Hey!
I'v just joined the gamcare forums so wanted to do a quick introductory of myself as I think I might be hanging around the forums for a while! At least to help
And support if nothing else.
I'm called Jason, I'm 25 and I live in the uk, like you guys I'v a gambling problem, I'm addicted to online slots. I think like most of you too, I'm also in debt because I couldn't stop gambling no matter how many times I tried to reason with myself. and it causing me to wreck an otherwise normal life i would have had if I wasn't addicted to gambling.
Il write a bit about my story, sorry if it's a bit boring or long, but here it is
I was 18? 19? I was in full time work (still am) and had money like anybody else, not loads but not poor either. I discovered online bingo sites, played around with them a little, thought they was okay, then made my way to the online slot machines. I loved them!
I use to put maybe 30 a month into them, more often that not making a profit, I always use to win? And I started to think I was naturally lucky.
As time went on I started using my precious slots as a way to make money, and it became a part of my wage,
Occasionally I would lose, but I always persevered and if I lost 100 pounds, so what? it was only a matter of time before Got my lucky streak back and made a profit again! Great! Cause I'm just so naturally lucky, I honestly thought I couldn't lose, I was just naturally gifted at gambling (crazy! Lol)
Anyway somewhere from there to now, I became completely addicted, and I finally started losing, I won some though, but lost more, then won a lot back, then lost lots more chasing my profit, and I ended up in debt chasing my loses and waiting for my lucky streak to return and to be "rewarded" for persevering.
Anyway the lucky streak never came back, and when it did, And I got back some money, I would begin chased the profit again. if I made a profit, I tried to win MORE profit, this would continue until I had spend everything I had in my bank account.
So When that was spent, the over draft was increased, to win money back of course. when the bank stopped me increasing my overdraft at 3000 I started on the payday loans to win a profit to get out of my 3k overdraft. When I couldn't afford to pay my payday loans, I managed to get hold of a loan to pay everything off and start afresh, which obviously I decided to gamble with instead
Iv now spent years gambling away, losing more and more money, getting further and further into debt, and just never stopping, the more I lose, the more I bet.
I have managed not to gamble for a while now, although that's not to say I can ever trust myself yet.
So that's why I'm here anyway. I'm addicted to slot machines. And now I'm on a forum with people who are like me.
Anyway yeah, hope I didn't bore you and I look forward to getting to know some of you and hopefully help each other out and share some knowledge
Jason 🙂
Hi Jason, welcome to the Forum and well done for posting what you have here,
You analyze yourself, and this affliction, very well my friend - that is very encouraging.
You say you don't trust yourself - it depends as to how strong you believe in that. If it is a deep concern, then you can install blocking software like K9, Betfilter or Gamblock. If not, and you prefer to handle it on your own, then you need to gauge how well you are coping over the coming weeks; no-one really knows until they stop, zero tolerance - a lot of people are surprised by the hold this can have on you.
If you feel tempted, or are experiencing strong urges, then remind yourself of your own words my friend - that is where the answer is; 30.00 a month wasn't enough for you after a while - you craved more because you were doing well; when that happens, your previous stakes don't give you the level of euphoria that you desire, so they become meaningless. Suddenly you were spending more than ever - this is the problem, you think you were being rewarded with a perceived "lucky streak", when in fact, winning was giving you more problems than losing because it drew you in more. If you had lost some or all of that initial 30.00 stake, you probably would of walked away.
If your best case scenario is losing small and walking away, then you have no future on these machines my friend. Accept it, live with it and walk away with a smile - there is some damage done but none that will compromise your life in the long-term; you are young, and are blessed with the time and energy to put this behind you.
There are a lot of open doors at your age my friend. Maybe there are gaps in your life that need to be filled - gambling gives you no genuine happiness or fulfilment - you don't actually learn or experence anything, which is why you often experience a hollow feeling afterwards. I gambled for twenty years before stopping over five years ago; I had gaps too, so now I do charity work, write, sing, go hiking and so much more.
Push yourself to change; think about the things you want to do and the places you want to go by the time you reach 30; imagine posting here again when you were that age, saying that gambling has blighted some of the best years of your life; you don't deserve that my friend - all of this is worth it if you stop now, for good - the money you have lost may be the best investment in your future if you call it a day; if not, it will just be part of a lifetime full of painful memories.
You are better than that, you come across as a decent, intelligent person and there is another path you can take in life my friend. There will be some down days ahead but that's fine, you are only human, learn to "ride the storm" and you urges will lessen in time.
You are doing well my friend - now is the time to ensure that your positive start becomes a substantial one. Be strong, be positive - this could be a genuine turning point for you.
JamesP
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