Potential to destroy my life...posted by I-Keir

I-Keir

User Posted: Sun 30 Mar 2014 22:51:01

Hi. I'm new to this. But to put it bluntly, I need all the help I can get.

A quick bio of me: I'm 18, live with my strict and quasi-autocratic parents, I'm a straight-A student with an offer from Cambridge and I was happy until I started gambling on sport (football and tennis really).

But now, everything's going wrong because I cannot stop thinking about gambling - it's like a little bug I'm the back of my head of worry, and of stress.

It's not that I enjoy gambling; god, I hate it, but it's the fear of my parents realising I have lost £500. A trifle amount perhaps, but I can 100% guarantee that if they found out, I would be kicked out of the house. The fear, and this need and desperation to gamble and make the money back has jeopardised my school work, my relationships and it's killing me. And I have no-one to talk to about it, because I'm ashamed and I've span lies to so many people about it; it's a betrayal.

I can't go to a clinic, or somewhere similar, because my parents will know.

I don't know what to do. I feel pathetic.

I know I have to stop (that's a given). But how can I face up to the money I've lost - the figure itself is a constant stressful factor - and how on earth can I alleviate this worry without winning it back? In my head, further gambling is the solution and I can't stop that thought.

Can anyone help?

Please.

baggins

User Posted: Sun 30 Mar 2014 23:24:36

Hi l-Keir - Welcome to the site and well done for realising that this terrible gambling habit needs to be stopped NOW. I take it you have your own PC/laptop - if you use it for online gambling, self-exclude from all the sites you use and then install blocking software such as K9 (free) which will prevent you from accessing gambling sites.

If you read through the many posts here you will soon find that gambling affects people from all walks of life regardless of their age, education, background or finances. You are blessed, although you won't feel so at the moment, in that you are young and will be able to put this behind you (might not be easy though) as a hard but valuable lesson.

The £500 is gone - forget it - you will never get it back by gambling. Yes, you may win a certain amount, but believe all of us here when we say that you will lose it all again.

If you are still gambling in ten, twenty years' time that £500 will have become £50,000 or more down the pan.

Regarding your parents, of course I do not know them, but you might be surprised at their reaction if you were to tell them.

However I can understand your not wanting to do this - I assume they do not have access to your computer and so if you cannot openly attend GA meetings or similar, get all the help you can from GamCare - they give phone and online support.

Finally, try to come on to this site as much as you can because it is such a help - you will find a lot of advice, support and encouragement here. You have a promising future ahead of you - make the most of it, without gambling.

Keep focused, and let us know how you are getting on.

Joanna