I guess I'll start with a little background. I guess the good news is I've never really been a big gambler until about a year ago, so it hasn't been too long. I just don't know how to stop myself. It started when I would go to the bar, and I would play the video slots there. Only spending maybe $20-$30 a week on the machines. After a while I started putting more in, and now in the last 5-6 months it's gotten to the point where I'll spend my entire check, around $600 every 2 weeks, gambling just in one night. I have no problem stopping when I'm winning. It's when I start to lose that I'll just unload and drop $20 after $20 into the machines until my bank account is empty, which cause me to be behind on bills sometimes since I live on my own. Even today I got paid I told myself I was only gonna spend $40, which to me seems like a reasonable amount. But once I started losing I took more money out if my account. And then I get the feeling like I have to max bet just to try making up what I lost. I was at least strong enough to leave $100 in my account today, but I know I should have stopped way before then. I really just need some advice on how to get it under control. It's made me miserable recently. I just don't know how to keep myself from it. I live in a city and those machines are literally every few blocks which makes it really hard to resist. I've tries leaving my debit cars home when I go but that only works to a point as I just go home and then go somewhere else.
Hi m1285 I'm wife of cg so not the perfect person to help but someone. If you can ask someone close to you to manage your money? Or use your pay to buy a 'card' for a shop where you do your food shops? Like a supermarket, therefore you can only spend in that store. You don't say if you're married so I don't know if you have a partner who can help. Go to a GA meeting? You talk about $ so I'm guessing USA or nz/aus. Really no idea where. Anyway there are meetings all over the world so if you really want to stop you will do anything. Call gamcare or use the netline, live chat in evenings. If the slot machines are everywhere the best thing is get rid of the access to money. Talking on here you should get some advice from other gamblers. Good luck!
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