FOBT problem

First off let me say well done for staying off the machines for this long, I to have a problem with them and have been playing them for years. The feeling when you lose a lot of money and go home is like no other but yet you still go back but like you I'm determined not to! I told some of my close mates that I have a bit of a problem with the machines and they were supportive as they already kind of knew. Your probably like me and disappear during days or nights in the pub to go to the bookies etc count each gamble free day and maybe set a wee target (a month etc) keep going you can do this 🙂

If he is a mate then just be honest. Tell him you were losing to much and felt you were also losing a bit of control,and you realised you want more out of life for yourself and your family. Sadly you can only advise your mate on giving up you can't do it for him. Tell him about this forum. Keep going mate your doing well and your future is looking better with every passing day

To be honest I am "only" addicted to the machines, I can happily just put a couple of pound on the football to win 20 and be delighted, but I need to totally quit to be successful, I know that in my mind, I can't half do this......but them machines, I was genuinely proud when I was told I had been paid out the biggest amount in my area from them, I'm ashamed of that, but the elation is like no other, the pull I literally find unbearable, to my shame I have given well over 50k in my many years to these machines, money I have earned and frittered away, but what hurts most is I am, after 8 days, angry when mates tell me they have own, I find this so hard to deal with, it shouldn't affect me but it does, I hate myself for that, I need to get to the bottom of the reasons for this, because I know the odds.....I'm suffering financially because of them, but I still get these feelings, I hate it. I wish you every success, I get so so much reassurance knowing it's not just me, it gives me strength that people are coping with this, I strive to be one of them.

I know my mate will get the hump, I know it, i would, but I'm going to have to explain this is a journey I need to take alone to be successful, and we have been a "team" for so long, condoning each other's actions, that if he fails, I will see that as a green light for me too, as we will just be in it together again, I need to do this for me and my family, I have gone months before and fallen off, I have never taken it this far and need to keep putting these "stumbling blocks" in place to halt urges I know will come back in time.

I am sport daft and love putting my footy bets on etc but the simple fact for me is I can't nip in to stick a midweek coupon on cos I know I'll drift over to the machines and then start feeding them. Right now I'm not gambling on anything,it's hard but I feel I need to do it to get through this. In the end people can only give advice but you have to make the decisions. Do this for you and your family 🙂

At the end of the day your family and yourself are your priority and you do what's right for them no matter how tough it may be. Who knows maybe your mate will want to quit as well and you could support each other? What you have to remember is that the urges will always be there but you mustn't give in. You may find your mate bragging about winnings but be honest you've both never really won. 50k down...... Come on big man you deserve better

Exactly mate, I find I just make excuses, I think " I'll avoid the machines and place bets online"...but then end up in "Vegas" and the money does not even feel real.....I think like me maybe it is the feeling of cash, knowing you can out a few notes in the machine and go to the counter and get a load more, no effort, free footy bets!!! And the biggest problem, which I think everyone has had playing them machines is the "stand up it's the last spin" and you land, the elation is immense.......you don't remember the 99 times previous you walked with nothing and swore "never again"....you just remember the big hits and tell the tale with so much conviction!!!! I hope you find the strength to beat this, have you self excluded?? The thought terrified me, still does my main one, but doing one company today has helped mate, mainly because I know I won't go in again through embarrassment of being told to leave.......feels like a little weight has gone from my shoulders.

I must stress unfortunately (I shouldn't have to put unfortunately at the start of this sentence) I bought homes at the right time as a builder, renovated them with much hard graft in my spare time, and have gambled the whole lot, four homes over 13 years, such a waste of time and money, working and gambling, but that money has gone, I have no real debt luckily and my family have always supported me (mainly because I hid it so we'll) I can't change my past or my losses, but can change our futures, I now understand my problem a bit better, before I tried but deep down I wanted to gamble, now is different!!!

I haven't self excluded I've went down another path and don't have control of my finances. This way all my bills get paid on time and I've got cash for a night out here or there etc I've made subtle changes to help me by going a different way home,drinking elsewhere anything that gives me an advantage. These machines are programmed to mess with your mind! As a fellow roulette player you'll probably play certain numbers and this is where it gets you because when they don't come out you think well they must come out next so you feed it! Awful things! I'm actually sitting here typing this smiling and thinking how daft I've been, not just the money I've wasted but the time and energy. I've made an hours commute home into a five hour one,I used to have hair on my head now I've got a landing pad lol I'm finding this site a great help and I hope you are to. It's easy to say I'll stop and I'll change but it's harder to actually do it

Haha I must admit I am balding more by the day, my old man is well into his 60s and has a gloriously thick head of hair, as does my younger brother......I was ruffling mine out by the day, I know I will also have to hand over finances, I just don't want to put any of this on my wife before we go away to a holiday she has waited months for, and deserves, I just want to be over two weeks in and have these exclusions in place, as I say it has not been the money this time, it's just a change in me, I was becoming a recluse and not a joy to be around, I am just fed up with it all, it has to change, and it will, by implementing these barriers, but I think , like you I need to hand over control and just get the odd bit of cash for nights out (my missus would give me enough for a night out in the 1980s mind!!!!)

i totally agree with what you are saying about the roulette and numbers, they may aswell say hello personally to me, people found it hilarious I could tell the number as soon as the wheel spun, or tell them exactly what numbers would come in iver the next four spins as long as I wasn't on them, 95% of the time I was correct! I KNEW I was going to lose but would site there and give away thousands hoping today would be the day it was different.

"Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting the result to be different" another member posted that Einstein quote, and nothing could be truer!!

I've spent to long in the bookies I don't want to be one of those guys anymore. Keep up the positivity and go on that holiday and enjoy it it's a new beginning 🙂

I hope so, I have failed so so many times, I know will power alone is not enough for me anymore, I need blocks in place, I know this k9, self exclusion and telling my wife when home will make it much harder, take away temptation when the urge comes along, which it will, this site is a huge huge help, it's now nearly 10pm and I haven't thought about gambling, but talked about nothing else, it's such a big help.

Cheers!!!

Once you tell the missus it will be a weight of your mind. It's just hard to tell your loved ones but it's also a pride thing as well but I'd rather lose face than lose my missus or my family. When you get back it's a fresh start tell the wife and maybe let her take care of the dosh. Keep busy and out of temptations way. I agree about this forum it's been a great help and some people on it are great I always feel more positive and upbeat after I've been on here

Yeah I totally agree, I have told the wife I'm giving up so so many times, and have hurt her so much through my gambling In the past, past memories of what I have caused her hurt me, but she always knew deep down I would go back to it, I know she will be pleased I have done all this, and actually for once put the stops In place and am willing to hand over finances to her.

I am glad I have actually seeked help and put things in place, so she will know how serious I am this time......she will expect me to then say how much debt I have racked up this time, which is not the case at all, it was just a conscious decision when I saw a change in me personally, but after all I have put her through over the years I know she will spend the whole holiday thinking I have just told her all the positives of me quitting like usual, be waiting for us to get home and then I explain all the debt.....which I have done so many times before

It's hard to explain to someone that you actually genuinely want to change, these words have left my lips so so many times, so she wouldn't leave me, and every time she thought I meant them, when in truth I didn't, I always wanted to gamble, but needed a get out of jail free card. I don't deserve nor expect her to believe me, that's why I believe actions will speak louder than words and I can actually show what I have done and how things are going to be different.

Thanks for the chat tonight!! It's great to chat to fellow minded people!! Catch up in the week mate!!

Hi Pompey! How are you how's the recovery going? Hope your still on the right path keep it up mate you can beat this!