Lost £82,000, lost my job and turning 30 next week.

@jay707 as a 42 year old don't sweat it.

Don't get hung up on numbers or losses.  Concentrate on recovery.

Why did you lose your job?

The stock market investments can turn into gambling all too fast.  

What support are you getting?

Store i worked at closed down (retail). I don't drive and it's becoming so hard to get a job though I have given up on trying because of how much I lost. It all feels pointless.

@jay707 just numbers matey.  Don't get hung up on losses.

Do you have food and somewhere to sleep?

Get support to overcome this.  Where are you?  If in England you maybe able to get CBT 

Do you have someone to talk to?

In that regard, I am fortunate. Live with parents. Nobody to talk to, can't really tell my parents, would be awful to tell them. I have downloaded Gamban on laptop but i need to have it on my phone.

@jay707 Don't underestimate your parents.  They may suprise you in the support they can give you.

At least consider it?

@thebean No, I just can't it would destroy them.

I just can't, it would destroy them. Worst part is that I have known for ages that trading and penny stocks are a scam;. In fact, the entire stock market is, it's just being propped up by fake money and inflation. It would need to drop 50 to 75 percent to reach fair value.

You can beat this without talking to anyone about it. It just becomes allot harder. I highly recommend calling Gamcare who can set up some telephone chats with you to help.

The key thing for you is to forget the money. I get the impression if I gave you 20k today your first thoughts would be, well I've made money doing this before, I can maybe do it again and then my problems will be solved. That's what all gamblers think. Deep down we know it will only end one way and no matter how smart of clever we are in real life, the gambling brain takes over and all sense leaves the room!

Use this as a completely clean slate. New day, new you. Change your habits, take up a new hobby. Set a walking goal. Anything that you wouldn't do before. To give up gambling, you have to give up a huge part of your life. It's what we did. For most of us it was all we thought about and to change that much is a huge step, but its so important. Write down you darkest times caused by gambling. Revisit this regularly to remind yourself what could happen again. Gamblers are not horrible people. We are ill people, weak to our addiction, but we can change.

Again, I urge you to call Gamcare, or someone, to chat things through. It will feel like a huge weight off your chest and give you the confidence that you can change.

Stay strong 👍 

@jay707 Hi Jay

Agree with all of the above. In respect of reaching out to your parents.  Likely they know something is up with and they just can't put their finger on it. As a mother of an ex gambler , when he came clean   it was a weight off both our minds.  A problem shared!! 

Draw a line, seek help. Talk to as many people as you can including Gamcare.

Forget  the amount you have lost,  that's gone . Focus on the future you could have 

Take care 

Patsy 

Online Peer Supporter 

@jay707 I feel the exact same as this in fact I’m hiding all of the mess I’m in even from my husband as he was very clear when I last spoke to him about it on his feelings if he knew how much more worse it has become and the level of debt I think he wouldn’t be around. My mum openly discussed a friends husband previously as well and gave her opinions on gambling addicts so I really have no one to go to which actually I think is why I keep relapsing as I’m trying to hide the utter mess I’m in now and I’m struggling to get by without my husband questioning things. We had actually seperated 2 years ago for a period of time for other reasons and I’ve realised this was my trigger and the moment it all got out of control.