Hi my names mike and I've let betting take over my life my wife left with the kids last year and I've just lost my job with the bookmakers I managed a shop for 5 years and it took over my life and left me with a gambling problem I never even Kew how to bet before I worked in it. I feel being surrounded by all the advising and having gambling being drummed into me as being the norm and a fun thing to do has led me into a life of betting .....horses is my mine problem also football betting. While working in shops I found over time the way betting shop are ran have changed at first U never had to push bets or the ****** but for the last few yrs I've had to push people onto machines being told to get punters on them and even been told to play them every day myself which got me into playing slots , one of the last things they had staff doing was to make shops fun and friendly to make punters stay in and told us sell them different bets there is nothing fun or friendly about betting its all about money.....now I'm out I'm finding I even have more time to bet so I'm here because I feel its time to stop.
The irony of this is incredible but you have made the first steps to getting your life on track. Hell I used to work as a financial advisor little did my clients know i had credit cards up to the max and no room for savings or investments let alone planning for the future.
I'm new here too so I guess today is Day 1 all we can do is take it and hour/day at a time and try to stay focussed.The key message from your post is "Its time to stop" - hold on to that and make it your mantra xx
hi x.bookie I can relate to your situation I too manage a bookies and am desperate to get out it just fuels my addiction. before you know it your hooked. no-one at work knows im very good at hiding it but I agree there is pressure from area mangers etc to push the product when all I feel im pushing is my addiction and hooking new and younger punters. its hard to watch and hard to experience personally. working in the bookies gives me the time to gamble online without friends/family knowing. I really hope things take a turn for the better for you, gambling is such a destructive addiction. ive recently started seeing a counsellor but it has brought up so many emotions that im gambling regularly again. I do think it will help me stop. take care and stay strong.
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