First day here

Hi Gazcal your writing my story or at least some of it, I live alone but I lie to my family and borrow because I am too ashamed to admit I have this problem. You see my family are dual addicted alcohol/gambling. I thought I was different cos I dint drink, turns out I am just as badly affected by the gambling. I just wish every bank could block gambling sites, I know citibank do and other ones but mines doesnt and I have an overdraft etc. So this is my day because I really want to kick it too. I have come to th conclusion I am penny wize and pound silly. Hope your getting help from reading other peoples posts on the site

Hi senga1964 thanks for message It's just so easy to gamble especially on phone cos u don't really see it as money cos it's not in ur hands iv cancelled my online accounts so hopefully won't b bak on them

Hi. Just joined this site and hoping it will help. I'm addicted to online gambling and have had some big wins so always chasing another one. But I actually lose more than I win

Hi verity23 know wot u mean u keep thinkin I can get it bak iv done it before but more often than not you end up losin more and more vicious circle been there many times myself and wiv online don't know bout you but didn't seem like real money cash was online until checked bank and seen how much I had lost

Hi Gaz , Senga and Verity and Welcome to the forum :)) .

You know all our stories are basicly the same when we arrive here , the details may be slightly different in terms of what we gamble on , the amount of debt we find ourselves in but the one thing that unites us is that Were all " Compulsive Gamblers " who have found out that " We can never win because we can't stop " . For us it stopped being about winning long ago and it becomes all about chasing the buzz , the trouble is that " Buzz " is never the same as was the first time and as we go on it becomes more expensive to get the same sort of high as we used too :(( .

Just my take on things but try and put as much between you and gambling as possible , you can block iphones , laptops or speak to your internet provider to block over 18 sites if online gambling is your thing , which seems to aply to you all . Senga said about banks blocking gambling sites , I'm not certain that's possible but I may be wrong but you could change cards to a basic card that won't allow online transactions, again I believe Barclays do this facility ?.

I stopped gambling just over 18 months ago after being in a really dark place and just beforel I stumbled on this place I'd even considered suicide as the only way forward for me , it really got that bad but thankfully with the support of my family who I had to sit down and be honest with for the first in many years and all the kind people on here who helped me see the light , I'm still able to tell the tale :)).

Be open and honest with your loved ones and with yourselve's , let go of all the past losses and draw a line under them , whats done is done and as humans we all make mistakes so forgive yourselves , it's only money and it can over time be replaced but what can't be replaced is the precious time we waste gambling when it could be spent with the important people around us .

If you need any info on the blocking software , there are some links on the site that cover most things but you can also ask Gamcare direct if your stuck or just post a question ?.

Anyway just take it one day at a time early , little steps and remember " Nothing changes if nothing changes " but it's down to you all to make the change :)).

Best wishes to you all for now and I'll catch up again soon :))

Alan