Well thought i better introduce myself, Im a gambling addict who has just reailised that after 4 years plus (know the date I quit, cant remember when it struck again, August 2016 sometime) of abstinance you can never really declare yourself cured and to have beaten addiction, in my case gambling will need managing for the rest of my life, my personal opinion is you cant beat it you have to manage it. I have just realised that the curse of addiction has been chipping away for about 3 months now, I need to reset my counter and remember to keep counting....that was my error i stopped counting... Ive started my diary from day 1 today...long way to go but 1 day at a time...
Hi Aulternatives.
You are in the right place. I think you do understand the power of the addiction and that it may always be within us to some extent.
However I do feel it can be managed and beaten and I dont mean that you will be struggling to manage it. I believe it takes that moment when you realise that you must have effective blocks then you can start to let it go as your mind heals.. It is beaten with a support network of honesty and good blocks. The gambling dens do have self exclusion schemes and they have to offer them. I hope everybody uses that to create effective barriers
It does take a real focus on what gambling has done to you. I agree that we can never be complacent and I know how it can rear its ugly head again. In a way its the most dangerous of addictions because it can release triggers within us that we will just have another go, it owes us and enough time has passed.
Personally I feel strong enough to realise that its not a money earning scheme with those risks. I was a hopeless gambler, I was a compulsive gambler and its just not for me.
Again I agree with you in that I will probably have to renew blocks for the rest of my life. Im not struggling with it though and Im not fighting or rattling on urges. I just want them blocked for what they have done to me in the past. I now have the wisdom to realise that there may be a set of circumstances that could trigger me so prevention is much better than the cure.
I dont want people to think its a lifelong struggle though because its not like that for me. A new mindset is needed where I am in control of my life, I understand the addiction much more and Im doing better things with my time. Its a lifelong realisation and feeling of pride which is matched by a healthy mind keeping things in check
Best wishes from everyone on the forum
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