So here I am, a 51 year old woman who has probably had a problem with gambling for as long as I can remember. Started with the odd night at bingo when I was in my late teens and then over the years as I have earned more in my career it has gotten worse. Mainly online slots over the last ten years or so. Been through the challenges of taking loans to pay credit cards off and I’m now nearly £70k in debt and only able to access payday loans as I’ve ruined my credit rating.
I feel so ashamed of the person I have become. I have tried stopping via gamstop etc but then dragged my husband into opening accounts etc.
today I lost all I had left in my account and still have 3 weeks before I get paid again. I’ve had enough, it’s really making me poorly, anxiety headaches etc. knowing it’s going to take me years and years to pay my debt is a trigger to make me gamble again to try and win more.
anyhow today I’ve decided enough is enough I REALLY want to stop. I want to start a new year with a purpose.
so I’m saying day one today, and hoping I can do this 🙁
Hello @jb1471 and welcome to the forum.
It’s great that you are looking at steps forward, admitting to yourself that you have a gambling problem is certainly a big step. Well done.
As I am sure you will find, the Forum is a welcoming and supportive space which allows you to talk to others who may also be experiencing similar issues to yourself.
It’s great to have a realistic, achievable plan for the debt repayment. Having a manageable plan is essential and chipping away at it without gambling, it can only go one way. With this in place you can really concentrate on other areas of your recovery and enhance it further.
Could I also give the details for some organisations that can offer some free debt advice.
National Debtline – 0808 808 4000, www.nationaldebtline.org
StepChange – 0800 138 1111, www.stepchange.org
Should you be in need of any further support with your recovery, please feel free to contact the helpline on 0808 8020 133 or via our live chat available from the website https://www.gamcare.org.uk/get-support/talk-to-us-now/ both of which are open seven days a week, 24 hours a day and where one of our advisers will be able to talk, for as long as you need, and look at all the support available to you.
Wishing you all the very best and keep sharing,
Regards
Dan
Forum Admin
To help me stop gabling the gamstop wasnt enough. I had to open a non debit card bank account were my wages went into and ditch the debit card.
Its a vicous circle hoping to win the money to pay the debt off and loosing more making it worse.
The amount i won never enough cos back then the debt i had when i went bankrupt was around 70k. I had 3 overfrafts, 4 credit cards maxed out, 2 massive bank loans as well as using mutliple payday loans. In my mind i kept telling myself to keep going to pay off some or all of this.
I took loans to pay the credit cards then i ended up maxing the cards back up again. I had all good intentions at the point of this.
Even when the debt was gone abstained for while then gravitated back to gambling again.
Its a battle im back here again but like you iv had enough of it now. Enough is enough and we need to take our life back.
@spottydog thanks for the advice I am more determined than I have ever been and I just hope that’s enough.
Even talking about it for the first time like this has opened my eyes to how bad my problem is. I have frozen my bank card from gambling sites and husband has closed all his accounts too by Gamstop.
If I get to January gamble free we are going to book a holiday so that we have something to look forward to. Also just sorting out a payment plan for my debts.
will take about 4 years to clear them all but I am very focused this time. We can do this!
It sound like you have the support from your husband and this is good. Its not an easy battle but take away the risks and focus on change.
When i have done well abstaining in the past it is when i have got myself in a positive place
A lot of people on here are worried about forgiveness from others but i know if we dont forgive ourselves we can end up following the next destructive path to try desperately to win to put things right. This never happens we make things worse.
To move forward we have to draw a line in what we have done, cant change and work on getting better
@spottydog absolutely that. Good luck in your journey
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