Gambling vs Alcohol

Yes this is totally common, i have a very addictive personality, anything i do i just cant stop, a few my addictions that iv done and had to do every day was alcohol “10pints a night” strong painkillers, gambling. 

Alcohol was getting really bad covid and after, i put on about 3 stone and was so depressed that i could not stop for many many months, in the end i done a home detox (meds bought online) as local drug/alcohol service was complete useless.

iv been alcohol free for about 4 months, it was so hard todo but i was so happy i finally done it, a few months later i was gettimg stressed with noisy neybours and wanted to get out the house so i started gambling, and after probably a year of saving lost everything, think it was about 3000 in the end.

so yes although i do go times without any addictions sooner or later one comes back, i clearly cant do any now as i have no money, so just going to live a very miserable existence forever thinking all things i could have bought with that money.

@old-but-new 

I know it isn't easy; I am still fighting urges in gambling to this very day had debt problems too constantly thinking 'One spin will win it all' it's a very deluded way of thinking. I tried getting 'Professional' help from face-to-face counselling it took months to get seen went to the first appointment was introduced to the worker and she books another appointment 2 weeks later. I return on the date for the 2nd session only to get told by the reception staff she no longer works there and even after trying many times to call her personal phone she left on the card it went unanswered. Yet again, I was failed by the system and I just developed a 'what's the point' attitude.

I haven't gambled for a while now and I really do prefer drinking - I meet new people, makes it easier to socialize whilst drinking someone like me with anxiety, depression and a whole broad of issues, I just generally don't fit into society at all, to many judgemental people in the world thinking they are better or have to be better than others. Whenever someone says to me "Why can't you just be normal" I always reply with "You tell me what the definition of normal is, when you have one I will be normal".

The only reason I am getting worried about drinking is because I have done it everyday since Christmas now so about 3 months but a lot of bad, traumatic things has happened in my life and drinking helps to forget them temporally. I've never wanted to take drugs so prescriptions or anti-depressants as such I would just rather keep well away from I have been battling a lot of this since I was a child, gambling ultimately has detreated my health and whilst I am somewhat worried alcohol may do the same, it is the only thing keeping me sane.

I have experienced physical pains on the night the odd time - chest pain and ribs; I imagine because I either drank too much or my body is trying to fight the alcohol I do plan on trying to slow down but my life is rather difficult as a whole lately.

To me alcohol is just as bad, although u can spend alot more money gambling its very hard to nock a alcohol addiction when at its worst, i used to hate the fact i was spending £20 a day on alcohol, image that like 5 months straight, what a waste, then gambling i could probley spend that hole amount in one day, both are bad, for me alcohol still stays with u a long time, the weight gain, the depression/anxiety.

iv been on anti depressants for about 10 years aswell as anti psychotics “for sleep” when combined with say 10pints of stromg beer it can have dangerous consequences, although its alot safer stayimg in doors. “I never go out drinking” one time i did and woke up in hospital with a broken jaw/nose with no memory.

at home many times iv woke up on floor with injuries and no memory, had plenty of seizures also.

alcohol starts off as a harmless bit of fun yet can escalate beyond control.

@old-but-new 

I'm not entirely sure how to ask this but how would say someone like me know if before it becomes out of control? The whole topic and label of 'Drink responsibly' in the UK at least unfortunately we get a lot of bad reputation because for most drinkers; they don't drink responsibly.

It's quite suppressing how easy it is to go over the recommended limit of 14 units a week as well some even drink more than that in a day but may not drink for the rest of the week.

Strangely, I don't get cravings as such to drink and the only thing so far that's bad that has happened is the chest pains now and then but doesn't occur all the time. I know I drink more than I should yes and I should slow down but you see others who binge-drink and seem to be just fine. When I was a teenager I use to drink just for fun mostly the weekends clubs and that but now I drink more for the 'escape' and I think that's a warning sign but just not too sure what to do from here.

It's not that I don't want the help but rather had bad experiences or let down by the system

I don't want anything worse to happen to me, but in fairness it seems people look at an alcohol addiction more serious as to a gambling issue, personally I still think more support needs to be done in a whole.

@mobilephone you might want to say how much u drink, that will probably answer the question if u have a problem.

many people just drink a few glasses of wine a week or a pint watching the football. This i guess is exceptable. 

for me i would drink atleast 10pints of stella per night, any less and i couldent sleep. This is clearly a problem.

for me all or nothing, my view is what do u drink alcohol for? To get happy or high, for me 6plus pints achieves this and why stop there when u can enjoy it for longer?

Iv said before ban alcohol just like drugs, its just as bad. (My view people can disagree but i dont care, il never change my mind on that)

@old-but-new 

I don't really count but I haven't blacked-out before but I know I drink more than what is recommended. I would say between 5-10 drinks sometimes more on some nights and less on other nights. I tend to drink Ale but sometimes fluctuate between drinks.

