2015 Challenge

Hi fellow soldiers, checking in day 73. Thoughts of gambling seem quite far away at the moment which is great, though i'm still getting regular feelings of guilt and anger at myself. I guess it's a reminder that I still have a long way to go on this journey. For now, i'm hugely thankful for the relative peace of mind that comes from a life free of betting.

Have a great weekend everybody.

Elchipper

Mr Stop checking in.

20 days free from the menace.

It feels good and although I've had a small amount of cash spare, it's stayed firmly in my wallet.

Keep Strong Everyone.

Ginger Motty was just thinking that this morning that was us 10% through this challenge. Saying that out loud brings a smile to my face and is a big acheivement for everyone. Wish i could bottle this feeling and give it to everyone who is struggling.

Busy week but just checking in 38 days gambling free.

Checking in for another gamble free week.

In answer to Phil's questions

What works for me?

I'm in my longest run so I'm going to go with what's currently working. I've stopped counting my own days (although still happy for Phil to update on my behalf once a week) and try to think only about getting through today - I found thinking about the future only made me think more about when my next failure would come and I'd get myself down about something that hadn't happened yet.

What doesn't work for me?

Moping around after a failure but also becoming overconfident after a good spell

Barriers?

Tricky one for me as I'm doing this in secret. I'm not proud of it but I'm also not going to change it unless my hand is forced. I have my reasons which I'm not going into but it does mean that I'm doing this mainly on my own willpower and the support from people here. Although, I have closed my 'secret' gambling bank account and I've self excluded from every account I've ever opened.

What 3 tips would I give someone wanting to stop gambling.

1) Forget about trying to win back the money that's been lost. The reality is it's gone.

2) Don't let your own arrogance/overconfidence make you believe you are 'cured'

3) Don't stray too far from this site - the people on it can become your strongest allies

Jess x

Checking in for first gamble from week in a long time... but first week ever on this forum so it works!

My tips so far...

(1) Commitment - if you are wavering and not fully committed to giving up forever then it is going to get very tricky as some point. I enjoyed gambling and wasn't sure I really wanted to quit for good. But talking to people and reading posts I realised that I can't win no matter how hard I try and reaching that conclusion has helped me to become more rational.

(2) Interactions - if sports betting is your thing then you're going to have to avoid the TV, radio, other media feeds etc for a period of time. The urge to consider betting when watching a game is too great as it's probably the only way you will have watched a game for years... I was certainly in that category. The number of betting adverts is ridiculous! And I mean seriously ridiculous! I hope to be able to enjoy sport in the future but the risk is too great right now.

(3) Mobiles - these things are demons. People say you should restrict your phone or buy an old phone with no internet... neither of those options are practical for me. The only thing I can do is make sure I put my mobile at a distance so not directly in front of me and in sight. I put it in my suit jacket, put it in my coat on the hook, leave it in a different room. I try to limit the amount of times I touch my phone in a day. For years mobile phone = gambling so I need a physical / mental barrier.

Checking in day 65ish just glad to be gamble free.

What works for me

1 Admit to myself that I have a gambling problem,after many years in denial.

2 Put blocks in place ,something I never did untill admitting the above.A failure waiting to happen if no blocks are in place.

3 Finally realize that I never won gambling,sure I had winning days,weeks,months but eventually I would lose it all and more.It may take me days ,weeks or months but in the end I would lose.Now I ask myself would I bet on a event that was guranteed to lose me money the answer is no i'm not stupid,but thats exactly what i've been doing for years.

Hope everyone can stay strong Dino x

Checking in for the week 🙂 been busy all week sono time to think about having a bet. Had a job interview yesterday so hopefully that helps me get into work and I'm off tomorrow to Dublin for the weekend to watch the football 🙂

Hi Everyone, checking in for another GF week. Phil another great update. Measures I have in place to keep me GF.....closed all online accounts, closed all ways of accessing money online, read posts on here....post comments when I'm able. BUT more importantly this year I really want it to to be my time to get back to the way I was for 20 years of being GF. My head is in a positive place, " I want to break free " from online gambling and am now in the right frame of mind...Jan-GF вњ”пёЏ, Feb- week 1 GF..........small steps, one day at a time. Keep strong everyone.

