Finally asking for help

Day 7! One whole week without gambling, having a really good today, no urges at all today, so pleased with myself for not giving into the urges I had yesterday, today would have been alot different if I had, would have been back to square one, crying, hating myself and worrying sick about were i would get some more money from, but instead I'm relaxing with a cup of tea and t.v looking forward to a nice weekend with my family. What a difference a day can make!

completely new to this and as a very private person this is a huge step for me..FINALLY ADMITTED TO MYSELF that im addicted to gambling..its only taken me 12 years!!!!! Yesterday was my rock bottom when I emptied my bank account and gambled all the xmas money thta I had saved for my daughter... Ive been a secret gambler for years started with online bingo and then progressed to online slots... I could of bought a house with what Ive lost gambling and for me now - enough is enough..I dont want to be that person anymore...It really helps knowing Im not alone and others are going through the same thing... I cant tell my friends or family about my secret life..I couldnt stand the shame...Today is day 1 of a new life for me..Ive started to put measures in place to prevent me from gambling online by installing blockers on my macbook and have set parental controls on my iphone... Im ready to change

Well done for making the first step Laura, your story sounds very similar to mine. Know exactly how your feeling, I would deffinatly recommend telling someone though, I know it's hard but it will feel like such a relief once you do and really a big help to have someone to talk to. I'm on day 10 now and feel positive still that this time I'm really not going to do it again. Good luck hope you can stay strong and get the help you need!

Thank you for your comments and kind words...being addicted to gambling can be very isolating..day 2 of no gambling..cant say I havent thought about it because I have several times but Im determined to change... well done to you too keep going and stay strong..

It deffinatly is isolating, I stopped meeting up with friends as never had any money, never enough money to buy myself new clothes or get hair done but yet still managed to find hundreds of pounds to wast on gambling. I like you blocked all the slots sites on my phone but then some how ended up on the slots in town, which were just as bad if not worse. This time stopping feels more real because I told people, once I did and it was out in the open it felt final, even though I wasn't totally honest about the amounts I spent (to embarrassed) I still feel I'm not keeping a dirty little secret anymore. You imagine people will think as little of you as you think of yourself when your feeling angry at yourself but they don t, the people who love you will just want to help. You really should consider telling someone.

Well done on 10 days TFHS

I do check back here whenever you post, keep at it 🙂

Aww thank you, I've had a really good weekend and good day today, been abit worried about tomorrow though, need a few things in town and nobody to go with so decided to go to supermarket instead as still don't trust myself 100% to be able to pass by without thinking my usual, 'a few quid won't hurt'! we all know it's never just a few quid and it will actually hurt!

Good to hear you are doing well. Keep racking the GF days up things do get a bit easier even by the point im at. Its an up and down journey emotionally thats for sure, but its less than the pain of gambling and it saves a crazy amount of time and money. Whatever makes you feel more comfortable is right for you, its good that your looking at ways to stop the urges before they start!

You could put extra blocks in by doing the bookies multi self exclude which I know really helps

I don't really want to go back in again to put the bocks in place, id probably think one last go before I stop! I went to supermarket instead, still managed to get what I need. I'm sure I'll start trusting myself again soon but just for now rather avoid going to town alone.

There's a number you ring it's easy they advertise it on here

Hi all

I noticed some discussion about the multiple self-exclusion scheme. If anyone wants to know more then have a look on their site:

www.self-exclusion.co.uk

Or give them a call:

0800 294 2060.

If you have any problems getting through, you can request a call back on their website.

Best wishes

Laura

Day 14! 2 weeks today since I last gambled, and still gambling is all I can think about. I tried to re-open one of my online accounts yesterday, luckily I couldn't and didn't go looking for another so no damage done, then thought I'll just get a scratch card instead one every now and then won't hurt! Managed to resist so still gamble free but feeling abit fed up of it being constantly on my mind, its so hard fighting a battle against yourself. Coming on here everyday is deffinatly what's keeping my going!

Total melt down...only lasted two days without gambling...yet again Ive emptied my bank account and for what!!! I feel utter disgust and contempt for myself..every time I lose hundreds of pounds I tell myself "thats it no more" yet the addiction is so strong it always drags me back.... Its 5 weeks before xmas and here I am gambling and losing hundreds of pounds..totally wreckless... its like going into a trance and at that moment nothing else matters..time eludes me and im frozen in time...reality only kicks in when Ive spent every penny I own trying to chase my losses....I cannot carry on like this it'll ruin me..not only finacially but mentally as well... Ive read today about a new scheme being introduced called 'Gamstop' which is designed to exclude a person from all online gambling sites with only one application... this site is due to be up and running Dec 17.. So today Ive emailed the company and asked for help... does anybody else know of the scheme???? Today I have disabled safari from my iphone..I cannot gamble anymore on my Macbook....the only other source in the house is my daughters iphone and ipad....I wouldnt dream of using my daughters phone but the ipad sits and stares at me...Im yet to touch it but know I can if I choose...I tell myself everyday that i wont gamble ever again yet hours later Im doing it again.... Im so desparate to stop and would rather being addicted to alcohol or drugs!!!!!! A stupid thought and probably not true in reality....My morale is very low right now but Im ready to change once and for all...

Sorry to hear that Laura it's an awful feeling, try not to be to hard on yourself though, I think it's that feeling that makes us do it all again, to try an beat it an get back what it's took from us, but we never can, the more we keep trying the more we loose. Have you called the helpline or signed up for counselling yet? Think it would be good for you to be able to talk to someone, get advice on other blocks you could put in place.