Is no withdrawal symptoms normal?

Hi SJ that's what this forum is for writing your feelings down I would say is always helpful. Some replies are not always helpful but that goes for everything in life. 1 I also had that feeling id had that last gamble without knowing it....what would we have done it we had known? We know the answer to that one !! 2 seems to have been too easy to stop ..I also have had this feeling...why didn't we stop before if its this easy. I can't speak for you but I've given this a lot of thought my conclusion is.... It's only been easy to stop because I can't gamble i  have blocked all accesses. If I was sat here now relying on just willpower..... I'm not lying anymore...I would be sweating irritable ,mind going 100 miles an hour thinking about where I could get money from. I had an experience the other night which will sound like nothing but was everything to me. Right at the end of my GA meeting my son phoned saying he had broken his chair that he used for his gaming. I came off the phone and cried because for once there was money to get him a new chair it was a very humbling experience that I am really grateful for. It being "easy" is just an illusion do you think it could be our minds trying to fool us. We could gamble again because it's easy to give up again..........

Hi Sj

i just want to say my partner was the same. He really didn’t find it difficult abstaining (initially) and he was getting worried why he was finding  it too easy. He had that reborn moment and was very happy about life.  Then one night (around 40 days since his last bet) he described it as if he was ‘possessed by a devil’ he subscribed to a gambling website and was determined to place a bet on his favourite game. Thank God for gamstop he wasn’t able to do so. The look of horror on his face when he was telling me about it was just astonishing. He said he didn’t know why he wanted to do it despite all the misery gambling has caused him. He was very relieved though that he didn’t relapse. And I reassured him that a wobble like that can only make him stronger and that’s why blocks must be in place for life. 

Pep

@charlieboy thanks for sharing and i am very happy for you. That’s a lovely moment. Well done.

Pep

I know if doesn't seem like a big deal but to me it was

Thanks Charlieboy. Sounds like a pretty sweet moment and that's 100% what I'm aiming at.

Yeah I know my mind is clever and might just be trying to pull me, but I'll stay vigilant and keep giving my wife access to my bank account.

I do wonder if some of this is deep-rooted in me - I've had depression before after a close friend died when I was only 23, but back then everyone just swept it under the carpet and I never got the counselling I needed. Something for me to explore, but so far so good!

Hi Pep

Thanks for sharing that- it's great you are supportive of your partner as well. I'm hoping that won't happen to me, but I've opened up and am talking about my emotions and feelings and as long as that dialogue continues I'm confident if a moment of weakness comes along I'll be able to deal with it.

Thanks 

SJ

Thats an interesting title SJanon.

I would just say whatever thoughts you have, to be vary wary of thinking it is easily stopped with no withdrawal symptoms.

My addiction played games with me all of my addicted life. I mistook breaks for any sign of control and it was an addiction in my bones which would rear its ugly head at any planned or unexpected moment.

My "Urges" would take various forms...sometimes they were very subtle and sometimes they were overwhelming. It took me 10 months after joining this forum to finally see the light.

Before then my addiction had no intention of letting me off. It let me pay lip service to stopping but my willpower alone was useless.

When I told people close that I was a gambling addict and put the blocks on the abstention recovery really started. I would say telling loved ones is most important and I did not want to let my parents especially my father down again.

That was a strong tool during cold turkey and I believe it is cold turkey because it is a drug addiction more than any other factor in my opinion.

You have to discuss your trigger points and I know mine. Stress, bad news or just a horrible job travelling away are all things my family know will likely trigger me....it gives me a reference point and they would be checking up on me which I want.

Even feeling flush or happy can be a trigger point which is where it gets complex and dangerous as it always was

Its a mind control disorder and the addiction can bide its time unless the strongest measures are in place. Its an addiction longing to get back at you until your mind heals enough to be in control of that part of your mind.

You can never be complacent again but that is a positive statement I thrive on. I learnt that there is never a day when I can say yippee its all done and dusted.

However I have healed a great deal and I dont think about gambling as anything but misery. Im far less vunerable now but I still talk about it and talk it through

Best wishes from everyone on the forum

Thanks @joydivider 

Yeah it's still early doors and I'm prepared to dig in. I've told my wife everything and yesterday told my parents. 

It's the second time I've let everyone down after I got deep in debt over 8 years ago now. My wife told me it's over if I do it again - I have two beautiful children and the prospect of losing them all just breaks me. So I'll grit my teeth when required and I swear I'll never. Gamble. Again.

Much love 

SJ