Fresh start

Hello @dale-rose, 

Welcome to the GamCare forum. I'm really glad you have joined and I hope you find the support and encouragement from other members to be helpful. You can also access our group chatroom every day at 1pm and 8pm, and Gamblers Anonymous hold group supportive meetings both in person and through Zoom.

It sounds like you've taken some really positive steps by opening up with your partner, family and friends, setting up one to one support and accessing peer support. 

It's good that you have identified your triggers and it may help to consider alternative coping methods when you are feeling low, or accessing additional mental health support - you might like to speak with your GP or have a look at https://www.mind.org.uk/ - they have lots of mental health resources and can direct you to local support. 

As you have mentioned, big wins are very rare when it comes to gambling. The more anyone gambles over time, the more money they are likely to lose. Even if someone does have a win, the winnings and further money often tend to be lost on further gambling.

You might like to have a look at these gambling myths: https://www.therecoveryvillage.com/process-addiction/compulsive-gambling/gambling-myths/

You can access free money advice with https://www.moneyhelper.org.uk/en.

You're also welcome to contact us at GamCare at any time - we are here 24 hours on 0808 8020 133, Netline, WhatsApp and Facebook, so there is always someone you can talk to. You can speak one to one with an advisor and have a chat about additional steps you may find useful - e.g. putting self-exclusion / blocking software in place, looking at ways to protect your finances e.g. by having a trusted person manage your money for you, and thinking of ways of filling the time you might otherwise have spent gambling.

Some people also find it helpful to get in contact if they have an urge to gamble, to have someone to talk to until the urge passes.

Please keep posting; we are here to support you. You might like to consider starting a recovery diary here to keep track of your progress.

Best wishes,

Sophie

Forum Admin

Your story seems very similar to mine. I’ve gambled regularly since 1998 and daily for past 3 years. Madness. Like you lied, lost money, actually lost emotions to winning and losing, it was always what’s next. 

for me, it’s been blocking my account (via my bank) for deposit on any bet related websites. I’ve not been in a bookmakers for about 20 years and actually hate that environment - it’s all online for me. 

good luck! I’ve also had the reality check of what it was doing to my life!