Mo

Hi all,

Checking in and still gamble free. I've started to realise that I spend more than I earn each month without even gambling! I've never been so skint in my life and have too many bills and debts to have any disposable income at the moment. Think it might be time to seek some financial advice. I'm now going through the process of realising how stupid I've been and wish I could change things but can't. Anyway, I need to keep looking forward and learn from the past and keep telling myself that things will get easier in time.

Honk

Checking in on day 94, getting close to the big century! Cant believe it. Im only 2 payments from finishing what was my largest credit card then i will start hammering the other one with the freed income that becomes available. Paying debt instead of increasing debt is such a good feeling. I keep a spreadsheet of my incomings/outgoings and it helps massively budgeting money. I estimate to be debt free in July 2016 now! 😀

Checking in 111 days today.
Hope everyone has a great weekend.
Mba

We are missing 28 check ins this morning!!!! Come on troops its been too quiet this week, make sure you get safely checked in and don't be struggling alone. One thing that appears to be happening for the second week running is that we have three members who are in week two on here and not checked in, I know the early days are so hard but this is such a supportive and strong place, its a shame if they have already given up the fight.

Thanks for all the answers to what I asked in last weeks update. I'm finding it useful to see what works for others and really hope the newer troops can take something from it and maybe add to their defences if they see anything that works for them.

Day 44 and I still gamble no more.

Been the best decision I've made to quit and using this site and this forum has helped to ensure I don't look back. Won't ever reset that day rolling counter as it matters to me more than having a 'managed gamble'. I've had my chances in the past to prove to myself I can manage my spending on gambling. I'm a compulsive gambler. I realised on Boxing Day I cannot control my spending; I realised I had to quit completely. Now I've experienced some success in stopping over this six week period I'm beginning to think I could gamble and control my spending.

I guess these thoughts are normal. Work is stressful and I've almost gotten over the excitement and 'newness' of the quit gambling for good campaign. I'm looking for avenues to relieve stress at work and my brain is saying to me : ' you could gamble in moderation'.

These I recognise as my urges. In the early days of stopping my determination and being proud of my success quashed the urges.

Now the battle is ongoing I'm feeling ' why keep fighting the battle ' the devil in me saying 'go on, you can just set a tight budget £20 a week or so to gamble' I've always thought that the money you lose is just the price you pay for the entertainment. I've often justified losses in this way. At times in the past I'd spend everything I had and more on gambling but feel this was somehow ok as I wasn't spending much on other types of enjoyment like shopping or cinema or treats.

The rational side of my brain is pushing these thoughts as far away as possible. I've realised my life's music has turned down a little as work has gotten on top of me massively this week. I need that stress relief - I used to use online slots as my medicine. That medicine is still there - tempting me, it's just on a higher shelf.

Can I reach it down and take a sip, risk a 'slip' or will I successfully lock it away in the poison cabinet ?

Only time will tell.

The triangle will be the key to lock the poison away indefinitely. I must not allow myself the ability to gamble.

1) I don't know the last three digits on the reverse of my only card ( there's paypal though)

2) I have gambling block software on my tablet and phone. Works laptop does not but it's not something I would risk doing on there.

3) I must self exclude from the physical bingo halls. This is not yet something I have done. It's a niggling thought - I could go to bingo and not play slots. But I ask myself why go to bingo ? The answer I know is to feed the gambling addiction monster. Bingo is gambling. I play for the chance of winning. I've said myself in the past it's been a trigger to gamble on slots in the club and online.

I do so want to see day 50 on this battle. So why am I even thinking like this ?

Boxing day. You are not alone. We all feel like this from time to time. Whats worked for me is using this forum and the support other people give you motivated me. I do bot want to let myself down but i sure as hell dont want to let any of you guys down. I know your thinking one small bet wont harm but try and picture the ending that this will take us to because we have all been in this movie before and there aint no happy ending if gambling is involved. Focus on getting to that fifty days. Keep up the good fight