Hi guys, first of all thanks for having me and any advice from people in recovery will be greatly appreciated.
My name is Ben, I’m 27 years old, and have been gambling for around 6 years on and off, I say on and off because there has been times I’ve stopped for a little bit, but it’s mainly on, let’s be real here.
these past few months it’s getting to a point where I’m losing control again, not my worst ever position but very close to it.
i was payed last night at midnight and by 5 AM my whole check was gone. Rent unpaid, having to go to the food bank just to have something to eat.
I’ve been registered with Gamstop for around 3 years and today I signed up to Gamban.
I have reached out for help, and have a telephone appointment next week to address what help would benefit me, and I have told the people closest to me, although there isn’t many of them, I don’t really have friends or any family.
Any advice is welcome, and I look forward to reading your replies.
Hi Ben,
My advice is to redirect the focus. Gambling destructively is usually a sign of something deeper. Try and identify what you are escaping from and face it head on.
Your pay check has gone this month, but next month will be different. That's what you have to say to yourself.
We don't have a rewind button in this life, but we do have a pause and a change channel. If you found £20,000 under the floorboards and you knew it wasn't traceable or missed what would you do with it? Would you gamble it? If the answer is yes, then you will gamble the next time you have money.
You need to ask yourself the same question until the answer is different. It's a slippery slope if you start believing you can allocate a small amount. It won't happen. You'll lose a bit, chase and then be compelled to try and repair the damage. The cycle will continue. Even if you won big the cycle wouldn't change. Your reliance would intensify.
The only way you move on from gambling dominating your life is to accept you don't do it anymore and that it's gone from your life. You have to detach.
The ultimate win is not being controlled by it. That's priceless.
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