Hi
I am a young married man and generally really happy with life. I have always had a small gamble on the football every saturday for £5 as a bit of fun and dont really think about it as gambling.
However i have recently got a new job where i am working nights and the majority of time i am sat at a computer with nothing to do. When there is someone else working with me, i do not even think about gambling as i am often talking and chatting etc and occupied with other things. However when i have been on my own i have started to gamble online on blackjack. I dont even know why i started doing this. When i do gamble online, i dont even feel like i am spending money and i think i am doing it out of boredom. It just seems so stupid as i almost do it without thinking. I always seem to justify depositing another amount when i know all i am trying to do is win my money back. And then in the occasions where i do win my money back, i just gamble it again.
It is starting to get me a bit down as when i am not at work and at home or with other people i dont even think about gambling. It does seem to only happen when i am sat at the computer at work, in the early hours, with no one to talk to. I think to myself it will be a laugh and then before i know it i have lost 40 or 50 quid. This has gone on for a while now and i am wasting around £100 a month, which to be frank i cannot afford.
I have had enough of it now, and i know i should have done this sooner but i am now fully aware that i have a problem and i dont want it to escalate. I feel if i can get the help and guidance and stop now, that it will not have a massive effect on my finances and personal life.
I have tried self excluding myself from online casinos, but this seems pointless as there are so many to sign up to that i always find another one. I have looked at downloading software to stop me going on any gambling sites, but i am unable to do this on my work systems.
It just winds me up that i have never played the online casinos at home, or even had the urge, it doesnt even cross my mind, but when i am bored at work with nothing to do i just cannot stop myself. It starts with a £10 deposit, then i chuck in another £20 and once that is gone i put another £20 to try and win it back. But i actually dont think i am doing it for the money, more out of boredom and that it provides me with excitement, however much i end up winning, i always end up losing it.
Has anyone else ever felt like this, or does anyone have any help or advice as at the moment i feel like it will just carry on happening every month.
Thank you
Martin
Hi Martin, welcome to the Forum and well done for posting what you have here,
Two things become immediately apparent amongst what you have posted here :
The first is that you are clearly an intelligent, incisive man; the job that you have (whilst I realize that this is a tough time in our economy) doesn't seem to stimulate you sufficiently; I would seriously consider finding something else my friend, or even use this time to study for a qualification that will give you a position that can give you what you need.
The second is your £5.00 a week Football bet - you don't identify this with gambling, and you don't take it seriously; that is fine, but you don't know how this is affecting you subconsciously; I have stopped for five years now after gambling for twenty; it took me a very long time to realize that there is no other way forward other than stopping for good, zero tolerance; even pennies at a penny arcade are too much - not for what they are, but for what they could lead to.
You have done exactly the right thing by coming here when you have. There are many, many others that have spent within their means, or just outside for many years, only to find that their life circumstances change (redundancy/relationship/children etc), they suddenly need every penny and find that they cannot stop, even though what they are spending is relatively minor.
I would stop the football bet, think about another job, or, if you are staying in the one you have, work on something positive or constructive like gaining a qualification; I feel that this time at night gets you down as well as you being bored - I also sense that you feel a bit unfulfilled, even though you lead a happy life as you say.
Since I stopped, I write, I sing, I go hiking, do charity work and much more; gambling is a self-destructive entity - I found that constructive things give me happiness and fulfillment that gambling never could. Make each shift mean something, make it count - as I said, you clearly are very bright and i'm sure you can find something that stimulates you in this time.
JamesP
Posted: Wed 09 Apr 2014 22:09:13 by brownie889
Hi martin, boredom I find is one of the worst reasons a lot of people end up gambling I started gambling online when me and my ex moved out together as she would sit watching soaps at night leaving me little to do but bet on my phone and like yourself I excluded myself from many sights but saw so many sign up offers elsewhere I ended up taking them up. Is thhere anyway of putting some sort of game on your work system that you could play when bored I no its probs no possible just thinking of ways to cure the boredom or maybe rake a portable dvd player with you if you can get away with having a film or music on to cure the boredom.
Hope you find a way.
All the best
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