I need some help please

Hi ak it's taken a lot of courage and strength for you to join the forum be proud of yourself it's a huge stepping stone. So sorry for the loss of your mother at such a young age. Gambling takes you to a different world when we do that(use too) there's nothing else to think about other than the big win we forget about friends, family, work etc our whole focus is just on the win. It was perhaps your way of coping. My name is Kellie I'm 35 I've had a gambling addiction for over 10 years it was a rash thing that happened never touched a slot machine one night £3 in hit the jackpot of £500 boom hooked line and massive sinker over the past 10 years! Coming here is your first big step and when your tempted please read other people's stories it does help to know your not alone. This forum has been a tower of strength everyone of us is in the same boat. Your young you have done well to realise this is a problem it's taken me over 10 years. I joined the forum 6 years ago but convinced myself I didn't have a problem until i spiralled even further into addiction. Look at it like as an illness that you aren't going to let beat you and ak you have so much ahead of you in life it saddens me that you thought of not being here anymore. I hope you seek further help for feeling this way and yes gambling can start with triggers so it could have been a coping mechanism for you. I don't do online gambling but I have read posts and there is a way to block them on your phone/laptop etc I can't help with that but hopefully you'll figure that one out. If you need to talk just pop a post on this forum is full of good people who really are a tower of strength. It's good to talk Kellie

One last thing ak don't look backwards at the money you have lost you can't change that we can ponder on that forever and there is help out there so if you've got into debt they can help. All isn't lost today is the first day of your life.

kellie wrote:

Hi ak it's taken a lot of courage and strength for you to join the forum be proud of yourself it's a huge stepping stone. So sorry for the loss of your mother at such a young age. Gambling takes you to a different world when we do that(use too) there's nothing else to think about other than the big win we forget about friends, family, work etc our whole focus is just on the win. It was perhaps your way of coping. My name is Kellie I'm 35 I've had a gambling addiction for over 10 years it was a rash thing that happened never touched a slot machine one night £3 in hit the jackpot of £500 boom hooked line and massive sinker over the past 10 years! Coming here is your first big step and when your tempted please read other people's stories it does help to know your not alone. This forum has been a tower of strength everyone of us is in the same boat. Your young you have done well to realise this is a problem it's taken me over 10 years. I joined the forum 6 years ago but convinced myself I didn't have a problem until i spiralled even further into addiction. Look at it like as an illness that you aren't going to let beat you and ak you have so much ahead of you in life it saddens me that you thought of not being here anymore. I hope you seek further help for feeling this way and yes gambling can start with triggers so it could have been a coping mechanism for you. I don't do online gambling but I have read posts and there is a way to block them on your phone/laptop etc I can't help with that but hopefully you'll figure that one out. If you need to talk just pop a post on this forum is full of good people who really are a tower of strength. It's good to talk Kellie

Hi Kellie thank you so much for replying! I'm sorry to hear about your situation too and I guess you're right with my coping mechanisms! But I'm ready to change and haven't felt the urge to gamble at all so far so I hope I can keep it up

Hi AKGamblingAddict

Welcome to the forum and well done for posting. You will find a very supportive community of people here who can give advice and support and will understand how you feel.

You are welcome to call and speak with a gamcare advisor on the freephone helpline on 08080 8020 133 or contact an advisor through our netline http://www.gamcare.org.uk/support-and-counselling/frontline-services/netline

Our Adviser will listen to you carefully and encourage you to talk about your concerns. If you wish to address the underlying issues which drive you to gamble more than you want, the Adviser may be able to help you do that too by putting you in touch with a local face to face counsellor if there is one in your area. Advisers can also talk to you about strategies to help you when stopping gambling, such as installing software on the devices you use which will block your access to online gambling sites. You can also read more about this here http://www.gamcare.org.uk/get-advice/what-can-you-do/blocking-software#.VBwD8fldXww

Keep posting we are here to support you

Best wishes

Forum admin

Hi em! Thank you so much and it's good that you're stopping too! I have also done the same and started a box set! I know it's been 2 days but I haven't felt the urge to gamble once in that time! Hopefully it continues! Take care!

AK x

AK it was great to speak with you in chat. I hope you called the bank about that card ?

Make yourself a diary and I will look out for you. I am just about to try the box set breaking bad as never seen one and I have been meaning to do this for a while.

Slot addiction is awful, the highs and lows are addictive. I watched an interesting documentry about slot machines and how they are programmed to mess with your mind psychologically on purpose.

I have lost 100's of thousands on them, going to 75 pound spins... w*f was I thinking, but thats it I was only after the high to escape in. Of course there were wins on the way, did it help, no my bank never saw them but my bank did see the deposits and one bank closed my account because they didnt want a gambler.

Keep your mind set on giving up and the only way is blocks as our degenerative minds are very good at finding ways x