Day 31!

Well done on your recovery! Im officially gamble free for a week and i can already see the benefits. I can relate with you about the urges as im still in my early days they are very often. To stop them i put my phone down and potter on doing something like watching tv and just talking with company that is around me. I also found adult colouring is also a distraction and also therapeutic, hope this helps 

Hi and well done on gamble free time.

To answer your question. I have to DO something, practical or physical to get through an urge to gamble.

I can't just sit at home thinking about not gambling, that can and has led to disaster many times.

Go for a run, sort stuff out in your home, paint a wall, anything to distract yourself. And if you do go out about, don't have cash or cards on you.

Last resort is go to bed and hug the duvet 🙂

Regards.. S.A

Hi Lauzy and Sa,

Thanks for your responses I will add that to my list lol.

The main thing I am finding that helps at the moment is like you said just getting up and doing something. Even if it’s the washing up , a quick Hoover round or a walk just something to take my mind off it. 
I work from home so can be sat not doing a lot sometimes which is very toxic for me but I’ve never felt more motivated to put a stop to all this bull.

I have started watching a lot of podcasts and documentaries about gambling problems and would really recommend the invisible addiction podcast. Very insightful.

Well done Lauzy on your week of no gambling, it’s one step at a time and all that matters is that we are going in the right direction.

I hope this info helps others too x

Love Craz x

Yeah even the simplest tasks is better than feeding the addiction! Its the little achievements that im enjoying thinking ive sat and done this instead of having that dreaded feeling after an hour or so losing all of my money 🙂 

im certainly going to look into that podcast so im going to add that to my watch list also. The group chats have also helped a lot for that one hour i find it good to get off my chest things that others will understand as family dont seem to understand how someone can be addicted to something like this at the moment 

Hi craz, 

I'm almost 8 months gamble free, the urges still come but not as often as in the beginning. For me I do all the usual things to beat an urge, go for a walk or a drive or watch a movie, but the best thing that works for me is remembering that low sinking feeling after I blew my wages and never ever wanting to feel like that again. It does get easier the longer you abstain but I still log in every day read posts and try not to slip up. It works for me I hope it'll help you aswell. 

Good luck. 

Hi Pm,

thanks for your response pal. We’ll done on your gf time! 8 months is fantastic . I’m looking forward to the day I can say the same. 

I totally agree, there has been numerous times now where I have had that horrible sinking feeling and really wishing I wasn’t here. Completely and utterly sick to the bone of it, before hand that feeling was not enough to stop me but I’ve been there so many times now that I have to change.

we’re all in the same boat together and can beat it together