Worst month of my life

Hi Dyl996,

Thanks you for sharing your experience with us.  It sounds like you have taken some good steps by signing up to Gamstop.  Well done for being gamble free for 4 weeks.  If you would like more support or information to help you to stay gamble free please contact our 24/7 helpline on 0808 8020 133.

Best Wishes

Clare

Forum Admin

You’re taking the right steps mate joining GamCare and gamstop to stop u gambling online is positive steps it shows you that you know you have a problem. Inform the closest people around you make them aware of what’s happening the more people that know the better. It’s good to talk about it to people it will help a lot. Try to fill the time that you would normally use for gambling with something you are passionate about or enjoy. Take up exercise that helped me a lot. Whoever I was sat in the house and wanted to gamble I just went for a run. Call your bank and they can put a block on you using your card on gambling websites. Barr yourself from all your local bookmakers. It’s time to think about the future and not dwell on the past and how much you have lost, that is no good you need to look forward. Hope this has helped. 

Gamstop , for anyone who wants to give up is a must , so well done on that .

I gambled for over 35 years and never had as much in savings as I do now been stopped for a year or so, not massive amounts but savings to pay any bill that might hit. 
you can and will build savings again if you don’t gamble at your age . 
For my urges at the start bought a dartboard and stood and through darts for an hour, I’m actually quite good now .

I can relate to this I’m 27 and have for the first time looked through my bank and realised how much I have spent on gambling and how much I have borrowed to them carry on gambling. I was really worried to speak to my parents but after joining on here yesterday the lovely people in the chat room gave me the courage to own up to my problems.

My problem was similar to yours I spent all my money in the bank and kept gambling in the hope to win it all back? Don’t know what was going through my head even thinking that I’ve lost a rediculous amount of money (house deposit) but only way now is to fix it and start fresh.

my key ways now after speaking to my parents who were surprisingly supporting are you firstly clear all my debts - having debts were pushing me to gamble leaving me with nothing for the month - so if I get a grip of my debts which luckily my parents have offered to loan me to pay them off with a repayment plan in place - also on one condition that I show my mum my bank statements on a monthly basis to show I haven’t gambled and that I have paid all debts (does feel a bit like a prison sentence but me personally I need that otherwise I know I will be tempted).

hope this gives you courage to open up to family members - I still have my partner to go (we were planning on buying this year which clearly I cannot do now) so this is going to be the hardest but I know I need to do it.

take care things will get better 🙂

Oh Dyl996, really sorry for your personal Journey your going through, it is amazing how everyone has such different journeys yet so relatable in many ways also. I also have been finding it tough, and only joined Gamcare yesterday and Set up Gamstop today so am new to this, but already by sharing, talking and listening to other people has really helped me know I am not alone, it is a dark place and I am so sorry that you felt suicidal, I would have been so frightened if that was me, so I hope you find this site helpful if you need to talk there are specialists who can help us all.