2015 Challenge

Day 29 checking in.

Well done to all who are still on with the challenge and resisting any urges. I've had the odd one or two urges to gamble but I quickly take my mind off it by shopping online instead ! Finding this is also a costly hobby though so must be careful with the pennies ! Browsing online needs to be the key for the next week or two as I keep buying things I don't necessarily need. Taking my new health grill (unopened) back to the shop to get some money for day to day things as I seem to have exceeded my 'spending money' budget! Oh well - I've enjoyed spending the money at least and lots of things to show for it. Going to a castle tomorrow with an offer I found online. Big adventure playground there for the kids and it cost less than £10 for a family day ticket. Definitely enjoying spending on better things at the moment.

Hi everyone. Checking in with over 3 weeks now gambling free. Have had a massively busy week so haven't been able to think about gambling or even check out this weeks posts. Sorry. If I wasn't working I was running and feeling great. Also been planning some weekends away with the money I now have available, thanks in part to where this group has gotten me. At last I feel positive and excited about the future. It's great!

Simon.

Honk, I think we all still get the thoughts of gambling from time to time. The thought comes into my head and a rush of adrenaline causes my pulse to quicken and it used to be that I just couldn't get the thought out of my head. You need to train yourself to do something else to distract you. I personally go for a run or do some cooking, even put the Xbox on. You will get urges because it's an addiction but try to have a plan to take your mind off it and you'll find it s lot easier to get over. Good luck and keep at it. It will get easier with time.

Simon

Checking in on day 79 GF, easier week this week kept myself a bit busier so didnt have as much time to think about it.

Good Luck to everyone fighting this, stay strong, especially the people in early days, its worth it!

Hi ladies and gents

Checking in day 19 gambling free, been busy at work this week so found this to be the easiest week so far in that I have barely given it thought. I know it's still early days though so I won't be getting complacent and still find the information and successes on here a great help.

Well done all and welcome to the people who have joined this week, good luck in your quest to beat this poisonous habit.

Scott

Hi everyone,

Checking in for the week gamble free.

Phil, if it's ok with you I'm not actively counting my days anymore. It's becoming too much of a stumbling block in my mind and rather than seeing it as an accomplishment, it just reminds me of my last failure...if that makes any sense. I'm sure I'll start keeping check again at some point, more than likely when I make it into new territory, but at the minute it's having too much of a negative effect on my thinking.

I've still got my counter running so feel free to get my gambling free days from there or just post me as a gambling free week, whichever is easiest for you.

Jess x

day 6 goin strong

Hi all, checking in day 23. Had my first councilling session with gamcare in Clapham. My hope is at the end of the 12 weeks is to have some magic moment where I discover the reason for my compulsive gambling. Not sure that will happen but I live in hope.The fleating buzz of the win isn't the frill I crave. I'm starting to think its the shattering lows of losing everything that is my own warped buzz. I think a lot of compulsive gamblers are punishing themselves. I seem to crave the lows. Hope this makes sense to some of you. Anyway on a positive would normally b planning my football bets for tomorrow but I've just been sitting with the kids planning our trip to Brighton in the morning. Hope everyone has a good gamble free weekend. John

Checking myself in for this week and its been a good week without any strong urges. I had to walk past numerous bookies in town this afternoon and as I walked past each one I said to myself those days are gone I don't need to go in anymore. I used to enjoy a few games on the pub quiz machine and whilst I don't think it would give me a problem it is gambling so after a few games of pool and a few beers I decided it was best not to stick a couple of quid in. Day by day I choose not to gamble and this is how I will be for 2015.

chris40 you have been checked in and added to the front page. Jm24, Jess I will still update your count each week on the updates, but you don't have to specify in your check ins, you focus on what works best for you. qprloc12, I find my counselling helpful, sadly theres been no magic moment for me but it has been really useful. Taxi man big congratulations for bringing up 10 weeks today, keep it up!

Finally well done to all 44 soldiers who are safely checked in. That leaves 23 to get checked in by midnight tomorrow. Take a look at the front page and get yourself checked in. If you see anyone missing then post a note on their diary reminding them to check in.

Hi All, today is day 27 and checking in. Starting to feel a bit more positive about life in general and hoping things continue the way the are.

I was going to check in tomorrow but seeing as I'm looking at the posts, thought I'd do it now. I'm on day 6 and feeling quite pleased without being over confident. What little money that is left in my bank account is for me and not for the bookmaker. Block on sites has been in place for a few days now. Urges not been too horrific this week. Went into town today and did not go into betting shops. I just want to see the number of days bet free mounting up for me and others on here.

Stay strong everyone

Cheers

Another week has passed. I am 35 days clean and going strong.

Checking in 42 days easy peasy 🙂 hope everybody staying strong x

Checking in on day 36. Normally a Saturday would be spent watching horse racing and searching the net for a new gambling site to drain my wages. Fortunately beginning to clean up my act and 36 days in feeling strong and no compulsion to gamble. DIY today which I never knew I had in me. Hope all have a gamble free week. My name is andy and I am a compulsive gambler.

Emily you don't need to leave, our gambling devil is telling us to leave this place, we don't need this forum. I went through the same feelings last year. I wanted to gamble so bad and I was thinking I should give this challenge up. Everytime I went quiet Mr B would be texting me asking how I was. Had he not kept on encouraging me back to the challenge I'm pretty sure I would be waking up this morning and heading off to buy a racing paper. I had my ups and downs, I slipped up and hurt myself badly a few times, BUT somehow I stayed here and eventually the penny dropped and I now feel stronger than ever. Don't give this up, I will check you in this week and then you have until next Saturdays check in to decide if you really want to leave or not. Have a read of Duncanmacs diary, especially his posts this week which are incredible.