My name is Aaron and I have a gambling problem. Luckily for me this has not resulted in any debts yet as I have only bet what I have saved but I know this is getting out of control and betting £100 + at a time is not good especially when I lose and start chasing it.
I have suffered from really bad anxiety disorder and depression for years and have being diagnosed with having an addictive personality. I have swapped one addiction for the other over the years with the last being gambling for the last 3 years. I have gone from stopping drinking to smoking dope, to stopping smoking dope and just smoking cigarettes. Then giving up smoking and spending all my money on books and DVDs to stopping buying books and DVDs and gambling. The one positive from this is I know I have good willpower to quit things but am scared what I might replace my latest habit with.
My main problem with gambling is on in play football and the virtual football the bookies offer. How I wish I never found the virtual soccer opition on ****** on day when looking through there site. With a game starting ever minute the amount I start losing and place was getting ridiculous. I would start with a £1 maybe and when that lost the next bet would be £2 until I had lost 7 or 8 bets in a row with each bet having double the pervious stake in the hope of winning everything back by the time I would get to bet 8 I could be staking £64 on a virtual game only 10 minutes after sitting down to gamble. Sometimes this bet would win and I would win all my money back swearing to myself I would not do that again and chase bets only to find myself doing exactly that 30 minutes later. As I said I am lucky I am not in debt and hope I can completely stop before debts happen. I told my wife last night what was happening and she was very understanding as no debt was involved and I have had myself taken off both my betting accounts and had them closed and given my wife my bank card hoping all this would help.
So that is all about me and I am on day 1 as it's been nearly 24 hours since my last bet
Hi Aaron welcome to the forum
It's good you have reached out especially before you got yourself in debt because that is inevitable with gambaling. Like you I also have an addictive personality. And I'm sure we all do in some way shape or form.
Just dropped in to welcome you aboard.
The forum has a huge potential
It makes you realise you really are not alone.
Gamcare do ten free counselling sessions if that's something you think might help you
There's a chat room open week nights at 7 and then again at 9
Weekends there 8 o'clock
There's also groups like ga
That you could attend
There's also post's on here regarding self exclusions and blocking software.
The site is awash with information and will give you the kick you need on the way to recovery
All the best
Deano
Thanks Deano think this site and forum will really help, and to be honest after reading some people's stories on here I fill a bit of a fraud compared to some
Wishing you well and smart move to give your bank card to your wife and share the problem with her. This is not easy to fight on your own and the support of a partner is a very good thing.
Welcome to the 2016 challenge where I read your story. Best to stop now before you get in lots of debt like me. I will be paying my debts off for the next few years and it's not good having gambling debt hanging over you all the time.
Well done on finding this site and making the commitment to quit !
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