Rock Bottom

Hi YoungGambler and welcome to the forum. I was in a similar situation 10 years ago or so when I was about your age and in the same amount of debt. My parents knew something was up as I was so down all the time and I told them everything. The support I received was overwelming from all my family. I successfully abstained for 2 years after that (read my diary for full story) but have since fallen back into the trap of gambling. I often think what I would do if I could speak to my younger self what would I say. Basically that the longer you continue to gamble the worse your life will get, it's as simple as that.

You're a very young lad and well done on seeking help on here. There are other avenues also like Gamblers Anonymous (GA) and counselling. For years I put off going to GA for a number of reasons mainly as I didn't think I needed it but the help and support there has been tremendous. I would advise you start by telling your parents the unadulterated truth. They may know somethings up already anyway and keeping it secret will really only make things worse.

Also it's not only about abstaining from gambling but changing into a better person, one who doesn't lie, cheat, steal or whatever. Doesn't happen overnight but eventually the smile will return on your face.

I'll finish with this. If you continue to gamble your life will be worse off than it is now. Stop and it will get better. The choice seems simple in theory doesn't it!

Hi and welcome, good for you at such a young age to realise you need to stop this problem, before it goes on to ruin your life.

Definitely think seriously about telling your parents, or if you have another family member you are close to. Also close friends can help. It can feel embarrassing to tell them, but it does help to come clean and get some help/backing.

If you don't feel as those you want to tell anyone, then it will be up to you to really make a determined start and start to take control. If you could do that and start to get the problem under control, then you might find it easier, to tell family and show them you have already made a positive start.

I'd have a good read through the diaries on here and consider getting one up and running. Many of us also found it is invaluable to have support from strangers on the internet who can relate to what we are/were going through.

Good luck.

Hi,

Thanks all for your messages. I am going to tell my mum this afternoon when she arrives home from work and see how it goes. I am going to give her control of my finances and I have already took my sim card out of my smartphone and put it into another functioning phone for messages and texts but not one you can use the internet on which will block access for me on the go. I am determined to beat this habit.

Well done Tom you have taken some big steps today already! The road to recovery is a long one but it has already begun for you

Hello YoungGambler95

Welcome to the forum and well done for taking the step to post here and access some support. It sounds like you've already taken some other really positive steps. I hope that telling your mum about what's happened will provide you with some relief. Perhaps you can then have her support with this going forwards too.

It sounds like you're doing really well so keep up the hard work, and remember we're here whenever you need to talk. The helpline:0808 8020 133 and netline: www.gamcare.org.uk/netline are open daily 8am - midnight.

Best wishes

Laura

Hi,

Quick update. Spoke to my mum about it. She wasnt best pleased but was happy Ive enclosed the information with her. Unplanned overdraft has been sorted so I will just have to survive until the end of the month. I have given her control of my cards and swapped phones so I cant bet on the go. First full day without gambling feels very good. Hope it continues. Thanks all for your support!

Really great you got it out in the open to your mum. I was 38 when I told my mum, wish I'd have told her when I really got addicted when I was 18-20 years old.

Giving cards to someone you can trust, is also a great move and definitely one of the most proactive things a compulsive gambler can do. You might even enjoy the break from your smartphone. I think we could all do with going back to an old school Nokia phone for a month.

Just keep posting on and reading the forum, so much support and encouragement around here, to help you really get started.

Day 2 Complete. I find not having access to a smart phone and lowering my use on social media outlets really helps. Gambling is everywhere in the media. Try and avoid the media outlets people. It helped me. Interact in the ways our parents / grandparents used to. Feeling a sense of acheivement after 4 long years of checking the racing post as soon as I woke up. Hope this continues!

Great start mate, it looks like you're serious about tackling this and there's not better time than while you are still young - like smoking, the longer you engage, the harder it is to quit. Glad to see you have down-graded your phone but realistically, in todays world you will find it near on impossible to avoid the online world completely. Blocking software can be a really effective tool. I see forum admin have already posted to you - not only are they available via netline, they also offer free of charge counselling if you are struggling. If you have got yourself into a pickle with money, you can get some brilliant (again free) advice from Stepchange and Payplan. You sound really geared up for this, I wish you the very best buddy. Keep this site close, particularly in the early days, it can be invaluable.

Twinklyr

YG95

I am the parent of someone with your problem so your story is familiar to me and you are also another young person drawn into this nuisance habit. It is really heartwarming for me to hear you are getting your head together really quickly to sort this now before you get in so deep you risk losing so much. You have successfully done 2 really important things - the first was to come on here and build up a support network and get advice, the second was to confide in your Mum how bad things have got. You should be proud of yourself because it takes guts to get grip of a situation like this and start talking to people and admitting there is a problem. It is the best thng to have someone else monitoring your finances and helping you sort a finance plan because it means there is no secrecy and it makes it so much more difficult for people to gamble. I have seen how the gambling takes people into another world and they start to withdraw from their family and them ore pleasurable pastimes and I find it heartbreaking to read on here about young lovely sounding people with potentially bright futures who are struggling to overcome this. If you read a lot of the posts on here you can hear that the posts are from good and many kind people who desperately want to turn their lives around. They are also from all age groups and all walks of life. We as parents are working hard to be supportive and we have put into action all the things you have been doing with your mum and at the moment it seems to be working and life is becoming a little more relaxed for everyone again.

I wish you and your mum well with this project of recovery and keep in touch with people on here because you will probably find yourself sharing the problem and even helping and advising someone in trouble.

Thanks a lot for all your support and yes it isnt always easy avoiding gambling offers and media but cutting down the exposure will always help and I'm glad you can relate. What really puts things into perspective is some of the stories on here. Im young and a few thousand debt can seem very daunting but with the correct saving and help this can all be a distant memory in 1-2 years. It is important to read some of the stories about people losing homes , cars and families. Thats certainly not what I have in mind in later life and thats what is focussing me to quit. Thanks a lot for your help and I wish you all the best!