Finally admitted i have a problem...

That sounds very familiar, they did exactly the same with me, I too remember arguing against it just like you have described. They banned me for 5 years. It's a good thing from them if you think about it because I'm not sure how many others really go out of their way to do that. However there's always other accounts available when you have a problem. When it happened to me, guess what I did? Carried on with another well known online bookie, chasing my losses even further and just losing more and more money. Wish I could go back in time and stop then.

Don't repeat my mistake and use this wake up call now to quit for good. Otherwise it will only get worse.

Best wishes

Thanks for the kind words. Am currently mulling over registering for that gamstop service.  Still fighting the urge at the moment.  I love sports and struggle to watch a game without thinking of having a bet. 

I think we all understand the internal fight you have going on with that urge. If it is at all possible next time you have the urge, try to take a step back and imagine losing the bet and then the inevitable chasing of the lost money with more money, etc... we're all here to an certain extent not because we lose (even professional gamblers accept they are going to lose some) but our inability to accept a relatively minor loss and our need to chase the loss, that's what gets us all in trouble.

I think I'm trying to say that if you imagine succumbing to the urge and then how you would feel that night, several hundred or even thousands down the drain later...maybe that feeling will help you to choose a better option as to what to do with your time. And if you succeed in distracting yourself to do something else other than bet, you can go to bed that night knowing you've got more of your hard earned cash sitting in YOUR account (as opposed to a bookies) than you would have if you'd had that bet.

It is never a problem until it is a problem. We tend to lie to ourselves as we want to be optimistic about things that have not happened yet. Then we create a huge pile of manure that we have to solve and in the end, the sorting out it also becomes a part of the addiction process and we then start to run and run and run to solve problems to gamble to create problems that we need to solve again and again. And yes sports is fun and so is roulette and slots and all of it till we have spent so much time in sorting out the manure that we don't have an economy, the wife has left with the kids and every bailiff from here to Inverness wants something from your house that is about to be repossessed.

As I said addiction is never a problem until it is a problem.

I highly recommend you register with Gamstop, best thing I ever did!

 With a Y,

Thank you for posting on the forum. It looks like you have already got some invaluable advice and support from our members and i hope this helps you along your journey. 

It sounds like you are fighting those urges at the moment and that you are thinking about using Gamstop. You may also want to look in to downloading some blocking software such and Gamban or Bet blocker on to the devices you usually gamble on. 

If you would like to talk a little more about this, our advisers are available 24/7 on our Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or by using our Livechat option. They can go through some other options for you including offering one to one treatment. 

For now, 

Take care and keep posting,

Rebecca 

Forum Admin. 

Thank you all for your comments. Managed to get through yesterday without betting so there is hope. One day at a time.

Posted by: With a Y

Thanks for the kind words. Am currently mulling over registering for that gamstop service.  Still fighting the urge at the moment.  I love sports and struggle to watch a game without thinking of having a bet. 

Like all the difficult things to do, once done you'll feel a weight lifted.

Addiction is relentless and you need as many tools or weapons to fight it. Gamstop is one of the good weapons that you can use. Pick it up and start fighting back because you won't be able to fight the urge to gamble for ever. Take the help that's available.

Its not foolproof but it's a great start. If you really have a problem sign up for the whole five years but if that seems too big of a step do a year and if you manage to stay off a bet for a whole year and life becomes good again just extend it or renew it then. 

Gamstop is just one of a whole bunch of help available. Change your life. Go on.

Chris.

I have done it finally. Since I last posted have still been gambling ?. But today have at last registered with gamstop and today will be a turning point in my life.  Fed up with P*****g my money away and feeling depressed and sick about what I have done.

A new chapter begins today....

Great first step.

Hopefully you'll post more regularly on here, especially during the good, bad and indifferent days. Sharing a problem or a feeling is one of the best ways to take the power out of it. Better to leave it within the group rather than have it going around in your head.

Good luck though.

Chris.

Thanks Chris, got through today ok. Saw all the emails from the betting firms coming through, all confirming my accounts have been stopped.  Must admit though I have been off today and countless times I reached for my phone to have an aimless bet only to realise I couldn't anymore.  Have to say it was a good feeling.  I am feeling positive for the future for a long time in a while. 

Nearly made it a week without betting.  Its been hard so far and there have been times where I have tried to log into an account still but declined due to gamstop.  Think I would have caved if it wasn't for that.  So glad I registered with them in the end and wish I had done it earlier.