Hi,
My names Sam I am female and 26, I have been gambling for a few years now and I have tried to quit many times but always end up going back to it. I have noticed what my triggers are whether it be me feeling down, stressed or alone at times it keeps my mind occupied for a while. When I'm gambling I lose track of time hours seem to go by, I started with just 10 pounds on bingo and I was only spending a little and if I won I would bank whatever it was log off and that was it but as time went I on found the slot games then that was it after a while I was hooked on them. I constantly was chasing a bonus game big win etc It was good at first I banked then realised on some sites you could reverse the withdrawal then that was it if Id ran out of money I would reverse it and swear to myself that I would bank a minimum amount that worked for a while until my stakes got bigger because the winnings on the lower stakes didn't feel enough so I wasn't banking anything anymore I was mostly losing it even when I have banked, majority of it had gone back on betting I am at a stage now where I want to quit I'm sick of feeling like c**P when I do this the funny thing is I tell myself I'm doing wrong I must stop but carry on anyway. my husband knows I have some sort of problem but I can't really open up to him fully as he's a little to soft towards me so he won't just tell me straight even though I ask him to I'm here to get some support and advice to quit for good any advice would be so helpful.
Thanks š
Hi Sam.
Well done on admitting your problem and seeking help.
i came here last April exactly as you have and through G.A and the advice and support on this site, I have turned my life around.
You can too.
What I am posting for you here is taken from another part of the site by 'mr bright side' . It is the result of a survey of compulsive gamblers and it is the most important advice you will ever read.
I wish you well.
Recovery is there but you have to want it more than you want to place the next bet.
The following words are that of mr brightside....
What creates the conditions for us to succeed in our recovery?
The overall feedback may not be ground breaking by way of research findings, however, it really does give tangible things for people to act on and consider to maximise their recovery potential……..most of which will be familiar to us all.
The top 5 for stopping are this……….
1. Telling Someone Close - 2 in every 5 respondents said that the breakthrough for them was the moment they told a partner, a parent, a sibling or a close friend. No secrets is important.
2. Handing Over Financial Control – 31% of answers cited that not having access to cash and financial control were significant. This often comes hand in hand with telling the person close to you why…….but they are surprisingly not intrinsically linked all the time!
3. Install Blocking Software – 20% of everyone answering said that blocking software such as K9 and betfilter had made the biggest difference.
4. The Gamcare Site and the 2014 Challenge – 20% of respondents said that the commitment to a group and being part of the team here has prevented them slipping, as well as regularly visiting and contributing to the site.
5. Downright Determination – the real desire to stop was mentioned by 15% of individuals – various reasons from family to financial.
Hi Sam,
Problems at home / work , stress , upset are all main triggers of gambling this is a way of escaping the real world and enter the fun and thrills of maybe winning big and taking your mind off somewhere else.
I found this was my main trigger and reasons but thousands of pounds later and the upset which follows what I call blow outs in which you lose a fortune usually ends up causing more stress in the long run.
Personally block every website you have accounts with , if you are serious about stopping call the websites customer care explain you have a serious gambling problem and request to be self excluded for 5 years , that way there is no way the accounts can be reopened in that time , maybe even consider talking about your problem open and honestly with someone , if your not ready to tell your partner , maybe call gamcare.
Only your own will power and putting blocks in place will see you on the road to recovery , I promise you the road to recovery is great , the first week is not so good but when you start building the days of non gambling you will see such a dramatic change.
Good Luck
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