Quotes, Poems or Songs to which we can relate

The horse to place, a ball to land, that miracle card
To win the hand.
Its all we think and all we want, but its
Everything we really dont.
What comes with it is ups and downs, followed
By the deluge of shame in which we drown
Its poisenend tide pollutes our mind, and destroys
Relationships with all we find.
Friends, family, lovers are all pushed away,
Untill alone and broken we remain.
Our only friend that stays by our side,
Is the gambling demon who we constantly fight
It reassures us that we are right, to continue
On our destructive plight
Its every body elses fault its certainly not mine
That we end up broke all the time.
Its because of their stress and hassles we feel
Gambling is the only escape and way to heel
As we now know its the worst thing to do, now its time to fight this demon to.

Did a couple of walks over Easter, therefore wrote a poem about fighting addiction:

My illness lies dormant, I continue to feel fine,

It will wait there so patiently for me to step over the line.

An addiction that I know is wrong will try prove itself right

I must hold back temptation and continue the fight.

I hear so many voices yet no body speaks

I need to keep strong and determined, never show to be weak.

To slightly open the door would let the demons back in,

Keeping the mental barriers in place, I won’t let this thing win

I’ll be open about my urges and battles along the way

Confining in loved ones who listen to what I have to say.

Some people don’t really understand the difficulties I face

The ones who do are guardians, leading me to a better place.

I’ll grow stronger in recovery, after a storm there’s always rain

One day I will see sunlight and get to know myself again.

The Changing man, Paul Weller.

Is happiness real or am I so jaded?
Can't see or feel like a man been tainted
Numbed by the effect, aware of the muse
Too in touch with myself, I light the fuse

I'm the changingman
Woh
Built on shifting sand
Yea
I'm changingman
Woh
Waiting for the bang
(Bang)
As I light a bitter fuse.

Our time is on loan, only us to borrow
An' I know
But I can't be today, I can be tomorrow
Yea, all I see, the more I know
The more I know, the less I understand

I'm the changingman
Built on shifting sands
Yea
I'm a changingman
I' m waiting for the bang
To light a bitter fuse.

Love these lyrics from the Foo Fighters song "Times Like These". Think they reflect on recovery.....(from 2nd verse)

I am a new day rising
I'm a brand new sky
to hang the stars upon tonight
I am a little divided
do I stay or run away
and leave it all behind?

It's times like these you learn to live again
it's times like these you give and give again
it's times like these you learn to love again
it's times like these time and time again

Hi,

I've not posted on here for a while and neither has anyone else! Anyway this song by James Blunt called "Same Mistake"is one of my favorites. It is on his "All the Lost Souls" album from 2007 which I have played to death over the last 9 years. I've always reflected on this song due to the wording of the second verse to be about Jame's time in the army, but listening the other night I thought the first verse and chorus really relate to my recovery. Please have a read and even listen to the song on YouTube. I know a lot of people don't like James but eitherway have a listen and who knows it may help you onyour road to recovery.

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So while I'm turning in my sheets
And once again I cannot sleep
Walk out the door and up the street
Look at the stars beneath my feet
Remember rights that I did wrong
So here I go.......

Hello, hello

There is no place I cannot go
My mind is muddy but
My heart is heavy does it show
I lose the track that loses me
So here I go..........

CHORUS.......
I'm not calling for a second chance
I'm screaming at the top of my voice
Give me reason, but don't give me choice
'Cause I'll just make the same mistake again......
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So all the sleepless nights, tossing and turning, that us gamblers have had, knowing what we are doing is wrong, hoping to make a new start, but cannot because of our addiction.

We just want another chance to start a fresh (this is what recovery gives us). Shout it aloud and be strong, you've got to want to quit gambling if not "we'll just make the same mistake again" and go back to the bad habit and our addiction.

Thanks for reading. Shep

Listening to a few Foo Fighter songs on YouTube the other night I came across a song I hadn't or cannot remember hearing before. It was called WALK. It was from the wasting Light album in 2011. All I can say is that it really had an effect on me. Loved the song, the lyrics, the David Grohl growl through some of the lyrics! Think it really summed up my recovery some 15 months on. Please have a listen. The lyrics are below:

A million miles away
Your signal in the distance
To whom it may concern
I think I lost my way
Getting good at starting over
Every time that I return

Learning to walk again
I believe I've waited long enough
Where do I begin?
Learning to talk again
Can't you see I've waited long enough?
Where do I begin?

Do you remember the days?
We built these paper mountains
Then sat and watched them burn
I think I found my place
Can't you feel it growing stronger
Little conquerors

Learning to walk again
I believe I've waited long enough
Where do I begin?
Learning to talk again
I believe I've waited long enough
Where do I begin?

