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Have been where you are friend..

Not at the stage where i can give worth while advice but just want to say you made the right move coming here.

Read the posts going back a while see how people have Improved there lives it will give you hope.

Hi barrow

Sorry to hear about your recent events. Firstly I would recommend you ring the Gamcare helpline here so you can get some help and advice, they are really good and will help arrange counselling for you.

You need to ensure that you have as many blocks in place as possible so you can't gamble, for instance blocking software on your computer and devices. Also if you have anybody who can help by taking over your finances, as whilst you have money you will find a way.

You may want to set up a recovery diary in the section of the forum as this will help with your progress and also there are lots more people in there to support you through your journey.

It will be a long slow journey but you can do it if you want to. Stay strong and good luck with your recovery.

Thanks guys I have put exclusions in place,my worry is that I am just going to gamble again because I can't see a way out of my situation having g lost my wife,home and job I literally have nothing left to lose.

Hi barrow, there is always a way forward sweetheart. Phone Gamcare and get some counselling organised, read diaries on here and you will be inspired by the stories where other gamblers have been in your position and have managed to turn it round. Post your own diary, get it all into words. Take as much support as you can - do you have family/friends you can confide in?

Often people come on here when they are on the bones of their ar$es and it's a humble place to be. I joined over a year ago and have had 2 relapses, have got a mountain of debt. My last gamble was 26 days ago, I have not a bean but I have hope. I have a counsellor, I have set up a solution to pay off my debt and I have the support of this fantastic forum.

We all worry that we will relapse but you have done the right thing: you have excluded. Now incorporate the triangle, Money, Location, Time and you will be well on your way to recovery.

Take care my love x

Thanks Annie67 I am determined to try and turn things around,a have beaten the drink and given up smoking but that was with my other half not sure I can do this alone

Hi barrow and welcome my friend , Believe me as bad as things seem to you right now ,it could get much worse if you carry on doing what has brought you here now !.

Most of us here have reached a point where we couldn't go on doing what weve been doing for so long and what has destroyed our lives over many years but thats what gambling does , it creeps up on us over a period of time strips us of money possesions and our dignity and self worth .

I've gambled for the best part of 34 years and particularly in the last few of those it got really bad and I mean bad to the point that I couldn't see a way out of the mess I'd created and I really , really considered ending it all but thank god I found this place !

Youv'e come here now feeling the same way I did 151 days ago , the last day I gambled !!,and I guess what I'm saying to you is that no matter how bad things are right now , they will get better , if after 34 years I can give up and turn my life ariound then so can you my friend !.

I'm not saying things are easy to do or change but money comes and goes through our life , it can always be earnt and replaced , other jobs will come along , not always what you want to do but its a start , your relationship with your wife maybe over as you see it at the moment and obviously I don't know your full story but even relationships can be fixed .

Sure she's probably P'd off with you , doesn't trust you and all the other stuff that is assosiated with our addiction but you haven't yet shown her a reason why she should and she would need to see you seeking proper help and being commited to recovery to beat your addiction.!.

You should give gamcare a ring to point you in the right direction , they can offer counciling , issues with debt management if you need and would be able I'm sure to give you advice regarding housing !.

This place is full of support my friend , no judgements just advice if you need to talk , your heads gonna be all over the place at the moment but if you give it a week or so and things will start to become clearer and you'll be able to star getting your life back on track .

Take it from me it does improve and that can be quite a rapid improvement sometimes but you have to want to stop gambling and that bits down to you !.

I wish you well my friend , you can do this , just do it with little steps and one day at a time !!

Welcome to recovery ...................................Alan

I know how you feel am here if you need to chat im in the same boat

Hello Barrow, firstly welcome to the forum, I only joined recently and just having posts to read and comments on what I say is helpful, as your talking to people who are here for the same reasons, which is better as no one here judges you!

There is always something more to lose, the day you have nothing to lose...you wont be living!

I heard a quote many years ago, and kind of live by it now..."It's not about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to dance in the rain!" I hope that brings some hope to you mate.

Hi Barrow, how you doing today? x

Hi thanks for all your words guys,hi Annie a little better today,had a phone call from my father in law who has offered support which is amazing,have started looking for local counselling/groups and have done some more exclusions so feel I have taken a first step forward now

Hi Barrow, that's great that you have the support from your father in law. Exclude from all of your old haunts and install some blocking software - K9 is free, perhaps get your father in law to set it up in his email/password etc. I have Gamblock and it has been one of the best things I have ever purchased - I did have K9 but it was set up in my email and my sister put in a password but when I was desperate to play again I just reset the password, hence the reason for someone else to do the setting up.

I have found counselling a great help and I speak with my counsellor once a week by telephone for half an hou and I can contact him anytime I feel the need. It is so important to surround yourself with support when starting the road to recovery. Remain honest and transparent and you will get there my friend. Take care xx

Im ready to kill myself I have a young child and a baby on the way. Ive lost all my money chasing loses on online slots and my wife has no idea that I'm 7k in debt. I have no money to pay the bills this month and my wages each month is only covering the monthly repayments for the debt. seriously cant see any way forward.

Chris 99....you have landed in the right place....ring gamecare....they will not judge you and will support you.....the debts can be sorted in time ...You....your wife ...child ..and little baby on the way are the most important things at the moment.....I know you can't think or see things clearly at the moment love....but if you call the helpline they will guide you....take care love xxx

Chris99,hi mate have just started my journey to hopeful recovery so can only advise to talk to the guys on the helpline they are very good.as far as your debts I can help get in contact with a free debt management plan,stepchange or payplan are the most popular,they will put your Debts into one payment which is affordable for you once all your monthly bills have been paid,they do not judge why you'rd in debt and will contact your creditors for you.will at least give you peace of mind with your finances.as everyone says read thru some of people's stories it helps.there is no quick fix but coming here is the first step.