Stopped for 2 years so tempted to go back

Well seeing though blackjack was my main gamble poison guess it's only right I step up and post on someone else's thread. Yea I had the same kind of theory but mine was double up every time. Loose 5, gamble 10. Loose 10, gamble 20. Loose 20, gamble 40 etc. Eventually you'll win right? Well no it's not right. It's possible to loose 10's of hands in a row. I was playing this theory and the dealer got blackjack 3 times on a row whilst I kept getting 13's and 14's. Plus the times I did win, I just kept going until all the money was gone like a CG does. You want my advice, you've been clean for 2 years! That's amazing. If you're registered on this site you've obviously had a problem in the past and you know exactly where things could go if you take the plunge back into that dark world. What I would do to be you and have 2 years under my belt. Surely these 2 years have improved your life. Do you really want to go back to the dark days when you registered on here? Think carefully my friend. I'm sure you'll make the right choice

I'm not saying I will gamble.

Gambling days were awfull beyond hell. But I know I can control it as a one off? Just on blackjack and boxing, what's chances of dealer 5 times in a row beating me and even if they do no more blackjack.

what made me stop for so long not sure of an exact answer but on my last bet which was chasing my losses. I said win/lose I'm gona stop...the anxiety and stress wqs way too much.

Lucky I won my money back.but that was only cos one boxing match was cancelled if it wasn't I probably wud have lost it, as we now know Tyson fury would beat David hate.

Yes I still get urges some. Wry strong but then I just check website and profit is not that much and even if it is....I now have the sense to think what if I lose...and even if I don't care...I don't want to go back to gambling.

I also promised myself no matter what new ideas you have no matter how much you could win, just never ever go back you had your chance.

Let me also say how I stopped for 2 years without a single bet, hopefully it will help others.

In the past I tried GA, forums on here. Online counslling face2face counslling. Chat on here group and normal callin gamcare.

After all that on/off I still relapsed.

Will pick three words from your original post which sums it all up - 'lost it all'.

Nothing further needed!

There's a difference between not gambling for a while, and not gambling plus addressing your addiction on an ongoing basis.

If you just stop gambling, sooner or later you'll start up again. With a vengeance, worse than before. Same poison, different poison, it doesn't matter. What matters is that the addicted thinking is still telling you the same nonsense, that this time you can control it. That it'll be ok. That all the problems gambling caused you before weren't that bad. That you deserve a prize for good behaviour. A hundred rationalisations, justifying the unjustifiable.

On the other hand, if you move forward from here, have a detailed look at what gambling gives you, why you need it (not why it's everyone else's fault) and what else can meet that need, if you look at yourself, your life, change the addiction, you won't be risking the progress you've made so far.

Wish you well,

CW

This is classic compulsive gambler thinking - you're picturing the win, convincing yourself it can happen. It almost certainly won't.

You'll win some hands, but you won't be in control - you'll remember the winning hands, not the losing ones. If you're up you'll carry on - why not, you have a winning formula - if you're down, it's just because you haven't bet enough.

I think the odds are not accurately stated and that they'll take your money. If it was a cert, everyone would be doing it and bookies would be bust. Everyone isn't and they're not.

I am deeply impressed with two years off gambling though and I hope you see this for what it is - a terrified little gambling monster at the back of your head having a desperate go at getting you back.

Please persevere with your fabulous GF run of days.

Thanks to your words, even the urge of going back has almost disappred. :).

This is how i stopped for so long when i had strong urges i seeked helped.

I went 24-28 months without gambling before after gambling for 10 years prior to that. Slipped into my old ways after doing so well during the 24-28 months . Been 2 years since I started gambling again. Not a day goes by that I wish that I hadn't started again. Try to quit every week but always end up slipping back into my old ways after a week or so. Friends are always talking about money making ideas with roulette and £25-£1000 challenges. Overall must have lost £4000 -£5000 in the last 2 years plus thousands of hours thinking and researching gambling when I could have put the time and energy into something else. Don't give in, fight the urges.

Hi sim2854,

I was wondering how you are doing now? Your thread is a great example of how your mind can operate to rationalise feeling urges to gamble. There are such helpful responses here and it is clear, that many people who struggle with stopping gambling can identify with the thoughts you described and the meaning of these thoughts.

You have achieved a lot by stopping for such a long period of time and you learned where you can go to get support, when your impulses kick in. We are here for you.

Stay strong and keep posting!

Kind wishes

Gabriele