Groundhog Day

You have done the right thing and made it harder to access your cash. Have you thought about baning your self from the bookies or anywhere else you gamble. 

All the best and keep on the right track. 

Day 2 passed and all was well, kept myself busy doing other things.

im going to look into banning myself from betting shops today, in the back of my head I believe I could gamble in the future for fun, small stakes etc but that’s a total fantasy, I acknowledge I can never gamble because it will trigger a desire in my compulsive behaviour, there is no acceptable level I have to abstain 100%.

writing this down makes a difference, I’m accountable to myself and you guys.

Day 3, had a few thoughts, but nothing to tempt me back...I’m strong at the moment, determined to stop, I,ve always found gambling catches me when I’m unaware, when I’m not resolute and it encourage me to make a small bet, that always the start of my downfall...so I have to be alert...I really want to beat this.

A situation occurs where I want to buy something, normally  quite cheap Less than £10 and invariably I’ll have £100+ in my pocket and I get a mindset to have a small bet and win enough to buy the item, irrational but I fall off the wagon, start gambling and will invariably lose the full £100+, there’s no logic to this, but it’s happened so many times.

this is my Day 3 and I accept that I am a compulsive gambler in search of enlightenment,

Day 6, long way to go, but maintaining a strong mental resolve......really trying to fill my days with alternative activities, wasted so many hours of my life in the betting shop, used to run there to place a bet, if I lost too much in one, I would move to another one , too many bookies on the high street , I have 3 within 50 metres.....

I can’t change the past, but I can influence the future ...I know I’m weak and  I pray for strength everyday to keep away from gambling.

Day 8

still feeling strong, but I have had thoughts about gambling, but still managing to abstain.

I try to analyse what I’m doing, won large amounts but can never stop, only seem happy when I’ve lost it all....walked out of betting shops with nothing on so many occasions, when I’m playing the machines I’m in strange void, locked in and invariably chasing a big win...I’ve played for hours, time has no meaning.

I am a compulsive gambler and I have a gambling problem, I say this to myself as I need to constantly acknowledge the fact....the strange thing is I’ve only stopped gambling for a week, but I already have more money in my pocket at the end of the day than I ever did !

my tip is till to keep busy and do things with family and friends, really pleased the lockdown will close betting shops again, no temptation for at least a month !

@skinyflint13 Have you contacted you local GA group or one of the Gamcare advisors for any help?

Chris.

Hi

just started going to GA, been many times over the years but more resolute now....fear they will be going to virtual meetings due to lockdown.
I’m doing ok at the moment, restricting access to cash, blocked access to online sites etc...counting one day at a time.

That's good then, better to have a helping hand rather than face this alone.

I fear we will be back to Zoom meetings again rather than face to face but it's still better than nothing. 

Keep doing what you're doing, it'll be okay in the end.

Chris.

Hi skinyflint13, the virtual meetings on zoom are a very good alternative and one positive you don't have to wear a mask !! Seriously though I get so much out of GA I hope you get what you want

10 days gamble free and 1 zoom GA meetingsunder my belt, the good think is I’m not restricted to geography and found the meetings very supportive.

I know the pain my fellow colleagues on this forum are enduring and I pray we can all remain strong and gamble free.

2 weeks gamble free, attended a couple of zoom meetings, they do help.

continuing strategy, limiting cash, filling time with other activities.

Hey Skinyflint13,

Great to read your progress so far. Congratulations! Very inspiring. Wishing you all the best in the days ahead and looking forward to hearing more on your journey. 

M

Well done Skinyflint13! we are so proud of you, keep going 1 second at a time if you have to.

Day 17 and a moment for reflection.....I seem to be having many of these at the moment...

therea phrase that ‘money burns a hole in your pocket’.  This is definitely true when gambling for oh so different when you are abstaining ! Over the last 10 days I have £50 in my wallet, if I need to buy anything I do and today when I counted my cash i had £38....when I gambled this never happened, all I would do is gamble every pound away, even when I won, I could never put it back in my account, because that would mean I couldn’t gamble it !!!! When I won my strongest desire was to gamble and try to win again tomorrow, and if I did win the next day I would be compelled to gamble again and again until I had lost it all.....

w

i wish I knew what drove the compulsion, but it was a force of immense power! So for the first time in many weeks, I have money in my pocket...but my greatest prize this weekend was going for a walk with my wife and son this morning in the park, previously I would never commit any time to such a simple activity as all my time was designated to gamble....

we all talk about the thousands and thousands of pounds we’ve lost, but this evening I ask you to do the same calculation I did earlier end equate how many hours/days/years have been lost gambling ?

so I’m back to where I started...quietly reflecting and praying for strength to continue my exclusion from gambling....