Hi everyone, just joined this forum.
I have self excluded through GameStop for 1 year just yesterday.
I’m married with one child at home. My wife and I both work full-time.
I didn’t think I had a problem, just blinkers on… and I obviously do
I have a £4K overdraft, I took out a loan about 2yrs ago to pay it off, then used the overdraft again for online casinos.
My wife knows that I gamble, but she dosent know it’s out of hand. She thinks maybe £200 a month at most.
I’ve lied, and won’t show her my bank acc, which she finds so suspicious, rightly so, we don’t have a joint acc, but bills are split between us. I feel like I’m drowning, and she has threatened to leave, because of the lies, when she finds out the extent/truth, I’m afraid she will.
i just don’t know what to do. I’ve wanted to stop and stupidly ‘tried one last time for a big win’ but it never comes. I’m hoping the self exclusion will help.
Any advice gratefully received.
Thanks
A
Hi,
Firstly, well done for posting on here. It can take a lot of guts.
From my experience, all I can say is - you have to be completely transparent if you want to beat this addiction. It will feel like the worse thing in the world to be honest (and tell her everything) but that’s a far better way than her finding out for herself.
July 2023 I told my husband everything! It wasn’t the gambling or the money that hurt him, it was all the lies I told up to that point. The lies can do far more damage.
I took out huge loans and credit cards in my husband’s name without him knowing!
But please remember, to be kind to yourself. You didn’t wake up one morning and planned all this. Gambling addiction is an illness, and the worse (I think) out of all the addictions, because it’s so secretive.
I’m now currently 498 gamble free, and I don’t even think about it anymore, it doesn’t cross my mind. You can beat this, but you have to be completely honest.
Take care,
Claire x
Thank you so much Claire, I suppose I knew the answer already. Just hoped there was another road.
Ali x
@fhb17myj6k unfortunately not. It really is the only way to recovery. The addiction wants you to keep secrets and lie!!
Good luck x
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