need help stopping playing slots

HI Litesnip, welcome to the Forum,

I also started on Fruit Machines and played them, as well as a great deal of other things, for over twenty years before stopping over five years ago.

You have to question what you actually enjoy my friend - if you win, it only makes you want more of the same; if you lose, then you chase as you say, which again, leads to losing.

If it is the game itself, then you have to question whether any kind of enjoyment worth £300.00 a week? Surely there are many, many other things in life that you enjoy, or maybe you aren't making enough effort to find those things that help enrich your life?

I regret the time I spent gambling far more than the money itself (£350,000 in 20 years) - it left holes in my life when I stopped, so now I do charity work, go hiking, write, sing, travel and much more besides.

Gambling is a quick fix, a quick buzz based on absolutely nothing; you will never be able to spend a penny of your winnings on anything other than gambling, so what is the point my friend?

Draw a line under what you have spent and walk away. Write up a plan of the things you really want from life and start working towards them - these are the things that count, these are the things that give you the self-fulfilment, happiness and respect that gambling can never give you.

I wish you well my friend. Be strong, be positive - you are better than this.

JamesP

Welcome to the forum and well done for being honest enough with yourself to admit things aren't right before getting yourself into serious difficulties. It took me many, many missed mortgage payments before making the decision to join up and seek help.

My advice would be to find new routines. Spend some of that cash on trips, a gym membership, movies anything but gambling. Having cash around has always been a danger for me so paying bills early or tucking the money away in a notice savings account has also helped.

Best of luck.

Hi Litesnip, My problem is exactly the same as yours,Arcades!,I'm not in debt because of my gambling either but I don't want to get to that point either,I play them to give me a break from life,While I'm playing them I don't think about anything else but then once I've finished the same problems are there and more complex because there's no money,its a vicious cycle but yet I continue to do it! I cant really offer any concrete advice as I'm only at the start of my recovery but I wish you luck and will try and follow your recovery and help where I can.

hi litesnip your story sounds familiar to me i started in arcade slots and have gone on to get much worse in 7 years i must have lost 250,000 in that short time. i cant offer much advice as i am only truly at the start of my recovery (and actually wanting to do it this time) but i can offer you support and let you know you are not alone the stories on here are inspiring and terrifying and i hope you take the time to read others stories who have been doing this for many years as that for me personally helped me realise that the house always wins...you or i never will thats the "joys" of compulsive gambling. i wish you all the best on your road to recovery and well done for taking the 1st step its never easy admitting you have faults. good luck