I have now been gamble-free for 2 months.
I feel more myself and have had a positive-balance in my bank account consistently for the last month without temptation to gamble it. I have bought the odd Euromillions ticket here and there, but if this is the limit, I can handle that.. it is a drop in the ocean compared to the damage I did in the past so I don't consider it "gambling" in the same sense that I would count it against my "gamble-free time".
(Just for context, I maxed out credit cards, loans, overdrafts, all on gambling.. 25k+ I would say). Whilst I am not in the clear, I am making good progress with monthly repayments on all of my accounts and I have a buffer in the bank. I no longer spend my whole salary from work within 48 hours of receiving it and I have bought myself some nice things to have a feeling of what it's like to get something physical with my money. I have gone through real lows in the past. I am only 29 (30 in the summer) and I feel like I have so much more to live for, than to go through sleepless nights worrying about how I'll pay the next bill. I really got to a scary point where I didn't know what to do anymore, and I couldn't even think straight because of the problems that the gambling had caused.
In the long term I have created a savings plan where I hope to fully repay all of my debts and get onto the property ladder and put a deposit on my own place. It is nice to have a long term goal and something to save towards.
Anyway, I am just rambling on. I wanted to share my 2 month achievement and hope it would create some encouragement for others. Feel free to share your own success stories to spur me on and keep me going, I like reading them.
In case anyone is still at the beginning: for me, the problem was online gambling. Seeing as I had already registered on almost every casino/gambling website going, I went through and self-excluded myself on all of them for 5 years. There were a couple of times when I tried to get back on, but the system kicked me off, luckily. I feel happy that I did it and I don't regret it at all. I highly recommend to block yourself from all of these websites too. With the lockdown, I have not been able to enter any land-based casinos or bookies so I am also thankful for that. I hope by the time they reopen, there will be no temptation there at all to go back in, I am getting there!
Well done, Michael. Onwards and upwards. Temptation will always be there, but you're gaining the strength to withstand it. Always remember, when you're in that position of strength, never dabble. If you do, you'll be sucked back in. Great work, buddy.
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