First time here

I have been pitching the book the easy way to stop gambling by Allen Carr all-day. Get an audiobook like audible for ex and listen to it. Basically it tells you about gambling for what it is and he does it in a way you as a gambler can relate to.

There is no such thing as I can't stop. It is about making decisions.

Good luck in your recovery!

Thanks for the reply,  I'll be sure to get that downloaded and listened to. Cheers

Hi mate.

loads of respect to you for admitting to gambling problems. This forum has helped me since I joined GamCare. I think about gambling everyday, but last year I was thinking about it every split second. It does get easier and the intensity will subside.

stick to all the tools like gamstop and sense and the road ahead will have a light at the end of the tunnel.

c

Again, thanks for the reply. That's the thing, if I have a quiet day or days at the weekend then all I think about is doing bets, its like a feeling to pass the time. Isn't just a bet though, whether I win or lose I'll bet again and again. Then we have during the week, at some point during the day I'll check what football fixtures there is on at night and I'll plan a few bets to put off. 

Yeah. I’m the same - honestly if I hadn’t signed up to gamstop I would have been in a much worse position now than I am. 

i work from home and oh lunch etc - so it’s a constant urge just to pop in to put some bets down for the afternoon. So silly. 

it’s not how I want to live my life - and hopefully joining this forum (first time for me too) is a step along the way. Just being able to honestly share thoughts is pretty therapeutic already. 

Its good your admitting you have a problem I’m 14 days clean now and feel so much better try contacting breakeven ,gam care put me in touch with them and I speak to a councillor once a week on the phone and it’s a great help plus also try the Allen Carr book it’s a hood read 

hi best thing I can say is to get as many blocks inplace as you can like gamstop is a great start you've done that but like I did you found the next gambling avenue, so join sense scheme for uk casinos exclusion (you have to go to one so they take photo for their records then its done, sorted), next phone up bookies exclusion again you post them a photo and you tell them the bookies you might go in locally and they send the photo to them so if they notice you come in they say to leave, sorted.  Then theres pub fruit machines, this ones tricky as you cant get excluded so for me it has been tough but ive learned to leave my cards at home and just take out cash with you when you go to town or out for drinks then all you can lose is that money.  If you go out further afield take cards with you but take care with your cards and cash not to spend it on gambling.  Over the last three years ive only lost over seventy pounds once using these methods.  Also if you can transfer after bills your wages to your partner or trusted family member then all the better then you haven't even got the money to spend.  Its all about breaking the gambling triangle MONEY<TIME>LOCATION break one and you cant gamble, I just go for the Money one if I haven't got it I cant gamble simple.  Good luck and welcome. adam123

Good hearing all the replies and advice. I'm not someone that's interested in casinos or fruit machines but it's good to have the information just incase. Its sports and mainly football I bet on. Going to start the book tonight and take it from there. I'm going to go in the local bookies and get a self ban put on me.

Posted by: c43h

I have been pitching the book the easy way to stop gambling by Allen Carr all-day. Get an audiobook like audible for ex and listen to it. Basically it tells you about gambling for what it is and he does it in a way you as a gambler can relate to.

There is no such thing as I can't stop. It is about making decisions.

Good luck in your recovery!

Hi,

well done for making the first step on your journey to recovery, there will be hard days ahead, but it really does get easier!

i quote the above because I echo what is being said by @c43h.

the book strips everything back and personally allowed me to see gambling for the cruel devil that it really is, it is something that we are tricked into depending and relying upon to live our lives, but remember, we never needed it before we started.

i also strongly recommend getting involved in group chat, it will make you realise you are not alone in what you’re trying to achieve, and there is also a wealth of knowledge and experience in there

i wish you all the best in your recovery 

Kram