hi new member

Hi Mike

It seems very clear to me that there is a correlation between depression and compulsive gambling behaviour. I often get very down with life, this often leads me gamble and it always makes everything much worse than it was before I placed that first bet. We have to be stronger, we can combat this but I’m starting to understand that it will take time. We can’t afford to be impatient anymore. I’m trying not to be shortsighted these days. Tomorrow I will not gamble, I hope that you will find the strength to continue on to day 5. We are better then this my friend, the smog will lift day by day and we will be able to see clearly again.

Keep posting and all the best

Hi I’m also a new member and this will be the first time i tell other people rather than my partner that I have a huge gambling problem, I have had it for a while and I have no idea how to stop it. I have tried and tried to do it alone and no success my issue was always online gambling so I excluded my self from all the registered casinos only to open an account in another one ! And then to start using slots in the bookies (actually getting out of the house to gamble) something I have not done before as I’m too embarrassed to admit i am a gambler. I get payed every 4 weeks I pay the bills and all my spare income which is a lot gets blown away in days sometimes hours I’m talking up to £1000 some months completely gone. The only reason my bills are up to date is because my partner pays them all I just transfer the money over to him and he takes charge of it. I have debt that I don’t pay back because it all goes on gambling !!!! The worst part is I know I’m doing something bad tha t only ends up making me feel Incredibly depressed and I still do it ! I have a well payed job I am a hard worker and I have nothing to my name !! I’m just rambling on and on ultimately my question is if there is someone out there who got themselfs out of this self destructive addiction please tell me how you did!

rita P one thing i would suggest would be to transfer a big chunk of your disposible income to your partner and get your partner to transfer you some as and when you need it? another thing is dont carry cash or cards with you also, you can install software to restrict any internet access to betting sites, there are free ones and some you pay a set fee per month

thank you for the replys im on day 5/6 now and so far so good i have set up counselling sessions for the new year which have previously helped so optimistic about that, i just keep telling myself there is more to life than this misery, i hope i do not relapse but if i do i shall pick myself up and keep going.

There are hundreds and thousands of people caught in that very cycle you describe Rita, probably even millions and that’s me included. There is no easy cure and the answer isn’t willpower alone. You need to find out the reasons why you gamble, more often than not it goes deeper than money. For me this problem has been at the forefront of my mind for quite sometime and has been a distraction from facing up to bigger, more daunting things in my life I should be addressing. I’ve reflected quite a lot on myself and my life recently and realised I want to change multiple things. This won’t happen at a click of a button. Logging into a pesky betting site and trying to multiply what I’ve earnt by risking it will not suddenly provide lasting happiness. I know making changes and obtaining things worth having takes time. I’m trying to learn how to be patient again. Recovery right now is my number one priority, everything else is secondary. I won’t improve anything in my life unless I stop gambling, it really is that clean cut. If nothing changes, nothing changes.

Maybe start a diary and continue to post over the coming day’s, I’d be lost without the support I’ve received within this community. This habit can make you feel like the stupidist human alive but it has so many of us on a puppet-string. Stay strong my friends.

Thanks I have already followed on that and gave my partner access to all my accounts and my cards ! About the software do u know the names to any of them ? Can I ask you do talk to anyone else about this ? I have only spoke to my partner about and made him promise me he won’t talk to anyone else the shame is just killling me. Well done on the 6 days ! I’ve only done 3 ! Like u I also hope to get rid of this but I realised the last 2 days it’s not going to be quick or easy at all ! I always thought I could just stop!so deluded ! You mention counselling ? I’ve resfitered for the online one starting 12january let me know how yours is going

rita P one thing i would suggest would be to transfer a big chunk of your disposible income to your partner and get your partner to transfer you some as and when you need it? another thing is dont carry cash or cards with you also, you can install software to restrict any internet access to betting sites, there are free ones and some you pay a set fee per month

thank you for the replys im on day 5/6 now and so far so good i have set up counselling sessions for the new year which have previously helped so optimistic about that, i just keep telling myself there is more to life than this misery, i hope i do not relapse but if i do i shall pick myself up and keep going.

RitaP wrote:

Thanks I have already followed on that and gave my partner access to all my accounts and my cards ! About the software do u know the names to any of them ? Can I ask you do talk to anyone else about this ? I have only spoke to my partner about and made him promise me he won’t talk to anyone else the shame is just killling me. Well done on the 6 days ! I’ve only done 3 ! Like u I also hope to get rid of this but I realised the last 2 days it’s not going to be quick or easy at all ! I always thought I could just stop!so deluded ! You mention counselling ? I’ve resfitered for the online one starting 12january let me know some as and when you need it? another thing is dont carry cash or cards with you also, you can install software to restrict any internet access to betting sites, there are free ones and some you pay a set fee per monthere is more to life than this misery,

hi rita well done on staying in control im on 8 days now, a massive victory was wednesday when i had a large amount of money put in my bank and i used it on bills rather than gambling, ive had headaches last few days and felt a bit odd possibly withdrawl symptoms im not sure. yes i used the online chat on this website and they put me in touch with a local counselling people, mine are called breakeven, ive used them before and they specialise in gambling only, so are very good at what they do and really gives you ideas how to better use your energy and thoughts on rather than gambling, unfortunatly ive kept it all from my partner due to the fear of a divorce which is my main driving force to quit, partly shame and the guilt i suppose, ive basically said do i want my life with my wife or do i want to gamble and suffer mental health problems so thats what im doing, and also going back to the gym next week which i was into a lot before i met my wife this shall give me focus on something else and keep me busy, i shall find out about those blocking programmes.

Hi mike sounds like ur making serious progress. I too had a bit of a tester not long ago had some money deposited from work that I didn’t expect thankfully I sent it to my partner straight away. Can’t believe your doing this all alone I would not know what to do without my partners support and help I must admit like urself when I first told him I had never felt so ashamed and humiliated I honestly thought he was going to leave me or scream or shout or something ! Strangly enough he said “I knew something was wrong , I’m just so glad you told me what it was” he was supportive and caring he took it upon himself to research and try to understand it better. Don’t u ever consider having that chat with ur wife? It has helped my relationship so much I don’t feel like a massive liar anymore it’s helped me feel more confident please think about it. You mentioned headaches ? That’s odd I have had them most days I figured it was just work stress as I worked long hours over Christmas . It didn’t occur to me it could be from that ! I seem to think about gambling more now that I ever did before I guess it’s because i tell myself I won’t do it again and then I can’t imagine not doing it if this makes sense ?!?. I don’t start my counselling until the 12 how about u ? Have u started it ? It seems really good I will research it see if I can find it in my area of the country. Let me know how u get on.