Hi i'm James , i'm 31 and recently realised i really need to start controlling the gambling.I'm currently renting a room in a friends house and work nearly full time at a hospital.
I started playing online slots when at university when i won 500 on my first ever online spin on an 80p spin and was hooked.I'd blown that by the end ofcourse .I would play bingo offers and cash out 30 to 50 profit and paid some of my fees with it .I was strict for a year but then just did it anyway.
I then moved to sports betting feeling i'd at least have some say in the outcome or get a lucky goal at least but i've now got to where i can lose 400 a night on sports , just spent my rent money in the last 24 hours thinking i could maybe double it cheaply.Lost count of how many times i've done that and then thought how much better off i was to begin with.
Can't yet bring myself to close my substitute main account i use but have put a 20 a day deposit limit on , first time i've set a limit since starting gambling.I keep telling myself i'll just put 20 on a Saturday accumulator like many do but if i deposit the limit every night its 500 a month again suddenly.The other day for the first time actually roughly counted up what i'd lost in 6 years and it came to around 25k.Considering i was unemployed and studying for 3 years of that time just shows i was spending every penny on accumulators or slots.I actually stopped tonight in time to leave enough for food and the car this month but will have to smooth over the rent, for the 6th time in 2 years or so .
My friend doesn't know i gamble but my mum does now as i had to tell her why i'd twice had car insurance cancelled due to non payment and was broke the day after payday.She's supportive and believes i haven't gambled for 4 months and not going to again , i closed my usual accounts but have found others when i crave it .I've put back a holiday 5 times now as everytime i get the money saved its gambled , its quite ridiculous now i look at it in the cold light of day.
I know my situation isn't as acute as some on here and i don't have a mortgage/kids as some do, but as i do intend to have that soon hopefully i need to stop now.I've previously had long bouts of depression and anxiety and managed to gain some control but this is threatening that recovery.I feel better and more positive just reading the posts already .The ironic thing is i helped a younger friend quit gambling after a similar amount of losses a few years ago, now he's got a house a family and gamble free and i've taken the reigns over.
I don't drink hardly or smoke or have many addictive tendencies but i'm determined to get all the help i can to stop this one. Thanks for taking the time to read this, James.
Hi James we've all kept those one 20 pound accounts open buddy they are just our way of saying were not quitting yet I did that one for years trying to fool myself I was only going to play the football. If you want to stop and do all these nice things like have a family a house lots of shineys and nice cars I suggest you close the last account and never look back because that one win never comes and all the money put on for that big win. Guess what exceeds that big win ten fold good luck on your journey all the best thomas
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.
