Can’t replace the buzz

sounds familiar,  its awful, I think the horrible feeling fades and then you forget how bad you felt so do it again  crazy I know 

It sounds ridiculous doesn't it? But I feel exactly the same. The three most exciting things I've experienced in life are s*x, driving fast cars and gambling. Gambling was the best buzz even on tiny penny stakes. Thanks for posting that I read it and laughed because thats exactly how I feel too

This is also my current problem. I just cant get it out of my head. It also convinced me that " money is freedom, its fine to risk your freedom the more you win the more freedom you will get"

But you cant escape it even if you win big.

Hi all impulse control is a problem with a lot of mental illness. If I'm honest I have had  problems elsewhere in my life with impulsive behaviour. Put gambling into the equation it's a recipe for disaster. Also some medications for depression and other neurological conditions can cause impulsive behaviour. Personally I found winning a bigger problem than losing. If you want to stop gambling the first and most important thing is to block access to everything !! I'm 4months today gamble free...I'm accepting of the fact now that I will always have to block access as addiction wether it's gambling/ alcohol/drugs is for life.

Hi Lola0612.

Im not denying its a strong drug but its one thats destroying you. 

In recovery you will find a serenity in the truth. The truth is you dont need it in your life.

Its certainly the other issues in your life that help fuel the urge. The problem is we get hooked on the act of gambling so then there are multiple reasons for the trigger points.

If you need excitement in your life there are other things to do...holiday sports..... extreme sports...Im not saying we all have to take up stamp collecting...there are plenty of things we can do in life...things you can get passionate about.

I enjoy collecting things. A good computer game gives me a healthy buzz. I buy and sell vintage toys and antiques in a limited way. I enjoy my job now and I enjoy saving some money.

A gambling addiction is a compulsive illness of an addicted mind. I say an ill mind because it overides the fact they we need money to live on and money doesnt grow on trees.

How are you finding a way because you and your loved ones should be shutting them down. You wont recover unless you do the cold turkey. I suspect you have wide open doors to gambling all over the place.

Its not a game! You should be on a sandwich allowance with your credit reports monitored. I would stop you and I would know if you were gambling a pound....I feel you wouldnt like that at all which is what you have to change

You wont stop until you take this deadly seriously. Its no game about a silly flutter as you know. You need to read more stories about the rock bottom that comes to every out of control gambler.

Best wishes from everyone on the forum

The problem about the gambling is you forget everything around you whe you are in the"buzz".

I lost so much time gambling, and chasing losses, that even if I won jackpot - I would have the money, but my life would be a wreck.

I always get back to it, because I miss it, always win first two months, then lose it all back, and more? it's just not worth it.

Hi Lola, I think you've hit the nail on the head - there is no way to replace the buzz. 

We are all here posting because that buzz didn't help us.

What do you want to hear? 

Getting high feels good.

Life is hard.

Are you ready to accept that nothing really compares yet we still have to stop because it was killing us?

John

Thank you so much for all your replies. It is actually a comfort to know that others do feel the same buzz and feel like it can’t be replaced. 

I feel like I truly need to accept that this is a buzz that will not be replaced and to quit trying to find one. Because all that happens is, everything else feels so dull compared to gambling then I go back.

The relapse these last 2 weeks has been gut wrenching, I had done very well financially and finally had savings for the first time ever. 

Something cropped up in life (as it does) that was highly distressing and I couldn’t cope with how I was feeling so I caved in and gambled. I am on GamStop so I tried my luck and signed up to several gambling sites and played. In 14 days I’ve done about 15k maybe more. 12k in this last week.

Btw anyone considering this idea, don’t do it. They will not give you any winnings at all. Painful experience. 

Ive lied, manipulated, not spoken to anyone, let my house go to c**P, my selfcare go to c**P, not bothered working (self employed) and only been sleeping 4 hours a night because I sit up doing it until 4am. 
I tried blaming others. 

But I accept my actions are my fault. I accept that there is a better way to deal with life issues and burying my head into gambling isn’t the answer, but instead an additional problem.