So tonight i was sat in a bookies, not going mad or losing huge amounts but also not winning.. since the middle of may ive struggled to control my gambling, i find myself having to try sell my ps4 and games to raise the just over £300 i need by the end of the month.. all of a sudden i went up to the counter maybe helped by the person working i get along with really well and always chat to about life and proceeded to ask her for a self exclusion form, this led to a chat about how when i win i increase my stakes until i lose again then start chasing.. but i realised as much as talkin helps and counselling helps for other people i need to take away the problem from my life. So as of tonight ive made sure all my online accounts are closed and as of tomorrow when i take in a passport photo i will be banned from my local bookies and any that are managed by the same manager there which i no is another 3 towns in my area so thats a good start, yes there are other bookmakers around me but they dont have the same atmosphere as the one i use normally so ive never really gone in them unless i had to and they are too far for me to walk to and spend hours in at a time where i use one 5 mins walk away from my house and same company that just up from my work, The normal one has staff that you can talk to and laugh with and of course I've got to no a few people over the years in there and being 26 its mainly older people i no but still its a nice social environment in there.. but sadly for me its not an environment i feel controlled in anymore so i have now excluded myself for the sake of me, my friends and my family who i am continuing to let down by betting after so much help. Thats why this time im selling my own possessions to teach myself a harsh lesson instead of askin people to bail me out.
Onwards and upwards
Great step taken, self excluding really made a huge difference for me. I know you say you won't ever go there but you have to go and self exclude from all the other shops in the town. It will completely remove the opportunity for you to bet. And hey, if you're not going to go there then anyway then there's no harm right? It'd be so sad if you ruined the great steps you've already taken by going to another bookies.
I was almost embarrassed to self exclude, but then thought to myself what is more embarrassing - admitting you're a compulsive gambler and changing things for the better or continuing to live a lie and having nothing to show for your hard work 5 years down the line?
Congratulations on making the step. It's lifestyle change and there will be urges but I've got every faith you can continue this.
Thanks for the positive comments im thinking about the other shops and think if i start getting tempted by them then i will deffo self exclude but there far enough away from me to not have to worry about that at the min.
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