Hi
Im Mark....33yr old i've been gambling since the day i was old enough...Started out working as a scaffolder straight from school.
Everyone i worked with went to the bookies on a Friday and filled the pockets of those betting terminals. For me i was the same spewing my wages into them, Throwing money at bandit machines this was the start.
As ive got older i damaged my spine from work last 7-8 years in & out of hospital appointments & surgeries galore, Not working i started to bet online at first mainly horse racing & football. I started to spend all my days blowing loads of money, as i've read on here no matter how much you win it's never enough. The last few years or so its got way out of hand i'd not even like to stick a figure on it.
Anyway over the last few weeks my head has been pounding thinking about what i've done not being able to concentrate on anything, my wife my 3 beautiful kids NOTHING but the mess i've got myself in. I came clean last week to my wife & parents right now my mind is clearer i can see what a idiot i've been and how much i've been hurting people. My focuses now are rebuilding my life my family.
I have joined this forum today and have my first councillor meeting via Gamcare on Friday. I need control of my life again.
Thanks for listening.
Hi mj1576,
Welcome to the forum, and thanks for sharing your gambling issues with us.
It seems like you’ve been through a lot in regard to your gambling problem, and which has gone worse since your spinal injury.
I’m glad you’ve taken the necessary steps to come clean to your wife and parents as their support matters a lot in your journey to recovery.
It’s good to know that you’re now trying to focus solely on rebuilding your life with your family, and Gamcare is ready to support you to do just that.
We can advise you on series of strategies that you can apply to help you to overcome your gambling problem, and also refer you for 12 sessions of free counselling if that would help you to overcome your problematic gambling.
How about calling our free phone Helpline on: 0808 8020 133, and speak to an advisers about further help options that are available to you.
Our lines are open everyday from 8.00am to midnight.
Like you said, use our forum to help you conquer this illness; there’re loads of support as you can already see.
I’ll encourage you to try and stay in touch, and please keep posting!
Best regards,
Beatrice
Quick update
Managed to make it through the weekend without a bet... Sounds daft but it wasn't easy, kept my mind busy.
5 days without a bet now feeling ok atm looking forward to my 1st councillor meeting Friday will update afterwards.
Hiya mate
Hope all is still going well. You seem in a good place now to tackle it head on, best thing i ever did was tell my wife. i am now 450 days gamble free and have nearly halved my 70k debt. Hopefully by next summer i will be completely free of it all.
Best of luck- you will find lots of help and advice on here.
Good luck!
Hiyamate
u still racking up those numbers??
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.
