Hi all, back again!
So after almost 6 months of no gambling (apart from the occasional lotto ticket) I've just spent my entire months wages online. Hello fancy new slot games, you've drawn me in again. The first time i stopped I lasted about 6 months too. I think when I start to get back on track, i always seem to turn back to gambling.
So long story short - I got massively in debt from gambling, and i've managed to clear a large chunk of it. Consolidated the rest, and this has actually led me to have some money left over at the end of the month. Targeted ads on facebook got me to a new casino site, and i've been in a slot related stupor for the last 5 hours. I got paid 7 hours ago. £2000 in 7 hours is totally a new record for me!
I took so much advice last time, talked to people close to me, actually admitted there was a problem, attempted a group session, which was torturous, so what i'm looking for is someone who's tried something a bit different? Anything that we've not seen repeated a million times over. I'm thinking things like meditation, hypnosis, self help tapes, hell even some conditioning might be worthwhile!!
As it seems that even when i quit cold turkey and kept it all to myself, it had the same results as when i was actually looking for help from proffesionals, so i'm willing to try anything different to see if this time it will actually stick.
Your responses will be greatly appreciated, so i'll be right back, gonna go figure out how to make £60 last an entire month!
Let's make today a new start. I am planning on getting my debts sorted too.
Hi randomreb, all of the above is my suggestion. We need a complete re-wire & anything that helps with that is worth a go.
Not sure what you mean about getting help from professionals as you only mention attempting one group session? Recovery isn't easy, it takes us out of our comfort zone & many people attending GA will say the time they need the meetings the most is the time that they start to think they don't need them anymore. Have you tried counselling? GamCare can provide this free of charge? Your GP?
6 months is a very long time to stay away from the demon but equally a very short time in recovery. It's no good just telling people you have a problem, you need to put barriers in until your addict brain accepts that gambling can no longer have a place in your life...There is no luck involved, no miracle cure, it is all about choices.
Time to start making the right ones & kick this gambling into touch - ODAAT
Hi
In same boat myself totally skint but consolation is no money can't play. Got a good tip though to get a new bank card and scrape off 3 digit number on back or get someone to do it for you.
That's if it's online slots may give you some breathing space. Don't know if this is any help.
Best of luck one day at a time is what I keep saying to myself
Thanks for your responses!
Sorry ODAAT, i didn't actually clarify much, i did only do the one group session and it actually made me get more tempted to gamble than anything else i've done! Sitting around and talking about addiction and what drove us to it seemed to reinforce the idea that it had hold of me still. Same with counselling. I stuck that out for 3 sessions and told the dude helping me that it was actually making me want to gamble more! Hence why im looking for alternatives?
I work in a therapy based setting, which is one of the main reasons why i think i struggle with this kind of help. (Ironically i do lots of drug and alcohol related addiction work, who'da thought!) when you're on the other side of it, it gives you a strange perspective, and internal resistance to receiving the help yourself.
My problem is online slots, nothing else seems to phase me in the slightest, i even went to a casino for a friends birthday a month or so back, didn't take my card, took £50 in cash and thought it would wise to set myself limits. yet it didn't seem to trigger me into it at all, i played a couple of slots but mostly watched people and drank. Wheras online it feels more like real gambling, i can rack up thousands in a matter of hours and not realise where the time goes.
I have blocking software installed, paid £80 for the privelage and it's all too easy to get around. The only thing i found helpful was redirecting any searches containing the word slots to this forum, which is an autoamtic guilt trip and did stop me when tempted - until today. Again!
I feel more motivated to stop this time round, wheras before i've been annoyed at myself, i actually feel incredibly guilty now as to how this is affecting me, and the people around me.
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