I scare myself its time to accept help :(.

Luke805 - fair play to you for having the sense to try to stop off the back of a win !

I doubt there's many in here that could say that - certainly not myself

Personally I'm not long started - just since the turn of the year but as each day goes past you do get a sense of achievement and it makes you stronger. I only just got through my 1st full week & crucially a weekend last week and I'm delighted with that (small steps I know - but important in the grand scheme of things)

I'm by no means thinking I'm finished with it but I know I didn't bet on anything yesterday and I'm determined not to today either

As for yourself, sounds like you had it tough growing up and if you can come through that then you can also beat this curse that we all suffer from. For me I think it's the start of a massive reprogramming journey - old habits & routines die hard and I'm focused on trying to re establish some of the things I enjoyed prior to gambling (in saying that it isn't at all easy as natural instincts are to check prices as soon as any game starts)

You should help yourself straight away pal by excluding yourself from your betting sites etc and at least then you start to feel like you're taking some form of control over things

Good luck in your journey

Wow thankyou so much for the reply. I really appreciate you took the time to write such a long comment :), in regards to what you said about self exclusion i did infact manage to step up and ban myself from 5 sites for life. The problem i find is new sites popping up each day and the television advertising gambling every d**n break.

I am happy you are managing to control the curse that has also been placed over you, you are also right in the fact each day you dont gamble you are winning.

i just never expected that stopping suddenly on a win was going to be so hard, i have just had enough of this ridiculous life of whats in my bank today not knowing what tommorow will bring.

Today has been so draining on me i have been so quiet and in my own little world i am trying to do things that gave me enjoyment when i was younger and it does help ( i know im only 25 ) apologies to the elders in here lol.

why is it that even though we know we cannot win we still try. From the very first time we gambled we were all losers :(.

thanks again for the reply it has definately giving me inspiration my friend making my journey even more meaningful 🙂

Hi Luke805, & a big welcome to recovery 🙂

I think you need to try some blocking software...I am not an on-line gambler so not the best to advise you but a phonecall to Gamcare would probably help if you haven't found the answer on here! K9 is the one that keeps springing up!

Is there any way of turning your finances over to your partner? Breaking the Time-Money-Location triangle is key to this success & only requires the removal of one element to remove the ability to gamble! Stopping is hard regardless of when you try & do it, the difference is, most people don't go looking for help unless they are @ rock bottom! You have had the strength to shape yourself into the man you are today & you will find the strength to do this too but you may need to accept a little help! I am one of the elders & I gambled for longer than you have been alive you Young whipper snapper...Don't do what I did! Get the help now, ring Gamcare, get blocking software, go to GA, come on here, just do whatever it takes to not place that next bet one day @ a time! Feeling drained is normal, I went through that, & actually staying in bed was a preventative tool for me in my early days! I know you have a lot more to write...That's the beauty of this site, just get it down if & when you are ready! You may find it helps!

It will get easier, I promise - ODAAT

Hi odaat and thankyou for your comment :).

Talking to someone with experiance is definately a plus for me i respect my elders a great deal!, i will ring gamcare later today as for last night i did not gamble again thats 2 days and 15 hours now i feel good but not good at the same time. My bank has not budged which makes me feel fantastic mind!.

You are right in saying i need to find a blocker for the sites, i play slots on my mobile and also bet on the sports. I used to even play 10 pound a spin on my god that makes me feel so sick to think of it in real money terms.

I have never really been taught he real value of money but i seem to have self taught myself over these past few days!. I am a strong minded human being but every person has there day they crumble and thats when we fall back into that routine so a site blocker will help me not to fall back.

I will ring them later today please any advice any one is so appreciated.

Thanks once again odaat 🙂 x

Well done for last night...You have absolutely the right attitude you will need to do this 🙂

Recovery will need your resolute determination but you are absolutely right when you say that the blockers will aid you in moments of weakness which you will have! I would really consider reducing your access to money just until you are a bit stronger...That way it will only budge for a real purpose!

Hopefully you have managed to have that chat & have been given some more professional advice now!

Great going 'son' - ODAAT

Hi again odaat sorry i did not reply yesterday,

I still havent made a bet or gambled and i feel good for it bad at the same time as i still get that urge to ( try and win ). I still have not rung the gamcare team i need too, my brother told my father yesterday and i got the usual aggresive approach it really doesnt help in the slightest.

