2014 Challenge

checking in on day 96

gamble free this week and thanks to all the support i'll hope i'll get to 100

thanks triangle

Checking in on day 87...a crazy and expensive weekend but no gambling 🙂 coming up to the 3 month mark which means at least 3k paid off the debt mountain...I think the fact I can actually light at the end if the debt tunnel is making me more determined to stay clean.

Never give up giving up xxx

I need to check in again and say I'm back to day 1 :-((

Noooo Pinky??? What happened?? Keep the chin up eh and as long as it makes you stronger soldier. Talk to us??

Mr B

Hi soldiers..

What a good idea of Mr Brightside to ask for a little more info about us all. I often try to 'picture' how i imagine my fellow soldiers to look like ha. Now Mr Wolf... im picturing grey beard, biker kinda look ha (prob way off the mark lol)

speaking of mark... thats me. 35 from west yorkshire (thats england mr brightside). Im very happy to report no gambling since the fa cup final 1 month ago today. Its been difficult but whats helped is joining here and feeling that im not alone and theres a whole bunch of people in the same boat. Also whats been important is giving my bank card to my dad. I know its only been 1 payday where ive not lost any money but the plan is to get to the end of the year and then think about whether i feel strong and confident enough to take control of my own finances.

Ive been thinking how demorolising it must feel (trust me ive regambled time after time myself having vowed to stop) to go back to 'day 1' on thid challenge. I know that the whole point of this thread is centered on counting the days and therefore a slip inevitable means starting from day 1, but ive been mentally imaging us all walking a long dusty road as the team that we are, and if one of us has a stumble (gambles) then i think instead of having them starting the walk again on day 1 on their own we just tell them its only a little bit of mud on their uniform which will fade away in time and they carry on with the team... i know im not explainin this very well and im rambling :-s

Hi all. Sorry for not making check in last week Mr B I have been very unwell and lost track of days. However I am still gamble free and this is day 30 I believe 🙂

I am a 32 year old female from Hertfordshire, England. The best things to help me with my road to recovery so far has been reading posts on this site, being open with my family and having a betfilter installed on my laptop. Looking forward to entering my 2nd gamble free month. Good luck to all. x

day 52 and checking in 🙂

Hey mr B just wanted to come on here to say great to talk with you. It's news like I've got over last few weeks 1. About trip to Finland and 2. The news for charity event that have mad stopping to gamble so much easier

Your news put a bigger smile on my face than any bet ever has 🙂

Now to go enjoy 3 more matches at the World Cup, only thing that could improve my mood right now is if Ireland were in it lol

Evening everyone!

Just a quick one tonight to say hi!! Early night for me - very early start tomorrow - yawn!!

Thanks again for the check ins, especially those that are carrying the answers to the questions - it's very interesting to see the variety of ages and locations.......but actually really nice to learn what s*x people are! It's like Sonic mentioned on his check in - you build up images of who people are and how wrong you can be! I really like your imagery Sonic - I conjure up these types of things in my head too!

Pinky - hope you are doing better than yesterday and have stopped beating yourself up. It may seem daft, but this could be the making of you. If you read back on the challenge, probably very close to the time you joined (or thereabouts), I posted about an addiction cycle.......it might be worth going back and having a read of it - it should make sense.

4eva - it's bizarre that you get a feel for someone and how you think they'll get on during recovery - I've always thought that you'd be in for the long haul! Great to have you back and hopefully you're on the mend.

Finally, Ringerbell - it was great to chat to you and I'm just delighted that we could unlock a bit of support for Clodagh! Such a worthwhile cause.

That's us half way through the week - needing a wee surge of check ins and answers to the update questions please!

Mr Brightside!

Checking in on day 81

Really pleased at how i'm handling the world cup, i'm certainly not getting complacent but i did think id have a lot more urges for the month, but thankfully (Touch wood) i'm still going very strong and just enjoying the football!

Maybe the fact a lot of my friends are losing money left right centre with it is testament as to how gambling just does not work - It gives us nothing at all except negative feelings and losing hard earned money.

