Hello all, I'm new! First off I just want to virtually say "I'm addicted to gambling and it annoys me to the point of tears that it's winning" and as off my join date on here it ends. < it's nice to just admit it.
Little info, I gamble in store (not online, never been interested, tried it once and deleted it as I didn't enjoy it, so that's one less worry) my downfall is I go in for a quick £20 bet on the machine but can never walk out and literally I loose time and before I know it, I've spent all my wages.
Now I've spent my bi-weekly wages already, so technically haven't gambled since Friday just gone, do I count those 2 days as gamble free? Even though I've not access to money?
I'm very low in confidence and lonely in life in general so, that I think, needs addressing; how, I don't know? But I'll give it ago. So any advice that I may not know would be great? Big red x
Welcome Big Red, well done on signing up for the Forum, major 1st step (of many to come)!! No matter the reason, if you haven't gambled, you count them days as well 100%! And I know exactly what you mean regarding time loss, I could walk in for one bet and stay forever if it was possible, but thats then, and this is now!!
Me personally, I'm 6 days gamble free, but some of the guys on here are a lot further ahead and will have much more experience to share...have a look around the sections and posts and settle in.
Welcome again and here's to the better life mate!
Hi Big Red
Sorry to hear a all so familar story of the pitfalls of compulsive gambling and the havoc it can bring , the FOTB betting turned me from a recreration punter on a football coupon every weekend into a gamling mess and uncontrollable once your in zone , don,t feel ashamed but you have to accept self exclusions from all local shops may be the anserw , and try find new hobbys and new normal ways to be happy and meet ppl , gambling is mostly a secret obsession we have and can be fun but if you can,t walk away its dangerous and we only get worse , the speed of thE FOTB is dangerous and wipe your wages in less than a hour
be brave start again stay in touch
Gooner586 wrote:
Welcome Big Red, well done on signing up for the Forum, major 1st step (of many to come)!! No matter the reason, if you haven't gambled, you count them days as well 100%! And I know exactly what you mean regarding time loss, I could walk in for one bet and stay forever if it was possible, but thats then, and this is now!!
Me personally, I'm 6 days gamble free, but some of the guys on here are a lot further ahead and will have much more experience to share...have a look around the sections and posts and settle in.
Welcome again and here's to the better life mate!
Hello Gooner,
Appreciate your reply, takes alot of kindess to take time out of your day to reply, so thank you for that.
And well done to you as well! Hope it's still going well - but yeah, some times you can loose hours, when you think its only be 30/40 mins can't you? glad to know other people experience similar feelings to me.
Do keep in touch, Big-red
spraggy2014 wrote:
Hi Big Red
Sorry to hear a all so familar story of the pitfalls of compulsive gambling and the havoc it can bring , the FOTB betting turned me from a recreration punter on a football coupon every weekend into a gamling mess and uncontrollable once your in zone , don,t feel ashamed but you have to accept self exclusions from all local shops may be the anserw , and try find new hobbys and new normal ways to be happy and meet ppl , gambling is mostly a secret obsession we have and can be fun but if you can,t walk away its dangerous and we only get worse , the speed of thE FOTB is dangerous and wipe your wages in less than a hour
be brave start again stay in touch
Hello Spraggy,
Like Gooner, i really appreciate you writing back, it's lovely to know people are there and understand what you're going through.
I agree, It's the speed of the FOBT's - you can turn a £20 bet into £100s in mins cant you, very dangerous.
Hope you're well and things are goin well, do keep in touch.
Big-red
Alright mate,
No worries on the reply, all here to talk to each other and yeah I've lost hours in betting shops, casinos, pubs...all to wake up with nothing the next day!!
But going strong now, day 10 now and didn't think I'd be saying that the way I gambled!
But here we are...onwards and upwards
Hello big red. I am the same regarding gambling on machines; never online, never in bookies or anything just the machines. I go with the intention of not gambling and I do! I just can't help myself I and lose a few £20's to hundreds at times. I too suffer with low self esteem no confidence; not many friends and just used the machine as my friend as ridiculous as that sounds.
Best wishes for the future & I hope u stay gamble free; you made the first big step admitting it. It's hard as it easier to deny it and you deny it yourself. The realisation usually hits when u lost hundreds and wonder where half the night went.
Don't beat yourself up over it. The guilt is hard to overcome but you have to work on yourself as a person as well which is what I am trying to do now. Take care. X
Hi Big Red
Having read your post and seeing that you feel you have issues with confidence and feeling lonely could I suggest that you get in touch with gamcare and ask for counselling.
I too have issues with confidence and anxiety and I am coming to the end of my counselling and have to say that it has helped no end. I was incredibly nervous before attending but I managed to get to the first session and haven't looked back. I am still on the journey but I feel that dealing with what I believe to be the underlying issues of my gambling has had a greater impact then just trying to stop gambling.
Take care.
We are available 24 hours a day, every day of the year. You can also contact us for free on 0808 80 20 133. If you would like to find out more about the service before you start, including information on confidentiality, please click below. Call recordings and chat transcripts are saved for 28 days for quality assurance.
