Back to day 0 help!!

Hi

Any break from it is good but you havent reached the mindset yet where you see them as not worth bothering with. Focus on the odds and read about the reality of how many tickets are printed vs the main prize. Dont be fooled by the token wins which are just to keep you buying them. Ask yourself why you are playing and what you hope to win. Win big when?...because 99.9% of people wont ever win big on those cards...you are not focused on the reality.

I think the key here is why are you bored? Is depression actually playing a part where you see no future.

Perhaps in your moment of strength you could try and mention it to the shop that you shouldnt really be buying them. Im aware there is no self exclusion process and every shop sells them. You should mention it though because anything helps break the comfort cycle and makes you feel a bit embarrassed about buying them..I suppose you get them from different shops do you?

I dont even think about wanting to gamble now. I do think about completing my xbox collection and building my bikes. I just enjoy my evenings watching a film or sorting my collectables

The only way you will stop completely is if you finally see that its a complete waste of time and you feel properly blocked from doing so.

You seem to be escape gambling. Its not the answer and it wont answer your prayers

I wish you all the best

Joydivider wrote:

Hi

Any break from it is good but you havent reached the mindset yet where you see them as not worth bothering with. Focus on the odds and read about the reality of how many tickets are printed vs the main prize. Dont be fooled by the token wins which are just to keep you buying them. Ask yourself why you are playing and what you hope to win. Win big when?...because 99.9% of people wont ever win big on those cards...you are not focused on the reality.

I think the key here is why are you bored? Is depression actually playing a part where you see no future.

Perhaps in your moment of strength you could try and mention it to the shop that you shouldnt really be buying them. Im aware there is no self exclusion process and every shop sells them. You should mention it though because anything helps break the comfort cycle and makes you feel a bit embarrassed about buying them..I suppose you get them from different shops do you?

I dont even think about wanting to gamble now. I do think about completing my xbox collection and building my bikes. I just enjoy my evenings watching a film or sorting my collectables

The only way you will stop completely is if you finally see that its a complete waste of time and you feel properly blocked from doing so.

You seem to be escape gambling. Its not the answer and it wont answer your prayers

I wish you all the best

Hi Joydivider,
Great advice u gave there
I'm gonna take it and have a look in detail at the odds of the scratch cards, and try and build the courage to go in my local shops and tell them to not let me buy any, the trouble with that is when I'm in the zone I will drive anywhere to find them! As I'm sure u well know.... as for depression I think I do suffer from it but I'm such a strong person I don't let it affect life it's self apart from the gambling, also the depression is probably due to the situation i'm in being a carer for my son and partner and that in itself cannot be changed, that is my life and I just have to deal with it whether it brings me down or not.. i always think there are people in such worse situations than me, who are living in poverty and nothing to there name.... i have to deal with this demon that's a fact.. and I will, I just need to get past the point of no turning back.. I wish u well in your journey too and congratulate u on getting to the stage where u know there's no turning back.
Take care
Hope to hear back soon x

Hi

Yes the problem with deregulation is that gambling has become so widely available in local shops. Scratch cards are just like other forms of gambling and they become addictive because of the just one more go factor.

Its part of human nature to want to feel loved or lucky in some way. Its no wonder people get addicted because they are selling a dream. People are obviously tempted and nobody likes losing so repeat buying and playing happens.

Scratchcards were never my trigger. I have tried them but it was only the more instant fix and trance of spinning reels that got to me.

I hope you can talk to people close to you and see if you can set up any barriers.

You need to talk through exactly how much you have been spending. In your heart you know that its a sad waste of money and you know the money lost for nothing.

The token wins are cynically calculated that for every number of tickets sold there will be a small return on one ticket. it still means you lose if you buy a large wad of tickets I call them false wins. They do the same on fruit machines but nobody is really playing for them.

So all I can say is that being gamble free is a wonderful feeling. That is because I know Im not missing anything but stress and hassle. Im fully focused that I was a compulsive gambler playing for escape. I ignored the odds. Gambling was no good for me.

Best wishes from everyone on the forum