Everything he says i already know myself, i know if i keep gambling i will never have nothing etc but thats the sickening thing about gambling we know and still dont stop.

But this time round i do feel strong and im being aided by help from my crystal collection, im a very spiritual person so i find that its helping me a great deal to see sense!.

Once again odaat thankyou for showing interest in this matter it is so appreciated :-).

Regards, Luke805

I know how you feel. Ive been reading all these storiesand realise i am not alone. I have promised myself today on my childrens lifes that i will stop.

Hello poblc :-). Yes you are correct we all have the same problem no matter how long we overcome this addiction we are always recovering.

Try not to use your childrens lives as a coping mechanism you need to be strong for them my friend, think of it as if i dont gamble think of the gifts you can buy your children. Instead of placing that bet have a family day out or spend some quality time together, move your phone out of sight and place on silent so you dont get that urge or feeling to play slots or make a bet. Its bloody hard mate harder than i ever thought it was going to be, hence it is an addiction a evil one at that!.

I am glad you took the time to read my story poblc, unfortunately its hard to fit 13 years i. A few posts haha, stay strong friend we can overcome this together all of us 🙂

No apology required, that's the beauty of this site...It's lovely to have support but there are no rights & wrongs so people don't expect anything of you! It may help you to get your whole story down though (I did mine over a number of posts) many people find keeping a diary really aids recovery! You are giving out excellent advice so you do know what you need to do but that doesn't make it any easier when you have no support!

Try not to feel bad when the urges hit, they are not going to disappear overnight (I am expecting to live with them for the rest of my life), what matters here is that you are not acting on them! Be proud & stay strong - ODAAT

Ahhh Odaat :), i do love your kind words and speaking to you has really sent me on my journey through this curse.

Still have not gambled and feeling great for it, had more gambling promotion emails today so i instantly unsubscribed from them and did not feel manipulated by them either!. Felt amazing to do it so easily, i just realised its been 5 days without gambling its passed so fast i thought it was 4 lol.

I still have not rang gamcare i know i need too! This will aid me even more so i know it will, Odaat do also find it encouraging helping others also? I love helping people overcome things but i really do not want to feel like a hypocrit as i am only 5 says recovering.....

Kindest of regards, Luke805

5 days is brilliant keep it up and then it'll be a week and you will REALLY feel good about yourself. Waking up in the morning and having not gambled the day before is a brilliant feeling.

Poblwc you are so right it is a brilliant feeling we need to walk before we can run right? :-).

I really should create a diary just to get everything off of my chest, it helps alot talking to everyone here just to know we all have the same problem.

The community here is brilliant so many nice people and helpful people.

Looks like we can help eachother through this poblwc 🙂

I know what you mean about feeling a fraud (if you read my diary, you will see I am having a very easy recovery) but for me, I love the idea of being able to 'pay it forward' as it were! Sites like this, along with the support I have had from the OH in taking control of my finances & never agreeing with any of my hair brained scams as to how I could control my gambling have literally saved me! I am very conscious that the money I have ploughed into gambling has allowed the industry to progress the way it has & I feel a terrible guilt about that! I was very concerned about posting initially & I still hope that I never overstep the mark because I know I can be judgmental sometimes but for me offering the support outweighed my concerns & comments like yours are very rewarding! They also prove that I am right not to be fearful! People here don't judge, if we get advice that we don't think suits us, we don't have to follow it, it just feels good that someone had bothered to give advice @ all! Many of us question whether we have traded a gambling addiction for this but I don't care if I have...I'll take this anyday!

5 days is really great & it will just get easier & easier to choose 'No' - ODAAT

I need to read your diary odaat i did read some of it yesterday, i understand fully in what you are saying and i am happy you have had an easy recovery.

Monday is normally my worst day as my wages go in each monday, its been 6 days now today i find myself with big urges purely because its monday blaaaaah, so i have come on here instead just to take my mind off it, i tend to gamble alot on my breaks during the day through boredom i guess but i am now searching the web on useful things i find interesting. It is helping alot :-).

i had the worst dreams last night that i was playing slots and i lost a fortune, when i woke i thought it was real and it gave me such bad anxiety. Maybe it was to show me what would of happened if i carried on and didnt stop, if i look at it that way i am thankful for the dream i experianced last night but i fear having dreams like that i hope they stop.

I will give advice where i can then and if it is not of use they can choose to ignore it i guess :-).

Thanks for the message again it is so appreciated.

Kindest of regards, Luke805