So glad i'm aboard a ship that will never gamble EVER again and not on a sinking one that will end in devastation.

In regards to answering this weeks question, I am 27 years old, Male from Scotland!

I think the best thing i have done in terms of never gambling again is allowing myself to start to like myself again.

In a way re-wiring my whole way of thinking in life - My attitude to gambling, my belief in working hard for money rather than hoping and praying for a big win. Just basically changing me as a person for the better - Getting out of the bad habits, feeling good about me as a person and being maybe more strong mentally in knowing my weaknesses, where i stumble, what i can improve. Basically getting to know the real me again without gambling playing a role in my life!

Keep the guard up gang,

All the best,

Drew

Checking in no gambling no chance!

Day 20 just checking in everyone keep up the good work and stay strong !

Hi everyone - checking in on day 15 of being gamble free.

In response to Mr B's request...Cliff here, 56 year old male in Essex. And I do have a beard and a pony tail, but my motorbike riding days are long behind me now! always promised myself a Harley in retirement - can't do that though as lost the ability to pay for and run one through gambling!!

I have been a gambler since I can remember, from being taken to Sandown Park and other race meets on most Saturdays as a 7/8 year old by my Dad who was a semi professional gambler even then in the '60s and being allowed to put sixpence on each race ~ who would have known that the fun and excitement I had and felt then then would almost completely ruin a life!!

I also lost a house and had to have an IVA [over 80K which is now all paid up and finished] which was my first stopping / abstaining point from gambling and I managed 6 gamble free years until last year when I semi retired, was feeling bored on my days off and as I had some 'spare' cash from my pension....! Lessons not learnt then from pre IVA days!

Anyway a few relapses between last July and now, I denied acknowledging the tumbling down of my 'normal' environment back into a CG one again until it became a big problem again. Same old!! And that's why I am here - to start to get back to a completely Gamble Free future.

But in answer to Mr B's big question....“What is the most significant thing or things you have done that have supported you in your recovery journey to stop gambling?” ~ difficult one for me, but I would have to say its both a) the fact that as I have had to sell many hard earned possessions over the last 12 months to pay for my gambling habit & then debts, so now haven't the cushion I planned for for my retirement, it is simply the fact that I just don't want to have to sell anything of the few nice things I have left!! That and b) more importantly it is the quiet support of my partner whom I just don't ever want to disappoint again! I have to spend the rest of my future building back the trust and build a few bridges by being and remaining gamble free.

On a lighter note, having watched Spain crash out, as did France a few WC's ago; at least we won't be the biggest scalp now if we don't manage to win tonight! I believe the team Roy has put together is a good one albeit young and inexperienced on such a stage, but they played very well against Italy and proved that over time [not that we have much this WC] they could be a force to be reckoned with in the coming years as they mature as a team. Perhaps this time tomorrow I may have a different perspective :)!

Hope everyone is enjoying the games for the game ~ and for me, watching Australia nearly tear apart Holland was the best game I've watched for decades, what a goal!!

Sorry for rambling about non gambling ~ good luck every one and enjoy the march forward in this challenge we all face. Cliff

Hi Mr B and everyone in the challenge. Maureen here, 53 from Scotland. This is a very difficult post for me as I have to admit after being gamble free for over 50 days I have relapsed momentarily......I am utterly ashamed and disappointed in myself and also for letting everyone down. I know there is no excuse for lapsing and I just need to own up and accept I did and move on from here so this is me checking in on Day 1 and will be taking small steps, one day at a time to keep going in this challenge.

Mo

Hi everyone

Checking in day 19

I'm 30 years old from South West London

Firstly I'd like to say to Mo to keep your chin up and try and put your relapse behind you, I also relapsed 19 days ago and I felt awful for a few days but after a lot of support from this site I changed my life I confessed all to my partner and she took control of my finances so that is by far the best help for my recovery, keep strong and start a fresh!

I also go to GA every week which really helps me stay grounded and listening to other peoples stories really helps me

Mike