Hi Everyone

Hello Andy,

Welcome to the forum and well done on posting your story.

It sounds like you have some financial arrangements in place to protect the money you need for rent and bills, which is great. However it seems like the money set aside for groceries sometimes is spent on gambling instead; have you discussed this with your sister so that she is aware of what is happening? Maybe you could look again at the arrangements you have agreed in case they can be tweaked to increase your protection against relapse. For example, some people have arrangements where they come home with receipts so that they have evidence that the cash was spent on food and not gambling, this can create a bit more transparency and accountability. Some people find it helps if they have company when shopping, and if they let their companion hold their money and pay at the counter... it depends on the severity of the problem and what you consider proportionate and practical for you.

How do you feel about using the multi-operator self-exclusion scheme for betting shops? Their website says that in addition to registering a person’s initial wish to self-exclude, you can contact them to add more premises to an existing self-exclusion, and they can also record any report from you of a breach to your self-exclusion, and share this information with the relevant operator. Their freephone helpline is 0800 294 2060 and you can read more about their services here: http://self-exclusion.co.uk/how-we-can-help/

If you like you could start a recovery diary in the 'Recovery diaries' section of the forum, or join one of the challenge threads in the 'Overcoming' section of the forum, to help you to make regular use of the peer support here.

If you'd like to talk with an adviser about recovery methods or get details of free support locally and online, for example counselling appointment services or Gamblers Anonymous meetings, you're welcome to call us on our freephone 0808 8020 133.

Take care,

Forum admin

Hi Andy,

Firstly, well done on initally giving up for three months. Even if you were under pressure as you say, you still did it regardless. I would say you are most likely lacking that internal push to give up - but there's loads of tips on this site that can help you find that within you.

Also there are Chatrooms which run everyday, which are super helpful to finding new ways of avoiding gambling and just chatting to people who have a bit of a common connection with you. A LOT of people on here have zero money or are in a lot of debt so you are not alone. Trust me, I know that feeling and it's truly soul destroying.

But it can get better. Just stick to this forum - have a look around, and come join the chatrooms and you can start to put up more blocks, and figure out ways to stay gamble free.

Best of luck

Thanks for you comments!
I've joined the chatroom today and everyone seems dead nice 🙂

I'm going to self exclude tomorrow and see how that goes. I'm not at my lowest right now anyway but it seems like a good time to stop because I want to start saving money so hopefully I can be goal orientated about it.

Thanks again.