I can beat this

i did the same thing around 5 weeks ago, told her everything, didnt speak for a week she hated me, now we are ok and i feel better about everything, paying my debts off, havnt had any urge to gamble and havn't done anything more than the lottery, i think hurting someone is the biggest wake up call, not the losses, a long road ahead, but each day is distancing ourselves from gambling.

Hi thanks for the reply , it's so much better it's out in the open a weight has been lifted, can I ask how your over coming it? Your totally right its not the money it's the people in your life that Matter.. Cheers tom4321

Day 7 since I have not gambled and feel better already about things, I rang up about some counciing today and going to sort it out tomro then I can get back to my life without a gambleing,

Hi Tom

Been 6 months for me. Well done for choosing too seek help and change your life for the better. I think telling your girlfriend is a great idea. Keeping a secret locked will prob cause stress and anxiety that will manifest itself later on in life. However it might be good to keep in mind that your girlfriend will be limited on how much she help you. I'd advice GA meetings and the coucilling services that Gamcare offer.

Matt

Hi Matt yeah I see what your saying it's up to me , well another day gamble free feels good, yeah got someone calling me today about support, I intend to do what ever it takes to get out.. How do you feel after 6 months gamble free, do you feel back on track with your life cheers tom

I was a compulsive gambler for 10 years. Life is kind of back on track. I'm debt free. However a lot of damage has been caused and will take a long time to repair that damage. You find a common trait among recovering gamblers on here (including me) is that gambling is a form of escapism from real life. We all love winning, but when is winning enough ever enough and when things go bad we panic and throw everything at trying to get the one big win that we think we are all owed. Just one never ending vicious cycle that will slowly destroy your life more than financially. However I'll be honest and say no its sucks at the moment, facing up to real life is tough. Thou don't be detered and feel daunted. One day at a time, one week, month etc and things do slowly get better. Best piece of advice I can give is don't become displacent after a month or so after not gambling. Another common trait among recovering gamblers shamefully. So many people come on here after one big loss and are feeling sour, month later the blues go away. Life gets tough and they start thinking 'hmm I'll gamble again, easy money, I did it once and I'll do it again'.

We all love winning, but when is winning enough ever enough

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http://www.fifautc.co.uk/

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lucygp wrote:

We all love winning, but when is winning enough ever enough

__________________________

http://www.fifautc.co.uk/

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Hey tom,

Well done on your week gamble free.

You have a long way to go but you seem like you have started out on the right tracks for your recovery.

I'm at 33 days so I'm where I can get complacent and think I can have that little bet and it'll be ok but it wont be ok we cannot go back to it.

Keep abstaining my friend

Mba

Hi Tom4321,

Welcome to the journey from hell! I am not an online slot player, I chose to waste my life sitting for hours on end in front of the flashing lights but this disease comes in many guises!

In addition to what matt_london & mba have provided the best advice I can give is setting up 'roadblocks'...Anything that makes it harder to gamble makes it easier to recover. To my eternal shame I had to hand my cash card over to my partner & since I couldn't be trusted to carry big money, I had him dish me out my dinner money (coins only) like a small child! I was almost too humiliated to ask if he wasn't forthcoming with it as I kissed him goodbye but it didn't stop me wondering whether if I couldn't just maybe turn it into a note when the urges came!

I found an American website before this one & although I'm a long way from recovered, I am recovering. It was a wake up call 'hearing' as a compulsive gambler, I could never control it & had to quit but I can honestly say I have not looked back. I am going to beat this, you are too!

It's day 16 now had no urges to gamble, going to see someone on Friday about it and hope he can put me in the right path, am sure I can beat this and I will, felt miles better not doing it, just need my girlfriend to give me a massive chance now I really hope she does, she's means so much to me , I no I have hurt her, but I want to make it all right and move on from this road hump I can do this

Hi Tom, I know this sounds ominous but this disease is so seductive it's when your least suspecting it returns and only a little at first but before long you are back to the beginning. My advice is zero tolerance to anything that is gambling related as once the dam leaks it won't be long before it bursts. Hold on to the pain it has caused you will need it when you find yourself questioning your recovery.

Michael

Hi again tom, hope your still going strong, in relation to your comment a few days ago, i dont even know how im over coming it, something has just clicked, i dont care for gambling, i havn't set up any blocks on my pc, i could hit roulette now, i could go in the bookies, i havn't even put a footy acca on...its bizzarre how much i've changed, i can talk about footy with the lads at work and they talk about putting accas on for the champs league etc, doesn't even enter my head to swing by the bookies to put a bet on, and then go and chase on roulette and stuff, im busy at work, im busy trying to pay my debts off, im more consious about how i spend my money now, if i logged onto one of my many betting accounts and lost £200 or whatever which i so often did, i don't know how i'de cope, i think the best advice is keep busy, do what makes you happy, appreciate the little things, and just don't give in.

Hi Tom

I guess I am in a similar situation to your girlfriend. All I can tell you is that it is vital to talk and be honest! My boyfriend starts counselling tomorrow and I am hoping that it will work out for us. I need it to. I need all the lies to stop. I can emphasise with your partner and send you two the best of luck for the future. Let us know how you get on.