Ups and downs but 2 weeks gambling free

Hi Tsnk, 2 weeks for me tommorow and i have found reading your post to be near enough exactly the same as i have experinced. I can relate to everthing you have said about the money lost and having to work hard and save again and also being able to spend again without feeling guilty, i to am having to start from scratch but like you am determind to do it this time.

Hi chartom3,

Sure it'll get easier for us, just gotta take small steps and learn to trust ourselves again and forgive ourselves. Starting from scratch aint easy to do but for a life free from gambling it could be the best thing to happen to us, thats how im looking at it.

I'm hoping for your success in beating gambling and to a great future.

Tnsk

Hi Chartom & Tnsk, Ive just joined and read your recent posts. I can identify with all that you both have said. Just being truthful to ourselves and admitting how much time and money weve been throwing away is is a painful but necessary step were all going to have to take now.Im also hoping to get out of the mindset that "my lucks going to change" because thats what was taking me further into gambling.I kept beleiving that I was going to have the "run of luck" or the "big win" that weve all chased.Im telling myself now that the only luck I will ever have is getting real and stop chasing stupid and very costly dreams of winning.

Wishing all of us success in this course of action, Bye for now and hope to read more posts from yourselves.

Hello 5t0pp1ng, you have made a good choice in joining the forum i have found reading other peoples recovery diarys a good help maybe you could start your own. I have also joined the 2015 challenge which i have also found helpfull.I am on day 14 without a bet and its not easy but the support of people on here does help.Wishing you well on your road to recovery.

Hi Chartom, thankyou for your comment and your good wishes for my recovery. Support like yours helps me to realise that there is a way out of the prison of gambling and that Im not alone in searching for that way out. I am going to check out the 2015 challenge that you mentioned as well.Congratulations on the progress you have already made and I hope we both continue well on the road to recovery and succeed in "The Great Escape"!

Hey chartom3 and 5t0pp1ng,

3 weeks today without a bet. Finding it hard this weekend not betting, really feeling the urge to bet and taking the energy out of me not doing it. Generally been alright not betting but when the urge comes its very strong still. Coming to terms with money lost etc have plans and goals in place to meet give me little targets to aim at, just going to be a long process and seems so far away. Strangely i seem more outgoing with others but inside my head thoughts just keep swirling round almost constantly. I know long run if i beat this and don't bet again i'll have a much more fullfilling life and am clinging onto this to help me get through it. Just going week to week and will try to enjoy life more and learn to trust myself again and money will come back, just gotta beat gambling!

Hi Tnsk,

Well done on 3 weeks gamble free,its always harder at the weekend but at least your not giving in to those urges.Setting small targets sounds like a good idea which i might start doing myself.I am finding now i have stopped gambling i am enjoying life more and spending alot more time with the family.Like you i am slowly starting to come to terms with the money i have lost but as you know it is not easy. Its going to be a difficult journey but we can do it!

Hey chartom3,

Thanks for the message, helps to know someone else is routing for you, think small steps and goals are best, not looking too far ahead. Just going week to week and got a holiday with mates in June so have that to look forward to. If i make it till then without gambling will be great to have a week away and just enjoy and reward myself, thats a future target.
Just looking at all the money in and out my account on gambling really hit it home how much time, energy and money was going on gambling. Little shot in the arm i needed that it'll just ruin me if i returned to gambling, and that as you say being gambling free allows us to enjoy life more. Losing the money hurts and still think part of me thinks i can win it back, was on a destructive path and hopefully have stopped just in time as this was inevitable and could have lost lots more if i'd continued.
Hoping for your success also and good to have someone in the same position to share stories with and as you say we can both beat this, we will beat this!

Hi Chartom & Tnsk, so good to hear of the progress you are both making and congrats Tsnk on your 3 week marker. I know what you mean when you say that on the outer you seem okay with others Tsnk whilst the thought of gambling is still swimming round in your head, hopefully that will go soon. I hope that getting back to a "normal life" will be the major benefit for me in completely stopping as it seems to be for you now Chartom. Im just about to ring my bank and ask them to block any payments to bingo sites if it is at all possible. That for me should be a major step and a removal of a necessary option for online gambling.

Hoping for continued success for all of us, bye

Hey 5st0pp1ng,

Thanks been difficult but 3 weeks seems to have gone quite quickly. The thoughts in my head are whats still affecting me, i rarely don't think about whats happened, even when doing other things. It should hopefully ease as time goes on, and finding more things to do in life, and enjoying myself will help.
Its a good idea asking your bank to block your card, takes away the temptation more, it takes a long time to move away from gambling but only a few clicks to lose it all again. I hope for your success also and we can all beat this, here's to a gambling free future!

I would like to say it is good to read other story's and we are not alone in this battle. My feelings are similar too most of the storys .The guilt of Debt , The time it will take to pay the debt and what The money spent on Gambling could have been spent on . I am focusing on my Campaign , E petition and trying to change Legislation and getthe message out there That Gambling is in fact an addiction like other addictions but is Such a Taboo . Well done to us all we are going in the right direction now in how ever we are dealing with this Addiction.