Can one change one's very nature?

Good question Gerard, really depends on what stage of life you ask it. If you asked me 10 year's ago my answer would be completely different to now. Right now im battling an addiction, and I suspect I'll be fighting it for many years to come. My motivation to gamble is always there so I guess with a zero bank balance or £1 million in the bank I'd still have the desire to do it. There isn't a magical number I'm aiming to win, it's just the thrill and buzz of winning, even if it's £1 the buzz is still the same. I guess if pushed my answer would be yes.

I like this post. It’s different! Due to me being 289 days GF, the answer is a firm NO to gambling if I had lots of money. Whilst I still do occasionally think of the bad times of when I used to gamble and how I felt, the friends I lost, the lies I told and the general remorse of it all, the frequency of these thoughts in my head are fading. It’s not forgotten by any means but I would still let my mrs handle the finances, eg; just transfer her the bulk of my income and allow her to save it all. For our family’s future ❤️

I think of footballers gambling away more money than I could dream of having so I think it shows more of a drug addiction than anything.

I think we start recreationally at all levels of income but the buzz or hit is extremely addictive and it soon takes over

The truth is that at the age of twelve it made me feel alive in a way I had never felt before. However the truth I was not facing is that I was a depressive and my emotional life was a mess and has always been a mess to some extent.

I wonder if the initial activity of getting something reinforced the addiction early. I had pockets stuffed full of coins but I soon started giving it all back.

It's a complex addiction and I still don't fully understand how a stupid machine could control me. That early machine was pathetic...it may as well have had I mug losers written on it but the draw was immense. Clearly I got off on a devil may care activity and the soup of drugs it creates in my system. 

It makes no rational sense because it's a losing game over any length of time on those odds

I then spent 40 years rationalising my urges by thinking oh I will just win a bit for whatever reason was in my head...or whatever stress/anxiety attack I wss having...The price of a house chucked away for what? ....the few days I would remember something going my way but even those thoughts were mostly delusional

Would I have stopped if I came into sudden wealth? Part of me thinks it would be enough money to heal the past and I would think phew all done now

However I was ill with an addiction and I would probably have gambled away money thinking well I can afford a  gamble with far less worries now......that never goes well for an addict

I don't honestly know......its the devil and the angel over the shoulders....destructive gambling is a split mind control illness. 

Hang on I do know!......I needed serious help and before I got that help gambling addiction was my slave master

Best wishes to everyone on the forum

The answer is always yes! I am such a C U next Tuesday with that stuff xx