I’m down and out, there’s no comeback. Finished

Dear Broken,

Welcome to the forum.

Well done for reaching out on here for support and advice and I'm sorry to read that things are so hard for you right now. 

There is support available to you, and now you've admitted that this is something you need help with, you have the opportunity to make real changes in your life. You will find a very great community of people on here who understand how you feel and can tell you what they have done to help themselves. In addition to the excellent peer support available on this forum, I encourage you to call our HelpLine (0808 8020 133) or NetLine (webchat available through this website, click on "Talk to someone" in the bottom right hand corner) and speak to one of the advisers. They will be able to discuss the impact gambling has had on your life and offer support and advice tailored to you. They will go through tools and strategies that can help you stop and discuss the options you have for treatment.

I have also emailed you to offer you a call back so please check your emails.

You are not in this alone.

Kind regards,
Forum Admin.

Hi broken.... Your not alone. Your ok

I am 47. I have been self-destructing with gambling for 25 years and what I do know is that you WILL find your way through your current crisis... we always do. Don't do anything daft because of money. Life is about so much more than money.

What you do need to now while your tentatively reaching out for help is to sign up to Gamstop for 5 years and within a few days you will find that your gambling accounts will be blocked. Do it today while you feel lost and stressed... cos trust me the current crisis will pass.. and then the urge to gamble may resume.

Life goes on...

You are 20 years young. You've not completely ruined your life although it may seem this way now. Get a basic bank account open or one with Monzo that allows you to block gambling transactions. Get signed up to gamban and I stall bet blocker on your phone. I urge you to speak to stepchange. They'll go through your options based on your current situation.  I was where you are 4 months ago and I'd been gambling ten years.  It's he'll on earth quitting but honestly, if you want it you'll do it.

Good luck buddy!! 

Your post was part one of your recovery.

You are stronger than you think.  You are brave.  Admitting the problem is harder than those without it can ever imagine.

You're also in good hands here.  We've all been there and we won't judge.  Have a read around the forum, get blocks in place and the future is bright.  I am nearly 400 days gamble free after over 20 years of gambling and believe me, if I could go back to my 20 year old self and give myself a message it would be exactly what I've written above

Rock bottom! I have had a number, relationships and jobs and money / houses etc. All gone and still carry on, as an addiction causes you to think that is the way to make you feel better and win.

until my mind got to think that gambling is the cause, it is the cause, it is the cause of all the problems - money, relationships, work crime everything.

that to me is what makes me not want to gamble. I hope you can get your mind in that space! When you still want to gamble it is so hard!

keep posting

matt692

It is not nice to feel what you feel atm. But you know what. B.....r the money. That is not the issue. The issue is how you act when you have the cash. I recognise it I have done the same. Now I have no way of paying it back and will be in debt for years. The issue is the brain. All wins are thrown back into the pot. Every win is not yours. You will NEVER pay a penny towards your bills except those that may give you another loan so you can gamble more. I used to slot until I won and then roulette the winnings any roulette wins I would keep for a few days till it went south again. The amounts became staggering to the extent where I completely lost focus. I didn't care if it was 100 or 1000. 

You see that is what eventually happens. Lack of control and will. Because you need more of the same to get on with the high. The money is the fuel to get you more of the same. So in effect, you are fueling a car with the nr plates "crazy". And it will go faster till you run out of fuel or decide to pull the handbrake. Eventually, it has to stop. You just have to decide how it stops and when.

Good luck in your recovery!

no get out of jail card unfortunately it takes years of hard work and determination

but given that you are so young you have plenty of time to sort yourself out , i was in about 10K's worth of debt at 22, fast forward 5 years and i have no debt , my own place and 4K in savings 

its been a long process and there was a year where i remember being stuck in my parents house on the weekend not being able to do anything with my friends because i was so skint !

get off the sauce , get some extra hours in work or better still another job and get yourself straightened out 

It goes Deep to the core of your soul Broken and you must reach out for help here and with people close to you

It does take a born again moment where you properly admit surrender. You should not be handling any larger amounts of cash above a tick over allowance. You are not in control of your own mind...you think you are but the gambling addiction has taken you over

You need financial advice immediately. You need spiritual advice but we will come to that later. The sort of financial advice you need is coming clean about your addiction. Your wages should be paid into another account starting now as you sort out rescheduling everything. You need your wages away from there not fueling an overdraft...that bank will have to lose its control and wait!

A possible write off and bankruptcy is an option because you are ill at present. Youve got to get out of the debt spiral...these companies can wait!

Seriously they can wait!...You have your mental heath to sort out...they are nothing compared with that

Life is worth living. What price your life? You will sort this out when you start taking proper steps. I mean PROPER steps to build real foundations...who have you told that is close to you???

You are right about the depth of the situation but dont give up. You dont have to be resigned to your fate. There is a way out of this...You will make it history BUT for the rest of your life you will have to call yourself a compulsive gambler and never be complacent.

If the ASA are watching ...This is the advert for gambling!....This is what it does...its no joke and its no game about a silly flutter.

You have an addiction broken. It is a drug addiction but you can heal if you are ready for the help and the cold turkey.

THE GAMBLING MUST STOP and you have to close down every avenue. This is more than gamban...this is about monitoring and living on a sandwich allowance. If you think Im joking or its too awkward you dont understand the sheer power of what you are dealing with.

Get yourself to a GA meeting and get through that door

There are pleasures in life which make it worth living. You will see that when the fog lifts

Best wishes from everyone on the forum

Hi, 

i am 24 and have been gambling since I was 18. I’ve caused huge damage but we have enough time to fix it, so do you at the age of 20! First you need to speak to someone about - family member.

find your local Gamblers anonymous group. Attend the meeting they are great, you might feel scared at the start but everyone there is in the same shoes as you. I am 211 day gamble free and started with 20k debt, i still have a long way to go, but make sure your family are aware - mum bro/sis partner, that was the hardest part for me but it saved my life. They no control my money whilst I pay debts off. I live of £15 a week and that’s hard but it has to be done because I put my self in this mess. Have barriers in place, I banned my self from casinos and online. I go gym regularly which is healthy for the mind. 

Stay strong! You can change if you really really want to l!

jee

Make this year THE year!!!!

Forget last year.

Q U I T     A N D    S T A Y    QUIT  and in a year or two your will love your new life.....