Hi there!
Hmmm.... Where should I start? Okay, well I'm currently 25 years old and I've been gambling for almost 4 years now and I REALLY NEED TO STOP THIS! As I know when I have won some money, that feeling is so great but when I lost it, I always want to try again and I've put even more money to gamble(and of course most of the time I don't win).
I remember the very first time when I started to gamble was when I was 21, at that time I was in my first year of uni, it was stressful and I wanted to have some relaxation and excitements. I really don't remeber what brings me up with bingo, I first started with some bingo websites, for the first time I could not believe I have won £1K, I was over the moon and though gambling isn't that risky (silly me!) so of course I kept gambling and gambling, betting more and more, and last year I've won over £3K in less than a week, I was so excited and treated myself with lots of new stuffs, usually I deposit £20 but now I've gone up to £100. (Just for a bit of fun and excitements).
Now, I have graduated and got a job, earning a bit of money and I still cannot stop with my gambling addiction, on Sunday night (28/12/2014), I started to gamble again, I've lost £200 in one night, I could not sleep well and felt really guilty, I told myself this is the last time and I would not go to gamble again in 2015, I promise! But then again the next day, I couldn't help and deposited another £160, luckily, Ive won £810, I was gob-smacked! I've got that love and hate feeling, cuz I've won back what ive lost (that's the hate) but I've won some extra money to spnd (that's the love). Okay! So today I've that extra bit of money, I gamble again, tonight I've lost £620! I seriously hate myself right now, Im not brave to tell my fiancГ© as I'm really scared, he loves me to bits and so do I, we have been together for 10 years now, I've never cheated on him this bad and I really can't imgaine what when he knows the truth, I don't want to lose him.
Everytime, when I start to gamble, I always ask myself: "Do you really have to do this?" Most of the time I said no I don't, but a few minutes later, I deposit, I want to say that I'm really lucky enough that I don't have any debts or overdraft, I think I know where the line is. If I could not afford to gamble, I would not. So I only gamble with only what I can afford.
Please everyone, can you help me and I want to see a new me, I used not to be like that at all, I could easily save a lot of money and saving was not a problem for me at all, I promise you all that I'll be a different woman in 2015, I won't even gamble tomorrow (even just the last day!)
Thanks guys!!! Xxx
Hi Stephane can totally relate to your story. I did have debt but have managed to have a good standard of life while i continued to gamble but i am just starting to realise how much more i could have for my family. I am now debt free and i am planning to stay that way and using any extra cash i have to enjoy life more instead of putting it into a machine.
Welcome to the forum Stephane1201,
Well done for posting here. If you like you can also start an online diary for 2015 in the 'Recovery diary' section of the forum, if you think that might help you to sustain your motivation.
Many of our forum members put some blocks in place to make it easier to avoid slipping, like self-exclusion and blocking filters such as Gamblock or Betfilter, or parental control software.
People close to you can be of practical assistance for your recovery, for example by holding the password to the parental controls, or supervising your spending, or holding your money if you feel it would be safer in their hands... for many people a partner or parent might be in a position to help in this way.
Well done on making a start in your preparations for your New Year.
Take care,
Adam.
Thanks greggsboy! I really hope it's not too late to realise how bad and selfish I was with the gambling, since I'm still quite young and I do want to have a better future rather than living with debts and gambling.
Ive seen people like that in my life and I really don't want to be one of them. 🙁
Stephane its never too late. Dont dwell on the past and what you have done but look to the future and what you can acheive. Even though i gambled in 2014 i think this is the year the penny dropped for me and i am 44. If you can set yourself targets and when you reach them reward yourself. Buy yourself something nice or treat your partner or your kids if you have any. It definetely gives you something to aim for and once i stopped setting targets in 2014 is when i started gambling again.
That's very nice of you and I'll defintely use ur idea to treat myself if I could reach to that target. Thanks so much! X
Stephanie1201, what some of us wouldn't give to turn the clocks back to when we were your age & deal with the demons then! It is a slippery slope as most will tell you it starts with our own money, winning often & feeling euphoric but it soon spirals into loans & overdrafts, winning just as often but wanting more & not being able to stop & then further to credit cards & pay day loans where's it no longer about the wining because we have lost sight of the value if money. Don't get me wrong, if there's 20p to be saved on a weekly shop, we'll take some of that but note after note into a machine or deposit after deposit onto an online account chasing losses that we can't let go until we exhaust all avenues of getting money!
My advice is to break the Time-Money-Location triangle as you only need to take one away & you cannot gamble. But please consider the Forum Admin's advice...I think it will be invaluable in your recovery!
Happy New Year...May 2015 provide you the want to put this behind you & live a gamble free life - ODAAT
Hi I'm 29 years old and I have been gambling for 6 months I have two Young children who I love more then anything but I use every penny we have and gamble it, I go over my over draft so I'm always getting charged I can't pay my credit commitments because I always gamble the money. I gamble every night and I wanted it to stop I don'g wang to do it anymore, I'm nog the person I used to be family members helped me out with money all the time and I hate it. I have gambled £540 pound tonight which is bill money I don't sleep, don't go out with friends, don't take my children out, my relationship is suffering, I quit my job because I was that stressed out with everything I thought it would help because I hated the job anyway but it doesn't I have removed myself from most sites but I just find others to join. I wanted the old me back if I keep doing what I'm doing the old me just slips further and further away. Can any give me any advice please?
Hi
Sally
Commitment to change is great. But it has to be full. Your life is spiralling out of control & it will only get worse unless you give yourself every chance to stop. Simple things you can do to help include blocking software to all your devices(k9 is free). Parental controls also work as long as someone else installs the passwords. Hand over full financial control to your partner (if you dont have money you cant gamble). Tell your partner everything, they deserve to know & you cant do this without them.
Get to a GA meeting.
There you will find support & a life model that will aid your recovery & give you the opportunity to find the person you want to be.
Support & answers are out there.
Just be openminded enough to accept the way you do things way not work & its time to try something new.
Thanks for your reply day@atime I gonna give it ago I can't gamble at all now over the weekend because I have used every bit of money we have. But it's like as soon as money goes into my bank I'm straight on there. I am going to do what you said!! Thanks so much for your advice I just want to be free. I'm gonna do it!!!
Great Sally. You can do this. Start today while you are strong & feeling free of urges due to no money. Install the software. Make those around you fully aware of your situation. It will be a hard conversation but they love you & will want to help.
Thanks so much day@atime IYA nice to able to talk to someone who has been there themselves. My sister knows everything about my situation and my family know of it to. They just don't know the full extent I'm to ashamed to tell my dad because he helped me out before and I swore I wouldn't do it again. I Have been looking threw some people's posts on here and mine isn't as bad as some but I don't want to end up like that. That's why I want to nip it in the bud now and get the old me back and start paying my bills and having money left to treat my kids. Thanks for your advice I've handed over all my finances so I can't put no more money on at all even thou I don't have any at the moment but when money goes into my account I'm straight on there I have cancelled my card so a new one is coming I'm not gonna even open the the letter of I don't know the card number i can't deposit can I. Hope it works this time and I am strong enough to beat this!!!!
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