Dear andyrr,
Welcome back to the Forum. I understand its been a few years since you've joined us here and its really positive that you've come back.
You've done really well giving up drinking for the last two years and its great to see you saying its now time to give up gambling too. We are here for you every step of the way. If you haven't done so already, do call our helpline on 0808 8020 133 or use our live chat through the website - our advisers are here 24/7 to talk you through practical steps and discuss further support alongside our Forum and Chatroom.
Wishing you all the best,
Jamie
Forum Admin
Good Morning Andy,
Welcome back to the forum.
I last gambled 890 days ago. It’s an amazing feeling when gambling no longer controls you and your life. It’s utterly fabulous.
I gambled every day at my worst and roulette had a grip of me so bad that I can’t even explain. I’d be at the bookies at 10am, back at lunchtime and again after work. My life was utter chaos. My finances were chaotic.Â
My reasoning when finally quitting was that I’d deal with my whole life and not just stopping gambling. I thought if I could focus on my fitness and health and well-being then I would see instant improvements. These improvements would inspire and encourage me to keep going even if gambling withdrawal and recovery were painful and slow. So that is what I did and continue to do.
I started running. Running can be hard to begin with the same way quitting gambling can be hard to begin with. Both get easier with consistency. Both are very rewarding.
As I ran more I ran further and faster. As I ran more I got fitter and healthier and my runs gave me time in the great outdoors to think about me and my life. This time was crucial. I thought about gambling addiction and how my life would improve without it.
Nowadays, I run, I go the gym and I’ve even had spells of going to boxing classes. This year, I’ve started reading more. These are all me time and they relax me. I feel good doing these healthy activities. My heart, lungs and bones are all very healthy and so my mind is happy and healthy. In my opinion, doctors should prescribe running to anyone suffering from addiction, depression, anxiety etc. its the best medicine.
The reason I’ve put the above paragraphs in place is to show how I tackled my addiction and this worked for me. Sadly, I read a lot of diaries where attempts have failed because the user said they were bored or depressed or no longer had the motivation etc. This saddens me so much. When I stopped gambling I had so much time to fill, so many negative thoughts to replace. If all anyone does is stop gambling and nothing else then I tend to read that they focus on loss and not what they’ve gained.
Ive gained greater physical health, greater mental health and greater financial health because of my gambling recovery journey. It is a gift that never stops giving and gets better and better the more I work at it.
Start your own journey today. Don’t do what youve done in the past. Look at your life closely and work out how you can improve it and go snd do that while quitting gambling.Â
Human beings are too impatient these days we want to see instant success. So work on yourself daily and notice the small wins and improvements and as you feel better the days since your last bet will increase and increase. All areas of your life will get better.
Good luck.
RR
Hi andyrr,
Well done on making recovery from problem gambling your priority. You were saying you found Gamstop wasn't enough to stop you, and it sounds like the stock market might also be an issue for you.
Have you considered installing blocking software? This works in a different way to Gamstop, so if you haven't found Gamstop effective for you, then blocking software might be more successful. We list a number of blocking software options on our website:
https://www.gamcare.org.uk/self-help/blocking-software/
If you call our helpline on 0808 8020 133, or contact our Livechat, we can offer you a link to get Gamban blocking software for free. This also blocks high-risk trading sites and apps.Â
As you said, keep GamCare close, keep posting and interacting,
Best wishes,
Deirdre
Forum Admin
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