Now,
For the very first time
Don't you pay no mind
Set me free, again
To keep alive, a moment at a time
That's still inside, a whisper to a riot
The sacrifice, the knowing to survive
The first decline, another state of mind
I'm on my knees, I'm praying for a sign
Forever, whenever, I never wanna die

I never wanna die
I never wanna die
I'm on my knees, I never wanna die
I'm dancing on my grave
I'm running through the fire
Forever, whenever
I never wanna die
I never wanna leave
I'll never say goodbye
Forever, whenever
Forever, whenever

Learning to walk again
I believe I've waited long enough
Where do I begin?
Learning to talk again
Can't you see I've waited long enough?
Where do I begin?

Learning to walk again
I believe I've waited long enough
Learning to talk again
Can't you see I've waited long enough?

For me the song is so powerful. I hope we all can look back to happier days before our gambling addicitons, times in which we wish we could return, I certainly do. Recovery has made me a stronger, better and happier person, but I am always "learning" about the addiciton and myself. Anyway take from it anything you can.

All the best

On a recent trip away I heard this song from the Kings of Leon “Walls” and loved it. When I read the lyrics the first verse and chorus made me relate to my early recovery and the love and support given to me from my wife when I was in a dark place.

Verse 2 is me facing up to my “faceless” addiction. Asking and wanting it to go away but as I don’t know what it even looks like, I have to realise it won’t.

Verse 3 is my GA meetings you see new and old members disappear from the group, members who return after slips. However I must be strong and help these people and with “desire” achieve this and also focus on my own recovery.

Please do listen to the long, it’s quite mellow really and not rock.

WALLS

I can't get there on my own
You can't leave me here alone
I'm just tryin' to do what's right
Oh, a man ain't a man 'less he's fought the fight

I could never point you out
Waste of space in a faceless crowd
Tell me what I have to say
If you know what's right, then you'll walk away

When the walls come down
When the walls come down
When the walls come down
When the walls come down

One by one I've seen them fall
Some just don't show up at all
I'm just here to fight the fire
Oh, a man ain't a man 'less he has desire

A poem which is so true that it gives me the chills everytime I read it:

I start in small subtle ways promising many things,
I promise you enjoyment and pleasure beyond your wildest dreams,
I deliver guilt and despair more horrible than your worst nightmare,
I promise you power and courage,
I give you feelings of powerlessness & hopelessness,
I will force you to live in fear always,
I promise you relief and escape from all your daily problems,
I create for you greater problems than you ever imagined,
I promise you many friends but
I allow you only isolation.
I promise happiness but
I create much sorrow.
I will steal from you your dignity,your families,your friends,your children.your homes,your demons.your spirit & your life.....For love, freedom & happiness are impossible in my presence.
So NEVER UNDERESTIMATE ME
I am devious & manipulating,
I have no preferences as to who I pick as my victim, rich or poor, young or old, black ,white, yellow or red.
I have killed men, women and children,
I have no conscience.
So if you have met me, always be aware if you think you can beat me... that I will be gone from your life and all will be well again.
NEVER FORGET that I will always be there, waiting in the dark shadows, just around the corner.
I am very patient and I will laugh in your face if I can lure you into my evil world of hell on earth again.

​Below is a poem I wrote over a year ago now. I would like to share it now as it shares many topics of the poem sfc7603 has posted above, thank you for contributing.

​Hope many of us on here can relate to it. All the best and thanks for reading.

I am the addiction

I am the addiction I can manipulate both weak and strong

If you think you aren't vulnerable, one day I may prove you wrong.

You may never find an answer or fully understand,

I ever managed to enter your life without a welcoming hand.

I'll get under your skin and inside your head

Making certain actions feel right which others would dread.

Call me a power or a cancer, control is a must

I never fail to deliver your fix, so I soon gain your trust.

I am the addiction I have no remorse

I can take the most perfect life and steer it viciously off course.

Individuals become deceitful, many lie, borrow or steal

Whatever misery I bring to their lives they'll disguise how they really feel.

Wrecking careers, destroying families, there's no place to hide.

Sometimes my victims see the only exit when contemplating suicide.

As you'll know by now I'm not the pleasant type, turning people's life's rotten

I'll certainly offer no advise when you reach your personal rock bottom.

I am the addiction you may try and to recover

If you prove to be a lucky one, I'll continue my work on others.

Some have managed to arrest me, they walk a difficult track

If they tire or feel they've missed me I will certainly take them back.

You can build a wall around me, leave me in the dark

I'll just lay there waiting patiently for even the smallest spark

Then I'll reignite the fire which will burn from deep within

Making you a victim once again, because I am the addiction and I will always win.