Hi all,
My name is Lauren and I have to stop gambling.
My weakness/addiction is to online slots. It was never something that interested me at all until the last few years and it seems to have overtaken my life. I know I'm not alone in feeling like this but this just has to stop.
I've confessed tonight to my fianc in regards to my recent spending and thankfully he was very supportive.
I also thankfully stopped before I'd destroyed all my savings - although there's not much left.
I have gone through the various sites and blocked myself so I won't be returning to those but it's so hard to stop thinking about it. It's the usual stuff that I'm sure most gamblers think about; "if I put a bit more in, I'm sure to get some back", "another 50 won't hurt", "I'm bored so let's go on the slots". There's many more but I think they're the main ones for me.
I want to get back to the person I used to be, who was sensible with money and always had money left at the end of the month, rather than someone who is scraping the barrel and even turned to payday loans to fund my habit. Luckily I'm back to a stage where I'm fairly debt free but this horrible addiction is slowly dragging me back and I don't want it too.
Sorry for the essay, but I'm really hoping this site can help me get over it and back to "normal" life again - and a healthy bank balance!!!
Hi Lauren
Well done in admitting to yourself that you have a problem and for coming to this site. My problem was online slots too and I am now 63 days in recovery.
I have received so much support and encouragement on here and just knowing I am not alone has helped enormously.
The problem with online gambling is that, as fast as you self-exclude from sites, there are so many new ones popping up, so many adverts on TV, so many emails giving you a bonus or free spins just to lure you in. Have you tried getting a block on your computer? You will need someone you trust to do this for you so they have the password. Temptation will then be taken away.
Like you, I would have good intentions of limiting how much I deposited but always played more and more, first to chase my losses then trancelike until I felt relief when all my money was gone so I could finally stop. Until the next payday. And so it went on and on.
Life is getting so much better and it will for you too.
By strong, you can do this.
Elfie
Thanks Elfie.
I'm glad you've managed to find support here and I'm hoping I will too.
Well the first day is done and I can't remember the last time I managed to get through a day without Gambling.
Hopefully I'll be able to keep going. I think it's just one day at a time...
Thanks Elfie.
I'm glad you've managed to find support here and I'm hoping I will too.
Well the first day is done and I can't remember the last time I managed to get through a day without Gambling.
Hopefully I'll be able to keep going. I think it's just one day at a time...
I hate these slots, its a slow ruin. I've wasted so much (time is the big thing really) on them. I'm really glad ur partner was supportive, must have been hard to say! Good on you, for finding that courage, being strong like that and with a little help I reckon you should be able to put this behind you, and not look back.
good luck
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