Hello all,
I’m 23 years old and today I’ve made the decision to stop gambling. For the last 5 years, it’s been a struggles but I’ve finally gained the courage to come clean and say - I’ve got a problem and enough is enough!
I’m sick of all the crumpled betslips, I’m sick of the next door number coming in on roulette. I’m sick of them cheating horses. I’m sick of seeing my bank balance going down and down. Today is a new day. Today is the 1st and for once in my life, I’m making sure I’m 1st priority and not gambling.
Just a bit about my story - I hope if your reading you can maybe relate to some. It all started off being 18 years old. Walking into the bookies handing over the ID knowing I can now bet. Every Saturday, football couple on with the hope it came in. Not long after I was 18, I was introduced to FOBT and the killer roulette. At first I was playing the 5p roulette. Quickest £3.60 I won in my life - I was loving it and thought it was so easy. I thought 20p roulette will make me more money - obviously I was so wrong there!
To be fair to myself - I wasn’t too bad. I always knew my limit until that day I won big. Won £3000 on a coupon then £1000 on roulette. I was young and didn’t know what to do with the money so I thought I’d invest and put some big bets on. 1/2 1/3. Even money double. Loser. 1/2 single. Loser. 1/4 single. Loser. Not long after, all them winnings had gone as well as some more of my own money.
The last 3 years - I’ve lied to people I care about the most. I’d hide the losers. I’d say a smaller stake than it really was. I’d be that embarrassed I would try change the topic of conversation. Sleepless nights were a common thing. I always found winning your money back was the worst thing possibly. As it’s stuck in your brain - I won my £500 back last time, let’s do it again however it’s not like that! You just lose more and more. Football, roulette, cards, horses, dogs, everything. I’m just terrible with money. Not trusted with money and I know I need to change.
I’ve always had a good job and always been paid well. Recently I’ve done lots of extra hours to gain more money but I want that money to be for me. Not for them. I’m 23. I want to have a good life. I’m tired of worrying. I’m tired of the sleepless nights. I’m tired of seeing £0.00 in my bank with a week to payday. Today is the 1st of the month and today is the 1st day of my new life. Again I’m only 23. I want to change now.
I’ve been reading lots of threads on here and I feel I have a lot to learn - from people all ages and from all different backgrounds. All support and advice would be welcomed and appreciated. Just needing someone to take me under their wing and show me the light at the end on the tunnel.
I look forward to starting my new journey and hopefully hearing from some members.
Hi another crumple its great to see you seeking help and recognising the problem. If you are 100% committed you can arrest the addiction. If you want someone real to help get to a GA meeting. You can also get counselling from gamcare. Confide in someone who can help manage your money. Put blocks in place, self exclude, gamstop etc. Don't look back, let go of the loss. Find something else to occupy your mind.
Hi another crumple, I wanted to reply to you as your story is so similar to my Grandson. His addiction, from the age of 18, he is now 23, was not the betting shops and Roulette but on line Gambling, slots mostly. He has never been out of work and it was awful seeing him losing a lot of his money every month. His Mum and Dad were unaware but he confided in me and I kept his secret because he trusted me. He also knew I played slots so I was the obvious person to talk to. I saw over the years how this affected him and a few weeks ago I told him I would never play slots again because of the damage it was doing to him. I cried and begged him to stop and to do the journey with me. It did not happen over night but I sowed the seed. I registered on here and the help has been amazing. He said he is really trying and my next step is to get him on here. Please just think about your future, you have a very good mind set and that is great. You know the damage it is doing and you are determined this is not going to ruin your life. Well done for registering on here. There are great people on here who will never judge you but give you good information and advice. If you feel a counsellor would help give gamcare a ring and they will help you with this. There is also a recovery diary on here where you keep a diary of what is happening day to day, people will give you support there as well. You can do this! x
Hi AC
Good for you coming here, there is no shame admitting you have a problem. There are people here of all ages and you are still very young. I would hate for you to wake up in 25 years time, still blowing your hard earned money, no savings, no quality of life and can't have a normal relationship due to gambling addiction.
It will destroy your confidence, self esteem and turn you into a liar, who is secretive and always broke. Not to mention the sleepless nights worrying as you have blown a months wages in an afternoon, and cannot pay for your essentials. Put simply, there are no systems to win at gambling as the house always has the edge, as you know there are the occasional wins but it is soon lost again.
Do you have someone you can tell about your problem, if so then perhaps they could look after your finances, cash, cards etc, remove temptation immediately. This is what worked for me initially, while I regrouped and put a plan in place by following the advice here.
Follow the link that bluescreen has put up. In fact I followed that advice from mixer myself. Good luck and keep posting.
Hi mate. Best of luck with your addiction. I first came to this site at 25 and my story was similar to yourself. I'm now 29 and in a much better position. Keep at it. Don't let it get you down.
At 23, you still have all of your future ahead of you.
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