Hello

REALLY struggled today to stay off the gambling!! Would have gambled if I hadn't self excluded through gamstop,, NEARLY went to the bookies!! Sort of P****d off because the football line i was going to put on came up!! Not really taking much solice from the fact I'm 2 days gambling free compared to how much I would have won if I would have put the bet on!! Anyway,, just thought I'd come on here to explain my situation today. It's been a difficult day!!

It is not worth it: you would have win Chelsea, City and Tottenham, you would get some 100.00 quit and you would have gamble on the weekend £300.00.

Andy1969 hang on in there!! It's lousy when you've had a difficult day, makes you question whether it's all worth it?! I know it does me. New day today mate, just focus on the positives, hard I know. Keep going Andy, you are doing so well.

Cheers "forme",, it was a difficult day yesterday,, now the grand national meeting starts today!!! I don't think life would be so good watching NO sport!! 🙂
Cheers for the support again. Hope you're enjoying your book 🙂

Hello there!! Just wondering how everyone is getting on? Especially those of us who pressed the 5yr self exclusion button recently. I must admit I'm finding it even tougher than I thought it would be!,, & I'm only 5day's in,, never mind 5yrs :)!! I'm just as consumed with gambling,, but I'm now also frustrated because I can't get my bets on! "Luckily" I've not went to the bookies. But now it's Saturday and traditionally my "busiest" gambling day it seems VERY strange!! I've walked the legs off my dog this week, even though the weather has been bad,, but today up here it's P*****g down and blowing a gale, even my dog's had enough :)!! It seems like everyone in Britain today is having a bet except for me,, grand national day!! I must also confess that I tried to cheat gamstop on Tuesday by setting up a new email address and trying to get back on that way,, it never worked 🙂 gamstop is cleverer than me :)!! Anyway,, hope everybody's still doing ok. Aw the best.

Hi Andy :))

Never great for making you feel good when the weathers s***e is it ? :(( .

I'm not having a bet also mate so don't worry your not on your own , It's been a few yrs since my last bet and I can still remember how tough those early day's can be ............... It's amazing how quickly we can forget all the pain and suffering that brought us here and how our gamblers mind begins to think about the very thing that we know we must avoid ?.

The turning point for me was just accepting for once in my life that gambling had finally beat the cr.ap outta me for the last time , I wasn't prepared to gat back in the ring with it again and take another bashing , the thing I've began to realise is that the reason many of us go back to it again is for revenge ? Maybe that won't apply to you but I like most gamblers I didn't like to lose , so there was no reason was there that I was going to lose to gambling ? , again just my opinion but if you allow gambling to win and let it have your losses then there's really no reason to want that revenge :)) .

I'm glad the Gamstop is doing it's job for you and that it just goes to show how much power gambling has over us until we become stronger day by day , the thought of giving up for life is I feel quite a scary thought, so for now just treat it as One day at a time dealing with what ever you have to as it arises , it's all about bite size chunks :)).

Enjoy the rest of your day buddy , stay focused on what you want from life and stay busy :))

All the best

Alan

I hear what you're saying about "revenge" Alan!! I'm ALWAYS at my most dangerous/reckless when I'm "chasing",, I've been in that "mode" since I f*!*!d up last Sunday,, but luckily I hit the self exclude button on the Monday!! But yes,, not being able to get revenge has been the hardest pill to swallow all week 🙂 :)!!
Cheers for the advice & kind words buddy,, aw the best!!

IHi Andy, been thinking about you over the weekend. Horses were never my thing, so this weekend is just tough like any other for me, no worse. But it's everywhere, on the tv, on the radio and as you say almost everyone has had a bet! I'm glad you couldn't get round the gamstop, just think how much better we will feel. Although like you I am finding it tough, it's at the back of my mind that I shouldn't of done it! But I know I did the right thing like you.

You're not on your own we are all on the same journey. I keep telling myself better days are on the way, trying to keep positive. It's tough though!! We will get there mate, just one step at a time I suppose. Keep going Andy, we can do this.

Lyn (xxformexx)

Hi there Lyn, yes it is a tough journey we are on & like yourself it's on my mind i self excluded too quickly,, almost like an impulse,, an impulse that took 40yrs :)!! (If you know what I mean :)). As I've mentioned before I think it's just because gambling has been in my life so long,, that's why it feels so strange to be without it. Somebody else on this page said it's mad how quickly we forgot about how much anguish it's brought us in the past,, VERY true words are'nt they!! I must say I'm finding all the kind words and support on this site a MASSIVE help!! As you say,, we're all on the same journey!! Yesterday I was reading a post from a young fella called Sonny,, he's only 23 & he's trying to sort himself out,, even though he's so young i found his courage and willingness to change inspirational!! Thanks for the kind words and encouragement again Lyn,, glad you're still going strong!! All the best 🙂