I don't nessursarrly agree with banning alcohol outright but I respect your opinion; as everyone is entitled to their own views and thoughts. I'd say if drinking gets banned smoking should too but they get too much tax/money from them. Gambling on the other hand, I have a strong hate towards and many other counties have already made it completely illegal I think gambling ultimately is the biggest, most dangerous thing that doesn't have enough support based around it and there is no worse feeling when you ask for help; it blows up right in your face.

The way to find out if you have a problem from being dependent on something is to try stopping and see how easy it is. This is not recommended though if you have long-term high volumes of alcohol because you can get very dangerous seizures and would need to come off it gradually.

The fact you are asking all these questions makes it probable that you are on a progressive path to destruction if not addressed in the near future, although professional advice would be far better than my opinion. 

Kind regards 

They are both escape drugs releasing dopamine and adrenaline into your system 

They are both toxic and highly addictive to many people 

They are habit forming as the addiction takes over and the body begins to crave them and depend upon them 

You must understand that gambling is a drug addiction....it floods the body with the devil may care buzz of dopamine and highs of expectation 

Gambling is very dangerous and is often linked to the other vices of drinking smoking and other drugs. I can make the point that it signifies a person out of control, not facing and escaping from life.

The tragedy is that many people don't know how addictive gambling for many years after being hooked on it. It took me 40 years to finally realise I was dangerously addicted to it and needed serious help.

That's the bit I still don't understand. How  could I go that long  painfully giving all that money to the gambling dens .I never even added it up.....I was just a J****E for the next fix 

Alcohol is a toxin and gambling should also carry a government health warning.....only it's all weak because your government are cashing in on it 

Each addiction has to be faced with help. The main addiction that got me is gambling but it helped me understand and respect other addictions which are similar in many ways 

Best wishes to everyone on the forum

Hi

I did not know or understand how emotionally vulnerable I was walking in to the recovery program.

Often people will be cross addicted or swap one addiction for another.

I Needed to understand that my addictions were a form of escape for me.

The gambling addiction was very much an adrenaline rush for me, the larger the risk the bigger the buzz.

Addiction obsessions indicated that I was emotionally vulnerable, recovery was the key to find healing for the pains and trauma of my hurt inner child. Important to understand my emotional triggers, pains fear frustrations loneliness boredom, to become healthy and heal my hurt inner chid.

It was important to understand when I am vulnerable and how to deal with things in a healthy way.

The word recovery for me in time meant  healing process.

The pains of my past caused fears in me that were not very healthy.

The recovery program would help me understand when I am vulnerable and give up the unhealthy habits of escaping.

For me gambling alcohol only indicated that I am feeling vulnerable.

As we heal our pains reduce our fears we open to more opportunities in our life that are healthier and more productive.

Yet a healthy recovery can only happen once we abstain from each unhealthy habit one at a time.

Love and peace to every one.

Dave L

AKA Dave Of Beckenham

@mobilephone and others here, Hi to all,

This is a topic and question that is very close to me personally. I've obviously had major gambling problems (hence why I'm here), but I am also a relatively heavy drinker - the former I've improved significantly (though still a work in progress), the latter I have only slightly improved the situation.

One of my drinking issues is that I'm what is called a 'daily drinker' i.e. I don't really take days off from drinking. I rarely get 'blind drunk' however, but do go over on recommended, almost always for amounts (average about 5 or 6 drinks per night).

Importantly, I think there is a close relation of gambling and alcohol. Alcohol has sometimes caused me to gamble badly, or start gambling. That is not my main issue though in this relation - I believe that my alcohol has always been affected by my gambling much more directly - and that includes after gambling and losing badly (causes heavy drinking for me), but maybe more key is that I am drinking more now when I am currently stopped in my gambling! Withdrawal from gambling causes me to drink too! I also used to drink quite heavy after winning big - basically I have no situation where gambling is not causing me to drink, including giving up all gambling!

Not sure exactly what the answer is - probably a whole counselling course or something similar. But, it is important to recognise (IMHO) that stopping gambling (abstinence) does not always mean other addictions such as drink get better, they may get worse even.

It's a very interesting topic.

From my experience in recovery and supporting others in recovery it seems very common that cross addictions occur or different ones get more exaggerated when another is suppressed. 

I believe that the brain gets altered by repeated high levels of dopamine/serotonin so that it's quite normal for other dependencies to come calling to fill the void.

When I first stopped gambling I was very obsessed by exercise, although at the time I defended it when challenged by saying it was healthy. I soon realised I was just chasing the high and that the training was progressive that included way too many hours spent training.

The answer for me was spiritual and emotional wellbeing with becoming attuned to who I am and what I feel in any given moment and allowing it. 

It was the most difficult part of recovery but the most powerful. A couple of years of one to one therapy was life changing.