Hi all, my name is Craig and I'm a big CG! I will tell you my full story. It all started when I was about 12 years old my dad would get me a football coupon from the bookies and I would be following the results on a Saturday afternoon. Then when I hit 14/15 I got introduced to horse racing and that's where my big problems lie now. I only used to place small lucky 15 bets just for interest then it just grew and grew. I got my first job at 16 working behind the bar in my parents pub and that was when I first went into a betting shop. At this early stage I was already placing £10/£20 bets like it wasn't real money. We used to regularly run trips to the races from the pub and would easily spend around £300/£400 on these. Win some lose some obviously but more than likely would lose most of the time. When I hit 18 the online gambling started as I found a much better job and was getting £300 a week. My parents would get £30 rent money and the other £270 would be gambled and I would be skint by the Sunday (paid on a Thursday). I got into a lot of debt with bank loans, credit cards, payday loans etc and my partner found out when she opened one of the bank loan letters. She was horrified! I owed out £5500 in total and my parents helped me pay it all off and I would pay them back monthly. Brilliant.
A month goes by without a bet and I started again, few months later I start the payday loans again! At this point I now have a partner of 9 years and a 11 month old baby. Last week my partner found a letter which I owed one of the payday loan companies £117 which was overdue. She broke down and kicked me out. Next day I went back and had to tell her the full truth, I had racked up a further £2500 worth of debt in 13 months since the last time it had happened. I lost everything, my partner, my home and most importantly waking up to my little princess everyday! What a big wake up call this was. A week later she has taken me back as long as I get professional help. This is why I have come here and I have also emailed a company about conselling.
Well this is my last chance now and at the moment I have gone a week without betting today. I have had the odd thought about it but hopefully the conselling will get rid of these thoughts.
Thanks for listening.
Hey Cd, glad to see you've come to get some help.
Your story sounds quite similar to mine, my uncle would put £1 football bets on for me every Saturday when I was 14/15 and I also got into debt with payday loans. Also very similar that my family also helped me out and I went a while without gambling before I let one of my urges get the better of me and here I am!
Your family should be the reason you stop, the same reason as me, good luck bud and keep us updated
Hi Cd1990.
Please ring gamcare as many times as you like because the one to one voice is very helpful in the early stages.
You must stop all forms of gambling and learn all about what a gambling addiction is, what causes it and how it controls the mind.
If you want to save any quality of life you have left you must self exclude and take all the advice on offer.
Gambling ruins people and it will destroy all your relationships with ease if you give it half a chance from now on. You have seen how dangerous it is. Its not the lads bit of fun and its not an income scheme. You have been ignoring reality and the fact that the bookies want and have been getting all your money
You will need financial advice for the CAB and this is now about starting the process of rebuilding a healthy mind and lifestyle. A chat with the doctor is a good idea as stress and depression are major causes of escape gambling. Counselling is on offer and you should take it
Being gamble free is a lovely feeling and I hope you will join us. Im sure you will
Best wishes from everyone on the forum
Thanks for the replies. I have rang up today to book a 1-1 counselling session.
Looking forward to it.
Cd1990 wrote:
Thanks for the replies. I have rang up today to book a 1-1 counselling session.
Looking forward to it.
Excellent! Be fully open and honest with them. They are there to help you and will certainly pick up on all the issues as they will have seen it many times before.
Its a great step that and the right thing to be doing. Honest with that sort of help you will see things in a healthy way again.
Best wishes
14 days without a bet now and got a counselling session booked in for Thursday, can't wait.
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