Nothing new here, just getting words out

Hi Trouble

I know how low you must be feeling right now but you have done the right thing posting on here because it means that you want help.

Of course everything seems bleak at the moment because that it what compulsive gambling does. It will rob everything from you and then when you are at your very lowest it will rob some more.

You havent said how you gamble but in any case it doesnt matter- point is you need now close the book on what went on before. Forget the money you have lost it is gone and gambling of any sort will never get it back. So only way forward now is to stop today- whatever it is you have to do including self excluding, using computer blockers and protecting any money you do have left.

I have gambled all my life until only 39 days ago when I reached my breaking point. I decided enough was enough and stopped.

I have debts because of it that I can only clear a little at a time but that is ok because one thing I have plenty of now is time and I am learning to be patient which us CGs dont tend to be.

Main thing is you can beat this now if you stop now. Take one day at a time. Use gamcares couselling support and start a diary on here. Speak to CAB if you are struggling with debts and if you have any family that can help with your living arrangements- talk to them, explain what you can because it will help.

Make these changes and take your life back. why shouldnt you?

Keep posting and we will all support you here.

All the best

Lindax

Thanks Linda.

And well done for your stopping. The nice folks here on-site have suggested some areas for me to consider. I'm in a lot of trouble at the moment and need to think how to extract myself from them.

You mentioned a computer blocker? Any recommendations?

Thanks again.

Hi

I have heard K9 and betfilter are the best. There should be some free ones too if you have a look, also make sure someone else has the passwords and you have no access. I personally didnt use them as I felt I had to change my way of thinking and there would always be a way to gamble if someone really wants to so for me the key was ensuring that I no longer need or want to gamble.

I have read a lot of books on problem gambling and have watched quite a few lectures on u tube about problem gambling. These have all reinforced what I already knew deep down- you cannot win gambling. Even if you win big it always goes back anyway and if you lose you just keep chasing anyway. I guess I realised that the only way I win is to not gamble in the first place.

The urges are still there sometimes and the habits are hard to break but I just think to myself I cannot win because I cannot stop and the urge goes. My goal is to take 1 day at a time and to keep close to my diary on here and if I get any urge I will have a look through my earlier posts and it reminds me how I felt at my lowest.

Anyway there some great people on here that can give you better advice than me about the blockers etc but if you ever just need someone to talk to or just have a rant at Ill be here to support you.

Linda x

Bet filter is really good. It does need to be paid for which can be difficult but it is the only one that I found worked for me. You're not alone hun, although it seems so bleak it can change. Well done for sharing how you feel, it's a big step. I'm on here most days, lots of time reading through others' stories sometimes getting things off my chest. I'm also using breakeven and I find them really supportive, although very early days. You've been really brave and I really hope you begin to feel better x

Thanks everyone for your recommendations. Unfortunately I've been too slack in implementing them and managed to completely ruin everything yesterday. Guess that answers some of the questions I posed earlier in the thread about "how far do you fall before you've fallen as far as you can go".

Self-harm was a new response to the betting cycle for me. This is an all-time low. Surprising how often I seem to have said that in my life.

I'm thinking that this is time to move from the intros forum to a recovery diary. I want to show and record where I am in beating this; today has to be the day one. It has to be. Everything depends on me fixing this.

Trouble, please please realise you are trying to sort it out. I've been in a similar place to how you are and I'm only just starting out on trying to change. Please realise how brave you've been in even coming on here in the first place, take it as recognition that you have realised something needs to be different. If you can, search for counselling and fill in the little bit for breakeven and let them contact you, know that there's support and move on at your own pace. I don't know you but I'm really rooting for you here...the very best of luck, each day is a new one xxx