2016 Challenge

I would like to wish everyone the very best on this 2016 challenge thread.

I joined the 2014 in the October, and I did the 2015 all the way through, and this has definitely helped me to abstain and maintain.and discover things about me and life in my recovery journey.

My only vice was online slots, but it did the damage;( am still around 20k in debt, but it is going down, slowly but surely.

This addiction hit me mentally, physically, and emotionally, the debt does not worry me now, as it is getting paid off on my own payment plan, it was the. Mental, emotional, and physical side that was more worrying, but my personality has changed again, I am not the person I was before the addiction took hold, but I am not that person I was when in the grip of it.

I was thinkng of not joining the 2016 challenge, but why stop something that has worked for me, and is still working for me, so I will be proud to walk along side with each and every one on this challenge,

I want to thank Gary for doing the 2016, it takes time to do this every week:)))

Happy New Year soldiers, and here's to 2016, being gamble free for all of us because recovery is possible for all.

Checking in on 612 days

Suzanne xx

Hi Gary,

I am in I was thinking of not doing it. But I think thats the gambling part of my brain trying to mess me up. So I am in. Michael

Welcome aboard Michael. :))

Suzanne xx

I would like to also join 2016 challange to try and kick this habbit for good (small steps). In short I have been CG on and off for the last 13 years now. There were periods (months and few years in between) where I did not gamble at all but got sucked back into it eventually. This year (or the second part of this year) has been particularly bad and my relapses were more frequent. My last bet was on 30 December 2015. My vice is Online Sports Betting (any sport). I am not currently in debt at the moment but I do have but I have run up 5.5K on two credit cards this year. I will not be dipping into my savings to pay it off just slowly punishment to myself as I am not looking for an eay way out. Of course money comes and goes and stopping gambling is more mportant then money (which we can pay off eventually). The journey will commence and continue from now..Happy New Year

Here's to 2016!! Let's go people!!!

Hi Gary,

Thanks for setting this up, and please count me in.

My name is William I am 29 years old and I have had a problem with gambling my whole adult life. Gambling has taken away from me numerous opportunities in life, it has taken up so much time and on the 17th November had left me in slightly over 24K of debt.

Problem gambling for me started on fruit machines and progressed to huge sums wasted on FOBT's, Online and a little in Casino's. The last 3 years has really seen my gambling spiral out of control although it has always been a problem right from the very start.

Currently I am 45 days gamble free which is the second longest period of no gambling since I started. I once managed to stop for 9 months but the resulting relapse made my gambling habits worse than ever.

Good luck to everyone involved and thanks again Gary for setting this up.

William

I am not sure if I allowed to do this but as it is the end of the year this is a good motivational video to start new year https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgmVOuLgFB0

Hi Gary

Thank you for setting this up I would like to join the 2016 challenge.Ive been gamble free for 18 Days now my first chat on the online chat here is the first time I had spoken to anyone re my gambling and gave me the purpose that I can do this and dont need gambling anymore.Im looking to do councilling this year.

Im similer to Rick6832 and have been doing online slots for around 5 years. It started when my mum was ill and passed away 6 months later I sat at home in the evening and played joining loads of different sites and ran up similer debts to people on here opening new credit cards to move debt around then re spending what id moved. I started to get things under control around a year ago but never got any help and tried to do it all myself but was forced to start working from home full time as my job was outsourced and the 2 companies fell out which lead me to feeling more isolated at home and start gambling during the day when I had no work to do.
I decided to get another job which has taken time and the good news start a new job in January back working with people. so I can get structure in my life again.

Ive self excluded all sites and apart from one credit card I use to pay bills cut the rest up. Ive done budgets how much I can afford to pay back and it will be several of years before im clear of debt.

Wishing a happy and gamble free year to everyone

Hello i would like to join the challenge. i have gambled today after 33 days away from roulette but did play other games. Its a fresh year tommorow and i want it to be a gamble free year. i have been a fobt player for about 7 years i would say but cannot control it when i play. i have felt better recently but this week work has got to me and i have had dental surgery which is still unfinished. so i am back to square one but feel ive had a good traing session towards a gamble free future.

Hi I am in Gary

Hello

I have just joined gamcare and am desperate to stop gambling before it ruins my family

i bet on sports and horses about 5-6 days a week (or should I say used to) and cannot have a losing bet without wanting to try and win the money back or make more.

hello

I am hoping to stay gamle free for 2016 and beyond. i have been gambling for 17 years, i started on fruities and progressed to FOBTs but now only play in poker games and bet on football, somehow im i have gotten myself debt free and need to keep it that way. I have 2 kids and am getting married this year and i dont want to lose my family over gambling. Today is day 1 for me. Good luck everybody in your journeys and a happy and healthy 2016.

all the best

jon

Welcome to all the faces new and old to the challenge. 2016 is a fresh start for us all but if i offer myself any advice its not to see this as a short term solution. Stopping gambling for those afflicted needs to be taken as seriously as the consequences could be.

Here's to the second of many posts and check in's of 2016. Tri

Hi,
I am 652 days into a gamble free future! I am a former golf professional who would punt on just about anything!
So I am continuing from the 2014 & 2015 challenges into the 2016 challenge!
Have a great year.
Steve.

Hi all,
I'm currently on day 159. The 2015 thread really helped me stay focused on staying gambling free.
Before then I use to gamble online & in the bookies mainly on sports and casino games. Roulette was the worst for me. Must of lost tens of thousands over the last 10 years or so.
Now my finances are gradually improving and I can see light at the end of the tunnel.
Let's make 2016 a year to remember for the right reasons.
Peace & best wishes to everyone.