2015 Challenge

Evening guys.

Just checking in 7 days free of gambling. Feel good.

Great update Phil. Looking forward to the next one...

Stay strong people.

AB

sign me up for the challenge... anything to give a focus & help me knock this thing on the head.... today is day 1 for me... made the decision overnight that enough was enough and I want to get my life back on track... even when I win bets recently I don't even get a kick from it, as I know myself it'll get blown on something else shortly... No fun anymore & a serious drain on finances that I can't afford... New Year... New Challenge... For that reason... I'm In !!

yeah its nice to check in and support others

enjoying the shares and honesty coming from the group

keep it up tri

might some of you attend the online meetings 8-9pm daily on here?

Checking in! Aside from one slip playing a bandit when drunk since 13 November I am feeling good about things my debts have come down from 6.110.00 to 4940 having just paid some today :-).

Gamble free in 2015 this is going to be my year and hope the same for everyone else here!

Hi all,

I had a really bad relapse at the weekend and blew about £2000. Clearly not a very good start. I really need to stick with this and stay gamble free. So, today is day 1 again. I've not gambled today and don't really feel the need to. I'm too tired and fed up to even think about it!

Hi Phil

I would love to join the 2015 challenge. I have played slots for many years - encouraged to on family seaside holidays and at home in my uncles pub when I was quiet young. Over the years I have progressed to slots at bingo and my downfall was the discovery of online gaming. I only play slots and never been in a bookies however, that hasn't stopped me being £50k in debt.

For years I have managed to rob Peter to pay Paul but last week I was unable to pay my mortgage - first time in 24 years. Luckily the bank have offered me a temporary overdraft. Shamefully, I have had to take money from my daughter's savings account until I'm paid (she knows but I told her I had not been paid for a job I done....more lies). This was the last straw for me.

This is my 7th day gamble free. I have self excluded from all sites and downloaded internet blocker. Today I have checked my internet banking and I feel good that the only debits from my account are household bills. I am fortunate to have a well paid job with the opportunity to do agency work elsewhere when I'm on my days off.

I am committed to beating this terrible addiction and also to working hard to pay off my debts. I hope the 2015 Challenge and support of fellow addicts we can truly say this is our New Year xx

what are you doing about it Honk? you contacted gamcare? give them a ring now

Hi All,

Checking in on Day 7

Mel x

Checking in Day 5. Should be on Day 26 but for playing the fruitie in a drunken stupor on New Years Eve. A reminder that large amounts of alcohol lessens the will.Feeling positive at the moment, but the urge to gamble appears from nowhere so need to watch out. Have a good week everyone.

Hi, checking in. Day 5. Can't remember the last time I went 5 days. My wife has put age restriction passwords on all tablets and computers. It's a bit annoying as It blocks so much stuff that's fine. But I can't bet online at home and it's definitely making it easier. I've excluded myself from bookies and all my online accounts. hope everyone has a gamble free week.

Welcome to annie67 and luckybhoy34 you have been checked in and added to the front page. I have to say I'm absolutely delighted that Stephen2105 has checked in after a tough few days! Made up to see you have put so many blocks in place qprloc12 its the only way to beat this, I myself have blocks that annoy me, but if they stop me gambling they are well worth it. Honk take another look at my update and read what a year free from gambling did to two soldiers, its good you have come back, try to work out exactly what made you slip and put as many barriers in place to prevent it happening again.

Pauric (Ringerbell) there isn't much interaction at many of the bookies I have wasted so much of my life and money in. Just a load of zombies staring into a machine or at a TV screen. I too can feel alone, but theres better ways to interact with people than a bookies. Maybe you could look into some new hobbies or societies where you will met new people or maybe some voluntary work? Theres a website called meetup, maybe you could try that and meet new people local to you. Stay positive, fight hard and don't let the lure of a bookies drag you back.

triangle, I have used the chat rooms in the past but sadly as I work 2pm til 10pm I miss out. I think it would be a good idea for a few troops from our challenge to maybe pick the same day and time each week and have a catch up in the chatroom. Maybe you could suggest a time and day and I will put a reminder in this Sundays update.

Hi. This is my first time here and I'm on day 1.im joining the challenge to sort my life out. I guess I'm the same as a lot of people on here as in we all want to stop and not sure how, I don't normally talk about my problems and haven't tried it before so giving this a go. I'm hoping to have conversations with people which are going through the same as me and to find out their ways of stopping and resisting the temptation. Like most things it's always better to do it with people who share the same interest and as we are all doing the 2015 challenge we have he same interest. I wish everybody the best of luck and hope to hear from people soon and can't wait to be writing posts saying "day 207...."

Bornagain wrote:

Welcome to annie67 and luckybhoy34 you have been checked in and added to the front page. I have to say I'm absolutely delighted that Stephen2105 has checked in after a tough few days! Made up to see you have put so many blocks in place qprloc12 its the only way to beat this, I myself have blocks that annoy me, but if they stop me gambling they are well worth it. Honk take another look at my update and read what a year free from gambling did to two soldiers, its good you have come back, try to work out exactly what made you slip and put as many barriers in place to prevent it happening again.

Pauric (Ringerbell) there isn't much interaction at many of the bookies I have wasted so much of my life and money in. Just a load of zombies staring into a machine or at a TV screen. I too can feel alone, but theres better ways to interact with people than a bookies. Maybe you could look into some new hobbies or societies where you will met new people or maybe some voluntary work? Theres a website called meetup, maybe you could try that and meet new people local to you. Stay positive, fight hard and don't let the lure of a bookies drag you back.

triangle, I have used the chat rooms in the past but sadly as I work 2pm til 10pm I miss out. I think it would be a good idea for a few troops from our challenge to maybe pick the same day and time each week and have a catch up in the chatroom. Maybe you could suggest a time and day and I will put a reminder in this Sundays update.

Don't worry phil I won't let this drag me back to gambling gone to far to allow that to happen. It's funny cause I can identify the type of people you mention those who are glued to screen etc and for a while I was 1 of them and not nice way to be. I get down like this sometimes but am going to make an appointment about all this as can't let it fester into something a lot worse. The support of everyone on here helps at times like this as well. I play gaa so will be starting back shortly which like last year will help big time as get see people I know that wouldn't usually see (this 1 major disadvantage to rural life)

Hello to eveverybody,

I would love to join the 2015 Challenge. I have been gambling for nearly 10 years, but now more than ever I want to give up. I am on my 18th day of free gambling. Feel positive and ready6for the big change. Good luck to everybody. Nite nite

Hi Phil, a great first update. Hi to everyone new and from the 2014 challenge who have found the strength to join this thread to help and support each other day by day. gambling is a life long fight as I Discovered after being 20 years gamble free from arcade slots then falling into online slots in Nov 2013. Throughout 2014 I struggled to keep on the gamble free path, being in the challenge certainly helped me get back on track, Mr B particularly was very supportive, thanks Tony. However there are many personal issues going on in my life that have completely changed me as a person and I know I was using online gambling as an escape from the harsh reality of what my life has become. I realised I couldn't go on like this and took a major step in Oct to become healthier and thus better my well being and quality of life making me more able to cope on a day to day basis. I'm now in a more positive place in myself therefore 2015 is a new beginning for me with regards the challenge. I have reset my days GF to 1st Jan to 1 as I wanted to start this challenge afresh as I aim to be the whole year GF. Checking in therefore on day 6 GF .....small steps, one day at a time.

Keep strong everyone, never be complacent, come on the forum or phone/talk to someone if urges come you way.

Mo