Still gambling ‘bits'

Hello Johnboy,

I'm not sure weening yourself off gambling would work. Could you honestly stop yourself after a set amount of time or money you'd agreed to spend.

I had this mindset a few years back I didn't want to not gamble at all but after a relapsed I had to accept that I couldn't let gambling be a part of my future.

But i thoroughly believe there's not one size fits all cure for this addiction. Best we can do is take action using the information avaliable and find what works for us as individuals.

Good Luck

Conradnose

check out my blog www.conradnose.com

Hi Johnboy.

I think its about learning that it may always be within us to some extent and we must never be complacent. We cant kid ourselves that any form of gambling is being in semi control even we ride the losses and it wasnt enough to crucify us

What you write about the the addiction in full flow. Well done for tackling it earlier by talking to your parents but the reality is that you cant now be left alone in an aimless mood with cash in your pocket.

I want to deal with your point that you are exercising any control. Taking thet money out and losing it is completely out of control. Ok you have snapped to your senses but I would argue thats not real control taking place. Its not gambling bits. I dropped a tenner in the street the other day and I was really miffed. Yes I might be an old miser but I never gambled bits

We start clutching for semi control when the truth is the losing a tenner is the most irresponsible and crazy thing to do. Im not made of money and its ridiculous that I would look for a reduced bag of crisps than go and blow hundreds based on a chemical urge

If you dont deal with this by extending blocks and complete honesty the next time it will be much more on the spur of the moment.

Some people would have called me a binge gambler but I was never in control when I wasnt gambling. It was usually random thoughts or I was just paying bills or skint. Part of the confusing thoughts where I will ride this loss because there will be another day when it creeps back. Another thought was I must be in control because I didnt gamble my whole balance away. The truth is I have never earned enough to throw £50 away never mind more. The truth is I was never in control with machine gambling from being a young teenager

When at its worst I was gambling away thousands per year in 2015. Based on stress and depression the addiction had developed into something even worse.

Its interesting that you say you are so close but so far. I feel the truth for us is the opposite way around. We are actually so far and can never be complacent that we were so close. Its a form of split personality mind control. Your mind knows its done wrong so you start searching for feelings that you have some control.

I could be so careful with money on other things but would then go and feed it into a machine.

I hope you will step things up because my family monitor my finances and I have extended blocks to a wide area.

The secret of long term abstinence is that I am not ready to contemplate that I have it beaten yet. I didnt think I could get addicted to anything but I was addicted to gambling for 40 years.

Abstinence is the only way.

Best wishes from everyone on the forum

Such a great post Joydivider - nice work. Barriers are so important , the more the better. For me self-exclusion from the shops solves the FOBT temptation, as soon as I did it the thoughts and temptation just disappeared.

Well done again and thank you for a very good post.

Dave

Thanks Dave.

I try my best to express myself with honesty and learning. I am determined to try and help on the forum.

Best wishes to you

Hi there

I am in quite a similar position to yourself. Overcame massive problems but have gambled a bit now and again. I find that "play the tape forward" is helping. By that I mean imagine the end result, you know the moneys gone no matter win or lose so no point and associated feelings of guilt etc. One thing I also do is just spend the money on clothes or something. I find it just makes my mind think wow this is real money....