Starting to quit again

Hello mba,

Well done on joining the forum and starting a ‘Recovery diary’. I see you’ve had a lot of peer support on your other threads, and also you are giving other members support too.

You’ve posted that you have over 10,000 debt, so if you haven’t already done so, you might like to discuss your debt with a professional debt adviser, for example you could call the freephone National Debtline 0808 808 4000 or StepChange 0800 138 1111.

https://www.nationaldebtline.org/EW/Pages/default.aspx

http://www.stepchange.org/

You mentioned elsewhere on the forum that you gamble on an Android smartphone; you might be aware that Gamblock offer a blocker for Android smartphones.

http://www.gamblock.com/index.html

You’ve said that you’ve self-harmed in the past, please talk to your GP about that, if you need to access NHS treatment. GamCare provides free 1-2-1 counselling appointments to help people overcome problem gambling. To find out more about accessing individual therapy sessions locally, and for other types of help with recovery, you can call a GamCare adviser on freephone 0808 8020 133 or on the Netline.

http://secure.gamcare.org.uk/netline/

Take care,

Adam.

Hi mba,

I am new here like you and I am a huge sports fan and my problem is almost exclusively on betting on football and tennis and sometimes golf tournaments too.

Up until about a year or so ago i bet pretty much 100% on football. But then I got into tennis betting which I think is particularly addictive for a few reasons.

Firstly the tournaments are on pretty much non stop and there is usually tennis on somewhere in the world for most of the day.

Secondly I think the nature of the sport and the changes in the price, potentials for breaks of serve in games etc is happening all the time, it gives you a lot of adreneline. Football is more steady you normally only get a goal or two in a game of 90 minutes.

The other thing about tennis betting is that like you have said you have had good success in periods of betting and if you bet in play there can be big swings in maches meaning you can get high odds winners. I had not bet for around 7 months then i had a day off and there was a tennis tournament on TV in Spain. I deposited 30 just out of boredom which is a lot smaller ammount than I used to bet before i stopped the first time and told myself it wouldnt hurt I would just kill an hour or so and lose the money.

The worst thing happened I backed a few underdogs and they all won. I had 200 in my account. 3 days later I had turned that inital 30 into 700. Like you said in a post - I started to think I was really good at it again and couldn't lose. That was in April. We are here now in September and all the savings I had built up in my gambling free period of 7 months are gone. Plus I have more debt.

I don't know where the decision to deposit that first 30 back again came from, and that is the worst thing you can do... to give in and place any bet at all because it will lead to the same place.

Like you my biggest fear would be to lose my partner and child for this, something that is totally pointless and is just robbing time and money from me that I could use for something amazing instead.

I hope I can use that fear as a motivation to get past this.

Best wishes,

G-S

Thanks Adam,

As an outsider would you say I am/have been in a very bad way? I've never really thought it being that bad but looking back on what I have done I am/was worse than I ever realised.

I've tried to be absolutely open and honest and It is really helping me as well as others hopefully.

The self harning was pretty minor but however minor its not good and providing I continue to stay away from betting theres no chance I would do it again.

The debt is under control too providing I don't bet so I should be okay there.

The blocker I am going to try thank you.

Mba

I also wanted to say that I'm not in the best position to give advice but I feel my advice actually helps me too and I hope it is helping others. I know what i need to do just need to be in control of it.

G S, some very valid points there and you confirm the fact I may have a win with a small stake but eventually I would lose it all again.

You are right with the adrenaline rush in tennis matches it really gets me.

I have so much knowledge of tennis now I could tell you most of the top 200 male and female tennis players and their preferred surface. I even know most players in the top 500.

Having so much knowledge gives me the confidence in myself at picking winners but it never always goes to form.

I still have this part of me that if i could control my betting I could win but I know I can't.

I'm nearly through day 3 and even watched a bit of tennis at a friend's house with no urge so it's going well.

Thanks

Mba

Keep in touch G-S. I think we can be a great help to each other and keep each other going.