Good Morning! To be honest it isn't a good morning, but I am going to use that word to turn this termoil into a positive step.
Hello, obviously I am new here, and the reason behind this is due to my own gambling, and through no fault of anybody else. I have come to the conclusion that it is time that I need to change! I knew this a long time ago, but thought it's okay I can do this, now still months and years on, I am still doing what actually makes me the most unhappy - that makes no sense does it, to continue doing what makes you unhappy?!
​Basically, I have been gambling on and off for the past 8/9 years (saying that out loud is scary that it has been that long). I used to work in an amusement arcade, love the industry to be honest, and so I actually know all the signs etc of a gambler. We werent allowed to gamble in our arcade, so I used to follow the others down to the other one, not knowing at the time they were getting money else where for their habbits, where as myself I was using every penny of my wages. So that's where it started for me, then progressed into online slots. Horses, Dogs, sports and lottery betting, I can take or leave. But my downfall is slots, and it's actually only two games out of the thousands which I enjoy playing, maybe because of the high wins? The tunes? or the features of the free spins etc, I don't know but I find those fun, even though I shouldn't!!
​So, since I am now 30 years old and supposed to be saving up to buy a flat/house which ever I can afford/find, I need to kick this habbit once and for all. I actually earn really good money and live at home, lets say the minimum I earn a month is £1200 (where I live thats an amazing wage) my out go if i didnt have two big loans should only be around £400/£500 a month, but reality because I took out two big loans over 2 and 4 years my out is more like £1000, and yet I have still continued to spend literally every penny I have spare after bills. I've even worked so far 28 hours over time this month to give myself £350 towards buying a house into a savings account, but because I gambled all this week as Im off work on holiday, I have now worked those 28 hours overtime for nothing and I'm back to sqaure one to the point I have no spare money at all until I get paid at the end of the month.
If anybody can help me...Please do! I'm getting desperate to change myself now!
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​Love, Peace, Health and Happiness...AS Always
​N2C x
Hello N2C
Welcome to the forum.
Well done on taking a positive step with a positive attitude.
Putting barriers in the way to stop yourself from gambling is a good place to start - self-exclusions, blocking software or handing over your finances to someone you trust are all good ways to help you stop.
Fully utilize the help available from the GamCare. The helpline can give you advice and ideas from people trained to deal with gambling addicts.
Read the forum and join in!
Plenty of people in a similar situation to learn from and give you support. Lots of people find the chatroom helpful (open today 2pm-3pm/8pm-9pm), you could start a 'recovery diary'.
GamCare also offer free counselling that might go deeper to help you to understand why you gamble which is very helpful in your aim to stop.
There's a Swedish proverb: "The afternoon knows what the morning never suspected."
It WILL be difficult...but your pseudo-good morning could go beyond 'good' and become life-changing if you have the will to commit to change.
Hello Glint,
​Thank You for your reply. I may try the chat room this evening. As for the free counselling I tried when I phoned a year or so ago, but there isnt any in my area! The closest is an hour and half/two hours drive away, which isnt practical for myself.
Day 2.
​I popped into chat last night, and from a reccomendation installed iquit on my ipad. I've decided to activate it at the end of the month when I get paid, otherwise the counter of how much saved isn't relivant to myself as I dont have any money left in my bank account so it'll be a false amount saved. I'm thinking that when I get paid I activate it and will be able to see what I am NOT throwing away online and be able to see instead what's been saved and sitting in my bank account and be added to next month and so on I hope so that I can get myself back onto track to having money for a mortgage.
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