Hello - i'm new here

Hi burko26

Welcome to the forum and well done for posting. You will find alot of support here on the forum and people who understand how you feel. Please keep reading and posting on the forum and let us know how you are doing.

You will read some inspiring stories on here from people who are gamble free, but for most people it is a process, and the road to recovery can have its ups and downs. The main thing is that you have taken some very positive steps to help yourself by booking into counselling and using this website. Some people use the forum to post a recovery diary where you can record your thoughts and feelings while on your journey and you could also visit our chatrooms, they can be a great support, especially while you are waiting for your counselling to start.

You have made a committment to yourself to stop gambling, and while I understand you are feeling low at the moment, as you have gambled again, your commitment isn't broken and you can renew your resolve. If you do slip, the outcome does not have to be an experience without worth, it can be a powerful learning experience. It does not mean that you will repeat this behavior in the future. Forgive yourself, learn from it and remember that a commitment applies to what we plan for the future.

Don't forget the helpline is open everyday 8am to midnight, if you would like to talk to someone, our freephone number is 0808 8020 133. Don't be alone with this we are here to help and listen to your concerns.

Take care

Forum admin.

Thanks.

It is 4:50 now, I get out of work in 10 mins and I am unable to stop thinking about how I can go the bookies on my way to the train station and win back at least some of my money. I have to walk past three and I really am not sure I can

I hate this

I hope you managed to stay away from the bookies buddy . Think of the consequences after gambling . Good luck and keep us updated

Sars

I did nt sadly, but I had a lucky escape as I won a small amount. I did not want to be there but I really struggled to leave.

I'm now thinking conflicted thoughts, one is that I could not last 5 hours and that I'm a failure, the other that I did at least walk away. This will be a long, long road

If this forum tells you anything it's that getting a bit of cash back isn't winning, it's quiting gambling that is winning. Chin up!

Hi burko26

Welcome to the forum and being honest with yourself and everyone on here. I'm not going to lie it's going to be a long old road but if this is what you WANT, there has to be big changes in your life. The first thing I would recommend is self excluding from all the bookies that you may visit, also I would try and tell your wife about your gambling addiction, that's if she doesn't already suspect something ? I found councilling a great help to me and also attending GA meetings as these are just other people in the same boat as us ! Hope you are still GF and will look out for your updates.

All the Best

Darren

woodley3 wrote:

Hi burko26

Welcome to the forum and being honest with yourself and everyone on here. I'm not going to lie it's going to be a long old road but if this is what you WANT, there has to be big changes in your life. The first thing I would recommend is self excluding from all the bookies that you may visit, also I would try and tell your wife about your gambling addiction, that's if she doesn't already suspect something ? I found councilling a great help to me and also attending GA meetings as these are just other people in the same boat as us ! Hope you are still GF and will look out for your updates.

All the Best

Darren

Cheers Darren.

Thanks for the encouragement. It means a lot. I am finding it very hard. I managed to avoid it all day Saturday and Sunday. Then yesterday gave in.

I'm working from home today. I have no gambling on my computer - I have a block at the IP level, but I am itching to pop into town on my lunch break

Hi Burko28

Sorry to hear that gambling got the better of you yesterday, but well done for getting through the weekend as I always found this period very tough. As I said if you WANT to stop gambling you will be able to do this and not until you self exclude from all the bookmakers in your area that you could possibly just pop into, as you just have said what might happen at lunchtime !! I would pop into the bookies only to get a self exclusion form or if you didn't want to do this you can just ring the national self exclusion helpline on 08002942060 and they will do almost everything for you ! Be strong and don't give into it and life does become better believe me.

Regards

Darren

After going for a GamCare assessment at the start of June, I still had not heard anything back until yesterday. Not a day too soon, the previous night I was in a local bookies. I hated being there, i could not ressit it though. The lure of the FOBT. Blackjack is my game and I played for a couple of hours. I got into a lot of trouble. I could not get out of the mire. I was £500 down and could not shake the thought of what £500 could have bought me, could have bought my family....but I could not stop there. I went £800 into the hole. I felt sick, convinced I could win my money back. That was the lowest point.

Seriously peed off now as I have just blown another £70 in *****. I purposefully left my bank cards at home and only brought 20 in cash with me to work. I still managed to get cash out in the bookies via Apple Pay on my phone. I f*****g hate this. GamCare you left me a voice mail. It I've heard nothing else from you. I am literally begging for help here. I cannot go on like this.

Hi Burko26, get as many blocks as you can in place, when you find loop holes put extra blockers in place. You need to keep making it harder to gamble then deal with the urges.

Get day 1 GF started.

Thanks. I'm getting no help from gamcare, I'm finding most people on here to be sat on high horses preaching. The threads about how people have gone dry for 265+ days or whatever are just ramming home how useless I really am. I'm struggling here and really not finding this mechanism to be of help.

Hello Burko26,

Welcome to forum, it sounds like you have taken some positive steps in begin to put blocks in place, the more blocks you have in place the better it can be. However accessing support such as the forum and GamCare counselling services will help you in understanding triggers and urges and bullding coping strategies.

It sounds like you have already contacted our service for them to leave a voicemail, I would encourage you to return their call and engage with the services. You can also contact us on the helpline Freephone: 0808 8020 133 or use the netline services.

Take care

Forum Admin