Can playing other card games trigger gambling urges?

i understand what you are saying, and also understand your concern

from my own experience, and my knowledge of me, i can say that when i do something (even now after 7 years away from gambling) that i tend to work on an all or nothing principal!!

its a bit frustrating at times!!!!

in my early days away from gambling, i hung around the internet - not sure that was so healthy, but reckoned if i wasnt gambling then that was what mattered. These days i find my interest in the internet is within 'normal' parameters, and have managed to find a wide range of other much healthier and life giving activities, but that has taken time

i have often said that stopping gambling is the easy part, its what you do after to bring some kind of rational to life that takes the blood, toil, sweat and tears

but you were asking about card playing ......

i have always loved playing cards - which is why poker and black jack were my downfall

before i started playing poker on the internet i was well into playing spades on the internet. when i stopped gambling i went back to playing spades for a bit, and had to give that up because i found that i was always thinking about playing poker.

but about 3 or 4 years ago, i started going to bridge classes. i now play bridge regularly. i have joined a bridge club locally, and also joined an on line bridge club. i have been away for a couple of bridge weekends - and am trying to get time off so that i can go to another one in april!

i find that bridge gives me what i 'need'.

its intellectually stimulating and challenging, there is always so much to learn about the game. its highly competitive, and the social side of it works for me as well

but...........

i think balance is the main thing that recovering gamblers need to look for. I continually need to be aware of the 'all or nothing' part of my personality, and i guess that is something that will likely have to keep a close eye on

am sorry to hear about your wife, please accept my good wishes

hope this helpls

love

rusty

xx

Rusty,

Thanks very much for your reply and kind words. Well done on 7 years gamble free too.

I think my "game playing" falls into two categories. One is a as an escape from stress. My job is fulfilling but also takes a lot out of me mentally so sometimes I just like to zone out by playing solitaire or something. My counsellor said this was "ok" and was just my brain recharging. He actually likened it to meditation. My worry with this is that when I gambled it used to put me in that same zoned out state so I worry if there is a connection.

On the other hand I also like to be play intellectually stimulating games and puzzles. I have toyed with bridge over the years but never joined a club - so maybe that's something I will look in to. I feel in a different mental state when I'm playing these sorts of games but I still worry that it may trigger an urge.

One of the other complications is that I studied statistics at university so I'm well versed in probability and tend to look at the world in that way. I was always a half decent poker player but I lost anything I won and more on the tables!

I guess the answer for me is to focus on more physical pursuits in the short term. I used to run quite a lot so maybe I will focus on that again. Also, I have a collection of guitars that I have hardly touched for the last few months because of being engrossed in gambling.

Anyway, the main thing is that I draw a lot of inspiration from reading other people's stories on this forum. Everytime I feel the slightest of urges, I come on here and they quickly disappear.

George.

hi george,

focusing on the physical isnt such a bad idea.

i know i found swimming, and still do find swimming very therapeutic, so would suggest getting back into your running a great idea

if there are things that you are concerned about raising urges, i would encourage you to treat that with respect. no one can advise you to do or not to do, i am inclined to suggest that you go with your gut feeling. your gut feeling rarely lets you down

you are prolly quite correct about your game playing - i used to call my trips to teh casino as my 'balance' in life. in those days i was close to being a 'workaholic', and i figured i needed an outlet / escape.

7 years further on, and balance is what is firmly on my mind. but only you know what you need and only you know where you are with your urges and what you need to find your balance

in relation to bridge!!!!

i simply love the game - i really love the game. its been really good for me to get into. find a good club, go to lessons and just enjoy!!!!

love

rusty

xx

hello guys first time I enter in this groups share some ideas on online casino games

Hi ya George,

Both myself & my mother are compulsive gamblers, I am in recovery, she is not. When I first quit, I did as you do but like Rusty for me, it was not gambling. I figured I was probably placing one addiction with another, but since it was only costing me time & not money I knew it was the better option. Now, apart from hanging round on here too much, I have easily managed to nip it in the bud. My mother on the other hand never has (my niece's - she could never afford one) tablet out of her hand, when she is not gambling (because her money has run out)! She plays games with set lives until there are no more & then solitaire, this has been going on for years but she has never changed her gambling habit.

I'm very sorry to hear about your wife & I hope she makes a full & speedy recovery! I guess I'm saying, if this is what helps you to escape, go for it but try & figure out a way not to let if affect your health - I definitely don't think you should feel guilty!

Dust those running trainers down - Maybe instead of scores, you could only allow yourself the minutes you have run 😉

look after you both - ODAAT