New member

Hi Lauzy 

Have you heard of gamban you can get a link for free from gamcare and basically it means you can install blocking software to ban you from gambling sites (including ones not on gamstop). It doesn't work with my broadband but many users have found it invaluable.

Another option is asking your bank to block gambling transactions many offer this.

It's important you think about the reasons why you gamble and urges. I personally recommend contacting gamcare if you haven't already to consider options for support. I personally found doing the online cbt course which is modules to work through and once week phone call helpful..others find counselling helpful or attending their local GA group there's many options which help different people

Take care Lou x

Hi Lauzy,

My tip is to try and work out what's driving you to gamble. If you cut off the opportunities to gamble, it doesn't get to the route cause. It's just a preventative measure.

Are you escaping something? Are you numbing a pain? Are you hiding from something? Are you unfulfilled? Are you anxious or lacking peace.

The gambling replaces all these feeling and blocks them out, but it can spiral into a new problem. While you're winning it's great, but it can all can come crashing down around you and leave a bigger hole.

Face yourself, look within and ask yourself is gambling making you happy? Most gamblers continue to gamble irrespective of how much they win because the void doesn't go away. It's the same with all addicts escaping a pain.

No magic wand exists unfortunately, but you can be honest with yourself and get a different perspective. 

Peace, love and harmony can't be bought. It's a state of mind.

CHANGE YOUR STATE OF MIND. THAT'S THE KEY.

Thank you so much for your responses, i think sometimes it is trying to escape the outside world for a moment, deep down though i know the outcome and i started suffering with anxiety and would in my mind beat myself up about it 

Hi Lauzy

Im the same I signed up to Gamstop but like you found ways round it.

I’m sick of winning for 2 days in a row and having more money and won’t have to stress about the financial month anymore - but then every time I end up just giving it back to the bookies because I’m convinced I’m going to win again and of course - I don’t.

It affects all aspects of your life - work, relationships all of it because your mood and feelings are all dictated by a gambling result. People notice something is wrong with you and you just make up bull reasons as to why because you don’t want to admit that you’ve just blown your food money on a horse race or slot or whatever you play.

The worse thing is knowing you’ve done it to yourself. No one forced you to do it but the addiction and the habit dictates to you to just do it again - knowing full well that the most likely outcome is losing. 

My mood can be great one day and I get on with everyone really well because I know I have just won money. But then fast forward 4 days and I’ve lost it all again. So others just don’t understand what is wrong with me and I’m too embarrassed to tell them the truth.  

Gamcare referrred me to online CBT treatment which I’ve found very helpful so far and you get a CBT counsellor to speak with once a week and discuss your modules. I recommend it.

Also Gamban is excelllent. I hadn’t heard of it but Gamcare told me about it and you get a years licence free which blocks all your access full stop to any bookies website or casino website. It just comes up “server not responding” when you try.

So it’s still early days for me as well but so far I’m finding it very helpful and please know you are far, far from alone with your gambling problem!!! There are hundreds of thousands of us and lockdown helped no one in this respect.

I wish you the strength to get better and recover and get your life back. Imagine how much better your life would be overall without gambling. Not needing to lie to people and family anymore. Knowing your bank balance, whatever that may be, will actually be stable and manageable again.

You can do this 

L

That was my problem, i would get such a buzz from winning and would think yes ive done it, ive got it all back and I would be on such a high then it would all just be put back on and without a second thought it would all be gone again. Definitely got to be a vicious circle! 

Yes i agree with the moods, if i got a win i would be on top of the world but as soon as it was gone my smile would slip. I also couldn’t tell people what was wrong with me, as to them i was the one who was always in control of my finances and couldn’t face the guilt of telling them that id done it again. 

thank you so much for your response and support, im officially one week gamble free and i feel amazing! 

Am new here too.   I have self excluded myself from websites now and taken the necessary steps to get back on track.  I have tried before but without any success and always went back to gambling.  Seemed like a crutch for me but financial side for me is dire.

I’ve just joined this today. Same boat! Tried GameStop didn’t work. I was winning. Can stop for a couple of days then all back on. It’s payday tomorrow and it’s scary!!

Hello Hannah33

Welcome to the Forum.  I do hope that you find the Forum a safe place for you to connect with others who are in Recovery from problem gambling. Sharing each others experience, strength and hope helps to not feel so isolated and gives hope to move forward in life, gamble free.

Along with the Forum, we have Advisers available 24/7 to help you through this.  You can contact an Advisers by calling our Helpline on 0800 820 133 or by using our LiveChat option. I encourage you to contact us so we can discuss the best way for you to overcome the gambling issues you are currently dealing with.

You have mentioned still being able to access gambling online even with GamStop in place. You can put in place Blocking Software along with Blocking Bank Transactions.  The Blocking Software will also block any emails or adverts coming through which are very triggering.

Please keep sharing and reaching out for support.

Take care

Amanda

Forum Admin.

Just logging on to enter my progress! 

Im just over 2 weeks gamble free and although the urges still come strong i feel such an achievement that my wages have gone on much better things than just throwing it all away for a few minutes fun 

Well done lauzy especially for resisting the strong urges your doing well 

Xx

Lou