Hello, My Name is Adam and I've been a consistent gambler since I was 18.. started off worrying about losing a £x treble but that initial bet won and it was £xxx ... and that from there was the start.. I've had numerous friends with similar interests who seem to be able to control their gambling or have the money to lose.
I've had several serious issues over the years where I begged borrowed and stole to get the money i need to chase losses and ensure that I was getting that fix of gambling and caused many personal relationship problems and social problems feel like I've missed out on alot of stuff due to wasting money on gambling.
This happened for numerous years and back in June last year 2018 I had the luckiest streak of my life, which ruined my life as I've done nothing but chase it since.. I had the opportunity to set myself up for life and all I ended up doing was setting myself back years.
I've often contemplated is life worth it or why do I keep failing people and I can never have the answers.. I've tried to stop before and it goes well for a period until I decide I feel ok and it all starts again.
I've suffered stress at home and at work with loved ones and friends, I've tested some good friends patience and also my family with the continuous mistakes I've made.
I now live and work out in Lanzarote where youd think it would be easy to stay away from it but I've kept finding a way to do it from the local bookies in spanish or any random site and over the summer chashing losses I now owe friends and family aswell as Loan companies money.
I came clean to my girlfriend the other night and it's been nothing but torture for her and me ever since and reading this forum today just gives me the push to see that if you open your mouth and speak there is a way out there Is an amazing life to be had if we put the hard yards in and get over this addiction.
It's going to be tough and take a long time but I've seen some inspirational stories here today and I'd rather join them then the queue for the bookies.
Today is my day 1 of being gambling free completely and I'm determined to make sure that isnt interrupted and that I can finally make something of the hard earned money I receive rather than it filling the pockets of already made millionaires.
My last ever bet is on myself to never gamble again and at this moment it feels like a rank outsider but weve all seen them come in and I'm determined to make it happen.
To everyone here I wish you the best along your journey it will be tough. You will question it but ultimately at the end it will be worth it.
❤
Hi Adam
You could say that I know an awful lot about gambling. In fact I have a quarter of a century worth of knowledge, but my husband surpasses me with his 45 years worth of knowledge. It's only fair to include my kids too who each have two and a half years of knowledge. So between the four of us, we've managed to rack up some 75 years.
So really you would think with that number of years between us we would have worked out a failsafe way of protecting ourselves from this vile cancerous sickness. Sadly with gambling, the only thing that can protect you is yourself. Yes, you can lock yourself out with apps, hand over all your money/cards to your partner, self exclude etc etc. However at the end of the day the only person who can truly achieve great things is you, the gambler. You could say, you hold all the cards.....not a nice analogy, but true! For it is not your mum, girlfriend, wife, brother or friend who can stop you.....it's you. You are the only person who can do tbis.
You have two very important choice options, one is life , the other is gambling. My husband chose gambling. He looked at his kids....gambling or kids??? He did not choose kids. He has just called me actually to say "please say hi to the kids" they're not interested though, after all they were rejected. The last time he saw them was July I think. He then had to choose between our home and gambling. We will probably lose it next year as he has lost our business too.
So Adam, what is your choice. Gambling or life? I promise you from the bottom of my heart you cannot have both. Choose wisely!!!
Hi Adam,
Welcome to the Forum.
Well done for taking your first steps in recovery. You're right that it can be a massive help to have someone close to you that knows what's happening and can offer support. Please have a look around the rest of the site, there is a self-help guide you can access as well as lots of helpful information to support you to better understand your gambling and how to stop.
All the best!
Elizabeth - Forum Admin
Hi Adam.
Please stop and there is no shame in admitting it all and getting help from all avenues.
The reality checks are what you need. That look from your girlfriend or father are NOTHING compared with the total ruin gambling has in store for.
Its the train ride calling at all stations through, desperately skint, fear, paranoia, anger, serious debt, being hated, homelessness, depression, bankruptcy, isolation, extreme mental illness, total ruin, criminal and suicidal thoughts.
You can get off that train and lead a good life with control. You can build it with pride and savings. There is no room for complacency and you will have to discuss the very core of your soul. You are already a winner in so many ways but you dont see it and the addiction takes over.
It can be stopped! Are you fully ready for whats needed?
Best wishes from everyone on the forum
We are available 24 hours a day, every day of the year. You can also contact us for free on 0808 80 20 133. If you would like to find out more about the service before you start, including information on confidentiality, please click below. Call recordings and chat transcripts are saved for 28 days for quality assurance.
