How to try and stop again

@pbuxton1982

A lot of problem gamblers seem to need a rock bottom moment when you say, I've had enough. I did nearly every time I went for help, only once did I try when I hadn't hit my rock bottom and it was hard because I kept thinking that I wasn't too bad or I could manage it. Despite knowing how bad gambling made my life I always thought I knew better.

I now fully accept that I am a compulsive gambler and I cannot control it and it made my life unmanageable. This doesn't just mean signing up to Gamstop but making other significant changes in my life.

Initially I think the important thing is just to stop gambling and once you get a bit of a clear head start a program of change. So for now, Gamstop is great. Maybe giving over your money to a loved one and being open and honest with that same person. It might sound difficult but no one said this was easy.

Gamblers anonymous will be able to help you with realising that you're not alone and you can build up a support network or give the Gamcare advisers a call and ask about the different support options that they offer.

I hope you can keep a diary on here to do two things. One, to get out everything that you are feeling, good or bad, on a daily basis so that you don't build up to a relapse, and two, to remind you of how you felt when you gamble to help you stay off that first bet.

All the best,

Chris.

Dear @pbuxton1982

Thank you for sharing and posting. I am so sorry to hear that you have lapsed over the past few weeks and can understand your frustration after being gamble free for some months earlier in the year.

Please however don’t think that you are back at square one, you now just need to build on what you achieved before and with your determination and support from those who want to help and support you through this difficult time, I’m sure that you will be able to achieve being gamble free once more.

We are here for you 24 hours a day 7 days a week to give advice and guidance and offer treatment if you feel that would be of help to you. Call us on 0808 8020 133 or use our netline to talk to one of our Advisers.

Kind regards

Jo

Forum Admin

I’m sure you will receive plenty of really useful advice on the practical things you need to put in place to assist you in your efforts not to gamble anymore.

For me it is really important to try to understand what is going on in the brain that leads to these poor decisions to have a gamble. Once you have succeeded in creating a run of days without gambling you must remember that the brain is liable to throw in the odd illogical urge to encourage you back to gambling. It’s a seemingly small thing but if you can develop the ability when the urges come to go sit quietly for 5 minutes to reflect on how you will feel if you have the bet and lose, then chase the losses and lose more, etc, etc... sometimes that scary acknowledgment of the risk you could be about to take is enough to find the strength to turn away and do something more productive with your time. Try not to beat yourself up over this. You still have control in the sense that you can choose whether this is an expensive slip up or the start of something much worse.

yep same situation will stop for months on end and then do my XXX in when life gets a bit too much 

blew 200 the weekend for absolutley no reason at all , luckily they then banned me because i was moaning too much on live chat hahah saved me some money at last 

online tables really are where all motivation & hope dies its all so contrived 

you have dealers sitting there talking to a camera pretending to be all cheefull when on the other side people are putting hundreds and thousands on a virtual table , im not even sure its legit

ah well i am banned from most of them now so hopefully this will be last binge for a while

try and get yourself banned from the sites i would

it helps a lot