Hello, My Name is Andy and i am a recovered alcoholic. i gave up drinking 4 years ago with the help from my Fiance and with the birth of our Son. I am proud to say that i am Sober and have no intention or any temptations to go back to that old habit. However with one solved problem comes another..
I have been a gambler most of my adult life. Currently 28 years of age i have spent 8 years betting on sporting events. Mainly small stakes (Lucky 15's on horses or small stake football accumilators) once a week on a saturday for a bit of harmless fun and in all costing me less than £10.. However in recent times i have looked at gambling in different ways.
I was forced to move house with my family last october and have been working longer harder hours at work to pay for the increased rent and bills that came with the new place, i started looking at gambling as a way to make money rather than just for fun so i could still enjoy the same lifestyle i did when my expenses were far less. Online casino's (Mainly roulette) have been taking over my life the last few months and now i wake up every morning with severe urges to gamble and even running off to the bathroom and hiding to play online on the casino, Reality really hit home last week when i lost a large amount of money (2 weeks wages) just 6 minutes into a few roulette spins.. Im currently not in debt but the way i am going very soon that will change. On the evening 25th of april. i plowed into the rent money to try and make my losses back to no avail and i find myself working longer hours at work and not buying things such as Food or clothes so i can have the money to spin away.
a friend of mine who is a recovering gambling addict said to me that this was the Place to come, where i would be accepted without the fear of Judgement or hatred so its what i have done. hopefully people can help me and in return i may be able to help others. Today, this madness ends and i am looking forward to getting my Health and my life back..
Thanks in advance. Andy.
Hello Andy... yes its easy to convince ourselves that we can turn gambling into some sort of money making enterprise and have fun at the same time. BUT look at the facts. The internet is awash with online casino's, which means that it is the casino's that are making the money, not us.
If you are anything like me, you have the occasional win, which is big enough to cash out,, but even then you'd probably put some of that money to oneside for further gambling in the hope of a decent win once again.
Anyway without waffling on, you know what am saying. Ultimately the money always goes back. The only win is not to play. When I am not gambling my bank account has steady rhythm to it of money coming in and money going out. When I am gambling it goes into free fall suddenly and dramatically... and I go into shock.
Also as you say. If you do have the addictive gene so to speak... then it would be very easy to become the gambling industries next victim. Everything about gambling is designed to addict people. Stay stopped life gest better when we don't gamble.
Hello,
Well done for taking the first step. This is a great place for help and advice, and definitely no judgment.
Now you’ve admitted you have a problem (that’s the hardest thing to do) you can start making progress. Have you put all the blocks in place?
You’re so right, you may not be in debt now but it won’t be long and it will happen. It did to me, and now all of a sudden I’m in over £30k worth of debt.
Hand over all finances to your partner? Does she know? It was the best thing I did coming clean to my husband, it was also the hardest thing but he has been amazing. Never once been angry, upset or shouted at me. I’m now on day 38 GF and feeling so determined.
As a member has always said on here, you got to do day 1 to get to day 2!
Wishing you all the luck - you’ve taken the first massive steps, so well done.
Claire x
Hi Claire. My finances have all been transfered to our joint bank account and i have put all of the blocks in place, i have also banned myself from the local bookmaker and have removed my subscription to sky sports (temptation to want to bet whenever i watch the football) half way through day one. Feeling fine
Thanks
Andy
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