Back 5 years after joining, you can guess the rest

I've been there. It's so difficult to abstain and to ignore the desire to win big. I just keep the mindset of how much I detest lining the pockets of those I.e bookies who rely on us with addictions to keep their businesses going and the gambling industry booming.We the gamblers will NEVER beat the bookie as much as we want to believe we will .

I've gambled so much over the years I feel I'm.only just starting out in life despite having worked hard the past twenty years. I could have so much now but I'm.starting at the very beginning. It's my own fault but I'm.just thinking of a year down the line and how much more I will have
There is hope out there ! For us all

Hi tool. I am in the same boat as you. Big relapse, alot of damage done in one night. I suppose the only thing to do is to make sure you close the loop holes so that you cannot actually gamble when the urge strikes. I have been trying to regiister with gamstop now for a few days..but there is some glitch with postcode and phone no. The sooner I can do this the better. It will put another block in place. I know that aweful feeling of having cleared debts only to go right back again and deeper and deeper the next time. Sit down and make a new plan...you can work this out. Spread the payments over a longer period will help. I hope others can take this lesson from us...the risk of us addicts gambling is always there even after a long period of abstinance. We can never let our guard down.Even after all the advice I have given to others on here, I still relapsed myself, its absotely gut wrenching and am so ashamed even admitting it.

Feel your pain tool. Like valdab i'm in a similar situation.

I managed to register with GAMSTOP this morning, god I wish that was around a few years ago!

Try focusing on one positive action a day, aswell as not gambling of course. Doing something positive will help you feel better. It's helping me in these early days to get back into recovery mode. Could be something as silly as going for a run, reading, doing something for somebody without expecting something in return.

You've done it before you can do it again.

Thanks for all your comments.
The new online Gamstop tool is excellent, if only it'd have existed a decade ago!
I'm avoiding all sports live events for now, that's initially how I started my last gamble free period - ignore anything live for a few months otherwise I start calculating potential odds / 'winnings' in my head.
Once I got out of that mindset I was able to enjoy live events again without bankrupting myself. Hopefully I can get there again and get out if it once and for all.
Good luck to everyone else on this bloody horrendous journey.

I’ve found (through my experiences of dozens and dozens of relapses!) it really is best never to dwell on what has happened but to look forward, quickly. Otherwise you will just go into chasing your loses mode and you know how that always ends.

Don’t feel weak or ashamed, feel determined. Determined to beat this. Accept it is always 4 steps forwards 3 steps back, yes some days it will be about 8 steps back but with every relapse, through experience, you are getting stronger, not weaker. You can’t change what you’ve already done but you can change what you are going to do. If you start to really think about how much money you could have if you hadn’t gambled etc, it will just eat you up inside.

Gamstop appears to be the salvation we have all been waiting for. If it really does what it says on the tin this is, without a doubt, the best thing to happen for us online gambling addicts ever. The day it came out I registered and already there is a if weight lifted from my shoulders. Just knowing those parasite bookies are going to lose a huge chunk of their income has certainly put a smile back on my face.

Hi all.Really sorry that I’m about to put the same type of message on here... massive relapse again for me ... just so hard to shake of the urge of piling good hard earned family money to the slots... hoping for the big one... I couldn’t bare work today/ or to get my son to school, I gambled all money available last night... even though my other half had control of my wages- due to the gambling from previous years.. I forced him to give me the money.. even though he attempted to leave last night- to stop me harassing him to transfer money into my account... it doesn’t get any worse than this... now why is this gambling getting better of me... so stupid...the worst thing is... that I have logic and determination after the event of gambling all my money... it’s not an excuse...but the constant adverts.. completely do not help.... the government should reconise that gambling is a health concern- and a killer!!! And try to help struggling people like us- with families that are being dragged in also... back to day 1 again for me... I’m not giving up.. going to find the willpower within me

I hope you all above this thread...can also gain your power back.

Hi Kareng, it really is a terrible awful addiction isn’t it.

The sheer amount of times, in the cold light of day, I’ve tried applying logic to it...There is none of course. Our brains are just wired up as such. Acceptance is such an important step but it’s easy for that to turn into justification for the next bout of gambling lurking around the corner.

I finally feel a switch has been, well, switched ( thanks to Gamstop) and life is going to be different (better) going forward from now on in. That said, I know full well a relapse could happen as we are devious when feel get those urges and always seem to find ways.

I have also discovered relying on my self control alone is about as useful as a chocolate fire guard. We do need help to go alongside our willpower. I see a counsellor and now with Gamstop there is a weight lifting.

Keep strong and keep looking forwards. Recently I’ve learnt not to dwell on the losses and got progressively better at not chasing the losses. I think that has led me to believe that I am now getting there. Slowly. Hopefully.

Hi

back again myself!! Totally unreal feeling of sorrow, I’ve given away almost £3000 of money to the gambling site, that constantly follows a tv program , I tryed and tryed my best not to let it pull me back in... and yes I gave in to the commercial bullying adverts... I’ve finally blown it, I’ve now joined the Gamstop, another month of feeling down, can’t even look my partner in the eye, I’m so ashamed, let alone broke. Gambling is so bad, I wish you they could legally ban these companies, exploiting people... more fool me for allowing them to do this!!

Such an important reminder that even five years doesn't cure us. You've done so long though... you can do even more again.

Thanks Onthebrink...Reading some of the messages on here yesterday, just made me boil, not sure if it is with anger, sorrow, or shear stupidity!! So to read how man made ideas of supposedly FUN is so depressing for people, whom including myself.. I don’t think we are bad or even ridiculous people getting caught up in a no win situation!! how I have and, do still feel pretty rubbish for gambling myself, I couldn’t help feeling more sorrow reading some of the posts, my thoughts and empathy went out to those, as I have been there!! Which actually makes me feel, worse as, I had brought back into the parting of my money for a non existent return, I’m looking forward actually, to go through my pain of being broke, until I work my socks of at work- yet another month to move on, and start again!! I understand that self punishment isnt really going to help, it’s in me to know better moving forward, I have seen the good things that follow a gamble free life.. just always remember that.. to anybody that is throwing negative words around to describe your worth..If only there were a powerful source out there to boycott- even better, banish- and remove these gambling sites of the planet!! None of us would be on here.. Do we need gambling sites!!