On-line Slots!

Welcome!You have made a positive step by coming here.I only joined a few days ago but have already found loads of useful advice and support.I get sucked in by particular games too and I can never control my gambling because even after a win I go back and waste it all in the hope of winning back the many thousands I have spent over the last 6 years.Be strong and good luck with your quest x

Thanks Sully! - am determined though keep telling myself it won't be easy. Even when I have so little funds, I keep thinking have a go and I might win - last night I had banked 430 which I really needed - then I withdrew it bit by bit thinking again, I could get it back - I've left 50 in to bank - hope I can hang on to that at least! Helen.

When i get the urge to play my favourite games, i sometimes play the "demo mode" and really there is not much difference to me... cos if i won i just gamble it again anyway... so try demo and see how it makes you feel?!

Thanks girl21 - I have tried that before and to some degree it does help. I've decided that every time I get the urge to gamble, I'm going to log on to Gamcare instead and see if it helps reading other peoples' posts. I apologise to everybody - there'll be an awful lot of posts from me!! Helen.

I'm just about to collect some cash and MUST not gamble it as it's all I have till payday and have so much I need to spend it on.

The more posts the better I reckon because it shows that the forum is helping you.Good luck!

online slots are a big problem for lots of us! i know what you mean about getting hooked on a game, i would blow loads panic but a limit on then just google and find another site with the same game! im new here to and have found it so helpful to look at others posts for both encouragement and to know that im not alone, you can do this x good luck x

Thanks Laura and Sully for encouragement. Panic attacks, sweats, palpitations.... all part of that hideous feeling when u know uv spent up and don't know how to last out the month! Dreading pay day coz got so many debts to pay out of it and praying u can hang on to it without gambling the lot.....this is a serious sickness.... hate it!

you can do this x

take each day at a time and keep reading and writing on here x

Hi Helen,

Hope things are going well for you.Stay positive! There are loads of people here who give great advice so just ask if you need anything. Take care.x

Thanks Sully. Don't want to be a nuisance on here but it is definitely helping. Haven't gambled for 4 days (haven't had any money!) so the test is when pay day comes around. Have to say tho.... not gambling makes me feel better.... at least I sleep better without waking up to 3am sweats and panic attacks. Worrying how to get food into the house. I am determined to see this through. Will stay off laptop and go to bed at proper time with a good book. Good luck to us all in fighting this hideous addiction!!

Hi Helen

Your story is so much like mine. Online slots were my downfall. I am now passed the 50 day gamble free mark and feel so much better. Payday has been and gone and money is very tight with all the loans I am paying back but I know deep in my heart that things would be far, far worse if I was still gambling. I couldn't think of anything else, I would deposit money thinking I would only spend what I could afford (and of course I was going to win.... really?). I would then go on the use the rent money, services money, food money and everything in my bank. This was on payday. The slots held me in such a trance that I wasn't even looking at the outcome of the spins. It was a relief when the money was gone so I could finally stop...until the next payday. Then the despair, shame, guilt and desperation would kick in. If on occasion I won I would proudly withdraw, imagining what I would do with the money. But as we all know you can reverse the withdrawals. So my life was an endless circle of deposit, lose, win, lose, win, withdraw, reverse, lose, lose, lose.

I now have an excellent block on my PC. My Ipad has gone to one of my grandsons and my sister holds the key to my bank. I cannot gamble even if I wanted to.

You have made the first step by coming to this site and congratulations on your first few days. It does get easier.

You will get support, encouragement and above all the feeling that you are not alone on here.

Read and respond to as many as the posts as you see fit. You will find similar stories to ours. I am sure you will also find immense support by joining myself and fellow soldiers in the Challenge. I know I have found a bond forming on this site which I never thought possible. I cannot let my family down, my friends down, my comrades in arms down but mostly myself down.

You can do this Helen, together we will all get through this.

"No More Regrets, No Turning Back. I'm Moving On."

Elfie x

Hi Elfie! Thanks so much for your words.... very encouraging. I had a blip after 4 days and so this is day 2 again for me. As long as I remind myself of that sick feeling I get after gambling .... hoping it does the trick! That, and keeping busy! So many very kind people using this site.... I am so glad I came here just wish I had done it very much sooner before losing thousands of pounds! I'm so plsd you are doing so well ....thank you for helping me....you will never know how helpful your comments are. I pray we ALL get thro this....we're not bad people are we? I would do anything for anyone. I just hope that fate will be kind to me and rid me of this hideous habit! Thanks again. Take care and please stay in touch. Helen. X

Hi Helen and Elfie, I can totally relate to everything you have said in your posts. The sick feeling when you have lost money, the endless deposits and then reversing withdrawals (if you do win) .... this is exactly what I have been doing and I feel sick now as have just lost another 600 tonight. I don't get paid for another week and just hope I can manage until then, I am already well into my overdraft. I am on my own with my 11 year old daughter and have all the bills etc to pay - it makes me feel so ashamed that I am wasting money left right and centre when I have someone to look after and who is relying on me 🙁

Anyway, it would be great to keep up with your progress, I hope you are both still managing to be gamble free. Hopefully I will be too after tonight, enough is enough.

Oh, one more thing, Elfie how did you bring yourself to tell your family? How did they react? I haven't told anyone, I can't bring myself to do it because I'm so scared they will be ashamed and disgusted.