2015 Challenge

Chin up TheGerman.

Glad you've quickly regained your recovery journey approach to this and you're still determined to keep going. Stay close to the site and update us with how you're getting on as often as you need to. You can carry on as you were. Remember the days count over the year is just as important in this as the consecutive days done. You're a long long way down that path of recovery and just a minor blip in the road is all it's been.

I wish you well this week and hope you maintain the strength to abstain.

Clare

Checking in safe and sound day 18. Was angry yesterday with family and that would normally be my trigger to have a splurge. Did not even think of it.very happy.x

Today Oct 1, is my Day 1 again. Sadly, I had relapsed numerous times since my last post and going off the challenge including yesterday. Last time I was able to stay 30 days free. So am taking this as an inspiration. The roadblocks that I had put in place helped in reducing the loss. Will continue my fight against the urges to gamble by tightening the roadblocks following the time-money-access principle. I am now aiming to be gamble free until 31st Dec so atleast will have the last quarter clean before the new year begins.

Welcome back WillDo79 and nice to see you with the determination to do the remainder of the challenge gamble free. Keep those blocks in place to help you if you get any weak moments.

Best wishes

Clare

Hi, I'm new here. I would very much like to be a part of the remaining months of this challenge. And beyond. I stopped on the 29 th september, so only a couple of days clean. I have never looked for support because I didn't think there would be anywhere that I could get help. I am a long term sufferer of agoraphobia and have not left my house in about 4 years ( this time around anyway). It's been 14 years since I was diagnosed and since then I have had short spells of being able to get out with help but out of the whole 14 years or so, I have spent about 97% of that trapped inside. I played online bingo at the beginning but then got lured into the slots. That was the real start of my problems. I could control the bingo pretty well but those slots were just evil. I lost a lot then won a lot and all seemed OK ish. Then I fell into that trap of chasing losses and everything went to pieces. I know it's the same old story so I won't go on and on,there is no point. The best decision I've ever made was to call Gamcare. I was so overwhelmed at the response I got!. Help! Me? No way,what's the catch?. Since I called and signed up here, I have felt like a new person!. I feel hope for the first time since I can't remember when and the empowerment! Wow, that's a rush stronger than any slot win!. It truly has given me a sense of power and control and even though it may sound bizarre, I feel like I want to shout out from the roof top " hey, people, don't suffer in silence there is a better way "!. I'm so happy I made that call. I refuse to give these sites another single penny. I want my life back. I have illnesses to cope with day in and day out and I can't carry all this destructive behaviour around anymore. If I can rid myself of gambling successfully then who knows?. It will obviously help me with my mental health problems to be able to get rid of one big bag of bricks that's for sure. So,even though I am only a couple of days in I would be proud to be a part of the 2015 challenge if you'll have me?. I am filling in the form for online one to one help and would love to be a part of any other kind of ground therapy that I can access online. Please, if anyone has any advice or information on the best way I can get involved then please just let me know. Please understand though,I'm not exactly what you would call tech savvy and I'm just starting to find my way around.

I wish you all the very best for your own recoveries.

Be strong,

Godspeed, OtterLady.

Hi Otterlady !!

Here's a big hug and a welcome to the forum. I read your posts yesterday and was looking for your diary to say hello. Start up a diary in the "Recovery Diaries" section. You will make lots of friends on here. Of course you can join the challenge & just think how great you will feel at xmas. I can tell by your posts that you have been reading a lot of diaries which is great. I don't run the challenge but we are all equal on here and so glad to have a new member. You have joined the best site this time! Suzy

Hi Otterlady and welcome to the 2015 challenge. Your in a good place by joining this forum and we are all here to help each other out when things aren't going to plan. Well done for telling us your story in your first post and being so honest.

I hope this challenge gets you onto the road to recovery.

WillDo79 & TheGerman, both of you well done for coming back and admitting your small blips. You can, and both will, get over the small errors you have made and I am certain you will both continue to fight this horrible addiction we all have.

Mike

Checking in day 36
Cheryl x

OtterLady wrote:

Hi, I'm new here. I would very much like to be a part of the remaining months of this challenge. And beyond. I stopped on the 29 th september, so only a couple of days clean. I have never looked for support because I didn't think there would be anywhere that I could get help. I am a long term sufferer of agoraphobia and have not left my house in about 4 years ( this time around anyway). It's been 14 years since I was diagnosed and since then I have had short spells of being able to get out with help but out of the whole 14 years or so, I have spent about 97% of that trapped inside. I played online bingo at the beginning but then got lured into the slots. That was the real start of my problems. I could control the bingo pretty well but those slots were just evil. I lost a lot then won a lot and all seemed OK ish. Then I fell into that trap of chasing losses and everything went to pieces. I know it's the same old story so I won't go on and on,there is no point. The best decision I've ever made was to call Gamcare. I was so overwhelmed at the response I got!. Help! Me? No way,what's the catch?. Since I called and signed up here, I have felt like a new person!. I feel hope for the first time since I can't remember when and the empowerment! Wow, that's a rush stronger than any slot win!. It truly has given me a sense of power and control and even though it may sound bizarre, I feel like I want to shout out from the roof top " hey, people, don't suffer in silence there is a better way "!. I'm so happy I made that call. I refuse to give these sites another single penny. I want my life back. I have illnesses to cope with day in and day out and I can't carry all this destructive behaviour around anymore. If I can rid myself of gambling successfully then who knows?. It will obviously help me with my mental health problems to be able to get rid of one big bag of bricks that's for sure. So,even though I am only a couple of days in I would be proud to be a part of the 2015 challenge if you'll have me?. I am filling in the form for online one to one help and would love to be a part of any other kind of ground therapy that I can access online. Please, if anyone has any advice or information on the best way I can get involved then please just let me know. Please understand though,I'm not exactly what you would call tech savvy and I'm just starting to find my way around.

I wish you all the very best for your own recoveries.

Be strong,

Godspeed, OtterLady.

Welcome from the Triangle too.

Have a readof some of the other posts and diaries.

Lots of experience on here to grow from

tri

Checking in this week too. 568 i think?

gamble free if not desire free

Welcome to the challenge otterlady X

Willdo79', welcome back, it's good to see you getting back up and continuing with your recovery x

Suzanne xx

Checking in on day 206........ been close to gambling quite a few times but glad to say still gamble free

Checking in on day 166. Every day is a success goof luck all.

Hi dropping by to give everyone encouragement to keep going, small steps one day at a time.

Jan вњ”пёЏFeb вњ”пёЏMar вњ”пёЏAprilвњ”пёЏMayвњ”пёЏJuneвњ”пёЏJulyвњ”пёЏ Augвњ”пёЏ Sept 9 months this year gamble free.

Keep going everyone you can all do it

Mo

Evening everyone,

Checking in this tonight on 658 gamble free days with no urges or thoughts of placing a bet. Thank you Mo for popping in and showing your support to the forum members. It's great to see so many people trying to make a significant change to their lives by quitting gambling. It isn't easy by any given means, and we see on a weekly basis, encouraging signs of progress and also members checking in to report a slip. That in itself must be extremely hard to do, but the ones that continue to plug away at this nasty addiction will always get 100% support.

Have a great weekend and I hope the fine weather we have had this week continues for the foreseeable future.

Mike