How many times have you relapsed?

Just realised I have broke the century of days without placing a bet, have been in this position many times before and have slipped up, I know to take nothing for granted,

i keep doing the same. relapsing and the advice is on here is helpfull

Relapses can and will happen if you have not blocked.

Before I self excluded I managed a month and a half...The TRUTH is I had no money after the pure fear of my parents bailing me out to keep a roof over my head yet again.

Then I ended up relapsing every two weeks and there was actually a thought process that I had been good for two weeks so time for another little go......Again the TRUTH is I was being paid every two weeks so feeling slightly flush again was a trigger.

Then it was six days with the same addicted thought process or oh well youve managed nearly a week so time for another go. The TRUTH is that the addiction was getting worse again and I was giving up on the thought of not gambling again.

Throughout that time I just wanted to stop losing and make everything right again. the TRUTH is that it made my financial problems and my life countless times worse

Crazy and then I finally woke up after an all time low and had my Phoenix moment. The blocks went on and I have a full monitoring process from my family. I discuss it and through recovery I have realised that it will always be within me to some extent. I dont feel ashamed with that knowledge...I treat it as a casual fact which makes me stronger. Put it this way I havent driven on the motorway for years but I certainly wouldnt want to be alone and a bit stressed/lost in a motorway service station on a rainy night. I actually prepare for that in my mind and I discuss it. Thats because even a year in I want to discuss triggers and opossible relapse situations

I know my triggers and loneliness and aimlessness are two of them. Anxiety stress and depression are others and they all work in combinations

So please be honest about your relapses and Im glad that you are. I like to think of it as stages of recovery rather than all the way down the snake to square one. I feel there is an early stage where gamblers know they must stop but are still dealing with actually being able or willing to take proper measures. Its an easier said than done phase because the power of addiction is strong

Without proper blocks every gambler is around square one anyway in my opinion. They are just deluding themselves that they are handling it and moving up the board of recovery. A relapse should be treated as a reminder that you need to question how you are getting access to gamble and whether you really have taken the right steps to put an end to it.

Discuss them and Im pretty sure that in most cases a door was left open for secrecy and temptation to rear its ugly head

I dont get urges because Im very clear now about the addiction and why I was actually gambling. Im sure in my mind that its not for me and Im not missing anything.

Best wishes to everyone on the forum

221 days without placing a bet. Feeling stronger than ever that gambling is gone from my life for good. I still have my senses not to let my guard down as I know from my past how easy it can be to let it back in and ruin all the good work that I have done over the past 8 months.

All,

I replied to the thread when i was 7 months free from gambling. I can proudly say I am now 15 months.

One of the first things you learn in GA is that you cannot gamble ever again on anything. In early days of recovery this can be hard to accept, it was for me. But from attending meetings you soon realise why the statement is so true. Yes, they are members in there who have slipped and gambled again for whatever the reason, however in most cases there isan under lying issue as to why. Any recovering addict who simply thinks "I'm fine now, I can go back to gambling but this time in a controlled manner" is only kidding themselves. I know I cannot go back to gambling as I cannot control it, that is why I'm an addict. Some people may say a relapse is okay and I probably agree but if you don't try and find the reason what drove you to that bet you will always remain vunerable.

All the best.

Hi All,

I have relapsed this weekend, after going over 100 days since my last bet. What started it off for me this time was buying a scratch card for a charity that we were raising funds for at work. We had a fundraising day yesterday and I bought tickets to a raffle and a couple of scratch cards. This resulted in me spending £20, and I couldn't shake the feeling that I had just lost that £20 and needed to get it back. Anyway after spending an afternoon in the bookies I am now more then 10 times that down. Thankfully I haven't got myself in to debt this time, and have self excluded from the shop. It had recently opened hence why I was able to place the bet. Guess now I know that even things like this are a form of gambling and I cant participate in anything that can act as a trigger.