's been 35 years of gambling, alcohol, nicotine, and self denial. 🙁
I feel ashamed and guilty about my gambling.
I feel empty now. I have self excluded from my sites tonight but relieved that I have finally told the truth to myself.
I guess that this is Day 1 for me...
Love and peace
Dragonlady
Welcome Dragonlady!
I am new here too - on Day 3. The first step is realizing we have a problem, second is to act on those thoughts and move forward with beginning the recovery. This is a jounrney and I commend you for reaching out for support - it is not easy.
I have found this forum to be very helpful so far, and Day 3 has been better than Day 1 because of it. I encourage you to make a diary here when you are ready - putting my thoughts/feelings and efforts on paper has helped me, and the feed back received from others here is great. We need the support in any way possible to see the road ahead.
Stay strong, seek help when its tough, and remeber that Day 1 is the worst day, and every day thereafter will get better and better. You will get through this! Stay strong and stay positive.
-Jbruce
Hi
Once I understood how unhealthy I was I put effort in to me becoming amuch healthier person.
Compulsive Gambling, smoking, alcohol were all forms of self abuse.
The recovery program helps us exchange unhealthy habits for healthy habits.
In time we learn to love our self.
In time we learn to respect our self.
In time we learn to live life with out living in fears.
Dave L.
Welcome to the new people starting their journey. It's great to hear you have self excluded. Take it a step further. Gamban and Gamstop will stop you in your tracks. Get it on your devices. Use this time of hatred towards gambling to really lock it down. No doors left open. If you are a bookies or casino person, get yourself excluded there too. Will be a little bit of work, and you might feel embarrassed but you will be well on your way to not being skint 2 days after payday and will be moving forward a better person.
Keeping a diary is a great way of staying motivated. It is also useful to read back and see how far you've come, and how far you don't want to fall back. Trust me, if you are massively honest in your first few posts, when you read it back you will hate the life you once led, and you'll never want to go back there.
Stay strong 👍
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