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Hi Ella,

Welcome to the Forum!

It is a very good start to your journey to acknowledge that you have a problem and to look for support. I hope you will find some of it here and I am glad that reading through some of the posts has been useful to you.

If you struggle to stay away from gambling when you have money available, maybe you could thing about asking someone you trust to help you look after your money for a while. This could help you by cutting yourself off access to money to gamble with while at the same time you could ensure that bills are paid and that you have money to see you through the month.

There are a few strategies which you could try and which could help you make stopping easier for yourself.

Why not speak to an advisor about this in private? Our Helpline 0808 8020 133 is open from 8am to midnight every day and the NetLine (the equivalent online chat facility) http://secure.gamcare.org.uk/netline/ has the same opening times.

All the best to you.

Kind wishes

Gabriele

HI Ellla73, welcome to the Forum and well done for posting what you have here,

It is very positve that you have some control my friend; for the vast majority, the bill the money would be gone and more besides.

A lot people (myself included, before I stopped five years ago) struggle with payday; it is much easier to have positive thoughts about giving up when we have no money, but by the time Payday comes around again, we spiral out of control.

Test yourself to have a whole gamble-free week next payday - plough all your energies into stopping; it won't be easy but it will be a very positive exercise into seeing how you feel, and how much of a hold this has on you.

If you can stop before you break into money you don't have, then you have a great foundation to build on my friend. Since stopping, I regret the time I spent doing it rather than the money itself - try thinking about other activities and pursuits that could keep your mind occupied during these times; it might be easier than you think.

JamesP

Hi Ella

Im Kyle, Welcome to the forum. This is an excellent site where you will get lots of advice and help and support.

Im so glad you are sensible enough, not going into your rent & bill money as yet when you gamble. Of course from my own experience and many many others who you will read about on these pages... that can eventually happen. Read through them and look at other peoples experiences.

Very much like me, it seems your problem is the payday. That was my trigger. 20th of the month. I sat up till midnight.. money goes in..... 8 hours later.. money all gone. Then surviving on payday loans and handouts for a whole month just to do it all again the following 20th. Sometimes being sensible enough to leave money for bills... but eventually in my desire to win it all back... I would lose that money too. A miserable existence.

I would always feel so low and promise myself I wouldnt do it again. And the pain of the loss kept me honest for a bit. I would say... oh im 29 days gamble free.. how impressive. But of course I wasnt really 29 days gamble free... I had no money. My DAY 1, was always from when i get paid. Its too easy to say i was gamble free after a loss.. i had no means to gamble even if i wanted too. So just watch out for that mate.

Keep a diary and write down all your thoughts and feelings. It really helped me. It will help. You will re read them and see patterns and signs in your writing, if you are truly honest. You can lie to other people as much as you like, but dont lie to yourself.

Im 17 months gamble free. You can do it too

BE POSITIVE. STAY STRONG. JUST BREATHE

All the best

Kyle

The greatest win I will ever have is to learn I will never win Gambling