I've been a compulsive gambler for 15 years now and for 15 years i've always convinced myself that i am not, and i just like a little bet here and there. It wasn't such a problem when i was single and had a decent job as i had quite a bit of disposable income. Now i have a wife and 2 kids and my wife doesn't work so we are relying on tax credits and child benefit to top up my wages so we can survive. I've found that this has made my urge to gamble even greater because i can't afford to give my wife and kids the things they need and deserve and so i attempt to try and get a 'quick win'. The last couple of months have been horrendous. I have lost a lot of money trying to win enough to buy things we need as a family, then chasing what i've lost but now i struggle to afford the basics like paying bills and buying the kids new shoes.
I know that gambling to win money to live off is wrong but i can't seem to pull myself away from a bookies or amusements because i know i've won big in the past. I feel ashamed and embarrassed that as a husband and a father i cannot provide for my family or even set a good enough example for my kids, they all deserve better.
Reading through some of the posts on this site helps but at the moment it's not enough.
However i will continue to make an effort to read through the posts the site every day in the hope that sometime soon something will click and i will be on the path to stopping gambling.
Hello reggie23,
Well done for joining the forum, and for sharing your brave and honest post.
You have acknowledged that your gambling has been a problem for 15 years, and in recent times it is making it harder for you to provide for your family.
You’re finding the forum a little helpful for you, but you also admit that at this point in time, the forum alone is not sufficient support for you. Please do feel welcome to call our Freephone 0808 8020 133 or our Netline, so a GamCare adviser can talk with you about additional support available for you, that could include GamCare’s counselling appointment service. The counselling service would provide you with a free weekly confidential appointment with a professional therapist who has had expert training in working with problem gambling.
If you like, you can also continue to use the peer support here on the forum, for example by starting a 'Recovery diary', as many other members have found that helps them to regularly connect with peer support in a convenient way.
Take care,
Adam.
We are available 24 hours a day, every day of the year. You can also contact us for free on 0808 80 20 133. If you would like to find out more about the service before you start, including information on confidentiality, please click below. Call recordings and chat transcripts are saved for 28 days for quality assurance.
