Post from Goingmad on Wed 02 Oct 2013 08:03:19

Hi Goingmad, good work for posting what you have here,

It's something I write about a great deal. Complacency can be just as dangerous as strong urges; giving up can be a very uplifting experience and many (myself included at one point or another, before I stopped over five years ago) believe they are "cured", and can go back to small bets, or take advantage of a free bet offer. It takes minutes, literally minutes, for months of dedication and hard work to go completely out of the window and for you to spiral into oblivion.

Don't make this Day 1 my friend - Day 1 is a depressing notion after all the good work you have put into stopping - make this "Part two"; you have learnt a very valuable lesson here, one that could potentially make you stop for good - make it count, make it worth something my friend; you know that there is only one way to go now and that forwards, onwards and upwards.

If you struggle, then use it as further fuel to the fire of determination to stop. You were doing well and you can do even better - there is some rough ground to cover first but that is ok, as long as you make this experience count.

Well done for reaching 112 days. Try and be positive my friend - you are making some bold steps, all of this counts to working your way up the ladder to a better life.

JamesP

James P is very wise. Complacency is a killer in this game. My belief that I could engage in managed small gambling was my downfall and my 'crash' a few days ago was the inevitable result. I don't regret it and as James says treat this as a lesson on the path. Ive started a recovery diary to consolidate my learning. Good Luck

Thanks for the support guys, trust me I hear what you are saying this time it is for good, I cant go on living like this.

I when online last night and put blocks on every online gambling site I could think of. I also have one betting shop around the corner from where I live so I when in there and self excluded myself. This was much to the dismay of the manager who mumbled and grumbled about how he normally doesnt work in this shop. But I stood by my guns and waiting until he found the forms for self exclusion and I am not barred for 12 months. So hopefully this will help as if I want to do a bet in the bookies I now have to travel 4 miles which should give me enough time to realize what I am doing s wrong.

Well day 2 so again just for today I will not gamble

You're welcome Goingmad, and very well done on taking positive and affirmative action.

Ignore the thoughts and actions of the betting shop manager - his attitude was extremely unprofessional and has no place in a situation where it has take a lot for you to do what you have done. Use it as further fuel to leave those places behind for good.

JamesP

Hi All

I have decided to try and give tis one final shot to stop gambling, after 38years of misery enought is enought. As previous post have highlighted I have tried to stop before but without sucess. I guess it all came to a had yesterday I am just back from holiday and managed to save a £1000 for these holiday but instead of going abroad and enjoying myself I ensured I keep some euro so I could gamble when I came home, I exchanged 450 euro yesterday for £300 with the intention of going into the bookies and placing two £100 bets on the gold needless to say I lost it all on the horse instead. I then proceed to lift a further £260 for my bank account to do the original bets but ended up doing one bet at £100 which is still running and then lose the remainder chasing the first lose money amount. I roughtly worked out over the last month I have lost around £4000 which means I have an overdraft of £2000 and owe my credit card £2000 but there is still over £3000 credit left on my card so I have safed the numbers and cut the card up as I dont really bet on online as I have excluded myself previously from all betting sites. I have decided to stop before I also lose what little credit I have left on this card. Every gambler knows when you luck is out your luck is out, I arrived home yerterday evening after losing another £500 and open a letter a parking ticket becuase the the shopping mal whereby I park my card to go to the bookies has introduce a 2.5 hours maximum stay otherwise they find you £60 it would be funny if it wasnt so dame fustrating with all this gambling s**t. Apartentley this parking company have introduce and camera and warning signs from the begining of July considering the amount of time I spend in the bookies this will not be the only fine I am expecting another 10 at least. what a shittty life lol. Anyway enought of my rambling today is the first day of a new life, I have a master plan to stop gambling, firstly I am going into the three bookies in my area and asking for self exclusion froms these will be completed so at least that means I cant go into the ships in my local area. Secondly instead of betting on golf I am going to take lessons to learn how to play the sport this should releif the bordom factor which is the main reason why I gamble it is not like I need money as I have a well paid job. thirdly I am going to come onto this site as much as possible and take it one day at a time, financially I am in a mess but it is not as bad as some on here, I know I have a problem and by god I need help so here it goes " Day 1 just for today I will not gamble"

hi going mad thank you for your kind words i know i couldnt have done it with out the support im getting from others on this site wishing you all the best in your battle with the demons one day at a time mate.

Hi All

Well day 4 is here and I have managed still not to do a bet, I contacted the three bookies online to ask to self exclude one made it easy a simple email and photo and I am not banned from that shop the other made things difficult WH sent me forms to complete and then have to post back which I have done, LB havent sent anything out yet. They said I could call into the shop and self exclude but that maybe too big a tempation at this stage of the recovery so I have to wait until they arrive in the post. Seems like they want me to be able to gamble as long as possible what a joke.

Anyway just for today I will not gamble

Keep strong read your story your on good money enjoy your money my friend that's what I am doing from now on I've lost fifty quid this evening but wanted more money but stopped and said no and came home and had fish and chips,