Been gambling for over 30 years and currently at the height of my addiction. Minutes ago I’ve just lost 3 grand in a £500 jackpot machine. How the arcades get away with daylight robbery is beyond me. In desperate need of help can anyone offer any advice feel like ending it all ?
Hello daz2377,
Thank you for reaching out to share your story with our Forum. At what seems to be the peak of your gambling it takes a lot of strength to take that step back and reach out for support.
You say you feel like ending it all. I imagine it must be extremely overwhelming to not see a path away from the gambling that is causing you so much harm in your life. There are dedicated services that are available to speak with you 24/7, including crisis intervention if your mental health is deteriorating:
https://giveusashout.org/- A text messaging service for anybody experiencing a mental health crisis.
https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/mental-health-services/ - The NHS now have a 24-hour helpline for anybody experiencing a mental health crisis. Dial 111, option 9 to continue, then option 2, then option 2 again.
Our helpline is also available 24/7 and can be reached by contacting 0808 8020 133, accessing our livechat or having a WhatsApp text conversation. We can discuss your gambling in more detail, work with you to explore tools/practical steps to help protect you in future and discuss ongoing support options that could further assist you in your path away from gambling.
We're here for you, however please call 999 in the first instance if you feel your safety is at risk.
Kind Regards,
Steven, Forum Admin.
Daz, I remember the feeling all too well. You can do this though, you can choose to not gamble any more.
Have a drink of water, hit the pause button and talk to someone. You can do this
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