Nothing to live on

Hello,

I am a recovering compulsive gamblers girlfriend who found out last year about his addiction, he had gambled £** in a month and desperately needed to stop. I knew nothing about gambling but had an eating disorder for 3 years so understood some of the addiction. I took my boyfriend to the Drs and he was prescribed antidepressants, I found a Gamblers Anonymous Group and took him there, we both signed up to Gamstop so he couldn't gamble online. I maybe telling you stuff you already are aware of but these things do work if you have lost enough. My boyfriend finds the GA groups the most helpful and travels over 100 miles every week to get there. Please as dark as times are right now don't do any harm to yourself, with the right help you can beat it but only if you are ready to x

When I first joined here I was in a similar position. Except I only had to wait two weeks till I got more money. 

I borrowed £50 off my baby brother and lived on a fiver a day. I went to the supermarket in the half hour before closing to get the whoops'd deals. That helped. 

If you try a local Church, they will offer food to any person in need. Sikh temples will feed you in the temple. 

A food bank will give you enough groceries for a week usually which will give you some time to calmly think about your next steps. 

Do call the Helpline and reach out for support. 

Regards 

Drama x

Hi RyanWhyte89,

Sorry to hear you are having a difficult time.  There is information and support available to help you.  Please contact the helpline which is open 24/7 on 0808 8020 133.  We can talk to you and signpost you to 1:1  treatment and other support options.  

Best Wishes

ClareH

Forum Admin

 We are powerful we are all humans, life is so hard then we all come crashing down. I hear you, here's my hand hold it, let's all help each other.

Some really good advice here from others. I definitely agree with GA groups and have myself over the years driven many miles to attend several in a week at the very begining. The advice for food banks is really good too and I didn't know about Sikh temples so that was interesting to learn.

Do take care and stop now, stop today to give yourself a chance. Things do work out when we address this and you must have faith in that although extrtemely hard to do so given the current mindset of course, but they really do.

Read other people's diaries and come to the chat forum starting in half an hour at 1pm UK time. I will be there. So many people on this forum will understand what you have done and relate to all the stuff we do to ourselves. There is some consolation in that to know that none of us are alone. Be strong and please post again before you go to bed today. This is not about giving up gambling, its about a complete life change and its taken me 50 years to realise that as I keep testing myself over and over again thinking I'll get a different result but I never do. A person on here wrote that any gambling win is a future loss and I really get that and have thought about it a lot. I ask myself, what am I really gambling for? Its certainly not about money, which means then that something else needs addressing. I am here to find out on a daily basis what that something else is.

Be kind to yourself. All the best, Simon.

Hi Ryan, 

I am so sorry to hear your troubles. I think talking to someone always helps, a friend you trust or a not so immediate relative. Put all the blocks you can in place. If you can, borrow the bare minimum you will need to survive until 18th April. If that’s not an option have you got anything you can P**n for some temporary cash? There’s some great advice on charitable free options for food. Try not to look at this as a terrible day but instead the start of your new life.

all the best

Em x

Hi having a sleepless night , thanks for all the responses. I just feel so up against it now. I even left a message at the local parish for the priest. I don’t even go to church !! I am trying hard and have contacted a couple of people so we will see what happens. My life has been like this for around a year now and has rapidly gone downhill. From being fit and healthy to really thin weak and being in temp accommodation. I don’t drink or smoke and I should be healthy!! 

Hi, I joined today. Came here a few days ago after finally admitting my 8 years of lies, deceit and huge debts to my partner. Fully expected him to throw me out, but he hasn't. He has supported me and loved me.

I have no idea why or how I started gambling but I can't go back to that life anymore. Its so hard to think of other things to do as I have isolated myself from family and friends. But each day not gambling is a small victory for me.

Never felt lower, but am starting the uphill climb to being level again. 

Hi Ryan

Thank you for your message. I know the feeling with the sleepless nights. I have been sat in my car outside my house until 5 minutes ago. I have only just this minute goe in and got in bed. I’m tired cold and like you, in despair at what we’ve done. I hope you get some sleep and today will be a bit better then yesterday. 

Lonelysoul.

Hi  ryan I myself have only £20 left, I've got to make it til the 25th, your going to have to be honest with your dad to help you get to your next payday, it's too long of a time to go without money I think I'm going to have to tell my girlfriend at some point, but its needed. Stay strong