Stopping gambling - strategies

Hi I've come over from the Gordon House site to meet some people.

I hope you will find this forum as helpful as we have found that one.

Take care

L

Is it right to feel sick, have a headache and feel tense and stressed about giving up gambling. I've now gone five days - 1st August was my last bet - but although I'm proud of that I feel awful and sometimes feel a bet is the only way to make me feel better. Has anyone felt like this?

All the time mate!!!

When you break a behaviour cycle, or attempt to do so, your brain detects the change in routine and tries to restore 'balance'.

I'll bet that when you first started gambling you had similair feelings as you were making a similiar change. Only this time the change is for the better and it is the TRUE BALANCE that'll be restored.

5 days is mighty impressive, keep it up.

Well done for stopping dude. It does make you sick I feel sick I want to go gamble but I havn't yet I want stop for good this time into my third week gamble free, it can be done with help from each other lets crack this thing and stop putting all our money into someone else's pockets. Stay strong.

Why do people gamble ?

Let's approach it from a logical standpoint:

There are four principal types:

1 - Not enough money

2 - No other activity available

3 - Want to prove themselves superior strategists

4 - Ignorance of nature's laws (as apply to the games of chance)

Other types of gambler may exist but it's got to be something really strange.

How would you tackle each of the above and to what final result ?

There is actually one simple solution to all four of these issues.

I say simple, when in fact it can be difficult at first to implement, but it can be done.

If you have little money, and little to do, and a desire to prove yourself a strategist, then you must first realise that there can be no strategy for beating a flawless system.

NONE WHATSOEVER.

Gambling is based on chance and probability; mathematical concepts upon which everything in the universe is bound to. Hence if a system has a probability of long term loss it isn't worth trying to beat unless you actually want to incur a long term financial loss.

The human mind is not entirely bound by logic and reason. This is important because at times we need to think outside the box, in relationships for example. We all share the desire for wealth on some instinctual level, not that we are greedy - we may just want to take care of those around us and we need money to do this.

Alas, there are people in the world who's desire for money is so great they are prepared to cast aside their concerns for human suffering so that they can exploit this potential flaw in the human character. These parasictic worms have robbed us all by offering us false promises of achieving our dreams. May they burn in hell.

I did not say those four main character traits are present together in every person.

Just one or more is needed.

Many people are ignorant.

You read damning editorials in the press with respect to those gambling activities from which the state makes no revenue.

You see glossy ads all over the place for those gambling activities that we have to pay taxes to participate (directly or idirectly).

Most state authorities in Europe turn a blind eye when it comes to publishing warning leaflets.

The self exclusion idea is a farce.

It is of local value only and, that being so, the casinos do not adhere to it.

The gamblers themselves have a real problem.

For example those who have no work and no decent wage, but may have a little money on the side, place all their hopes on gambling activities and they account for a good percentage of the gambling population (30% probably).

If you have money and bet say 300 quid a month it's no problem, but you have to be terribly disciplined and self restrained to stay on course.

The percentage who do not understand probabilities is also high. There are rich persons, some of them leading industrialists too, who waste their fortunes like that.

It is also surprising how many people believe in magic-voodoo and things like that. When you tell them it's a pack of lies, some "clever" journalist or such will come forward and defy you. Because they have the power of the press behind them and we don't, they earn the vote !

can someone help me please my partner is a compulsive gambler he gets his wages the first of the month and has nothing left the secound of the month. i have read this stie time and time again but have been affriad to write. He ha addmitted to this but will not do anything about it I am going out of my mind. i am a manic depressent and am at my witsend i can not keep this up i feel that if he wont help himself who can. i have tried. i take his bank card i block internet sites but he still manages to out wit me what am I to do now please help I can take no more. i have read how a lot of people manage to overcome their problems but how can I help him to over come his? He says he wants to

Hello there my name is Matt. If he has come to terms with the fact that he is addicted and wants to do something about it then you get to get him into counselling straight away. There are links to other sites from this one where you can talk with people in both your situations. It really does help I'm into my third week of recovery!!!! Stay strong Matt.

I seen this before.

Guy who made a fortune everyday - being the owner of a shop in a privileged neighbourhood - then lose everything at night.

Plus the guy knew everything re. football - horses - casinos - cards and he could easily be a "teacher" for all these things.

So he knew the score but just could n't control himself and

had to go out of business in the end.

I think it is the most difficult of all possible situations and it definitely calls for medical assistance.

I just want to thank you guys for your continued support. It's now 15 days without a bet for me and, though it gets harder and harder in many ways and I still feel sick to the pit of my stomach having to face every day without gambling, you are all my inspiration. I don't mean that in any kind of romantic or pretentious way - it's true. Let's stick together.

One day at a time Derby! Congratulations, stay strong and keep it up!

This stupid online bingo really is getting hard now.....they do not have a responsible gaming link on their site, and even before when I have asked them to close my account, they just re-open it with a request. I have asked them to remove my debit card from their system, but again, they have allowed it to be put back on! HELPPPPPPPPPPPP lol

Just tell them that if they don't barr you imediately and permanently you'll stop using their site.

What? Yeah, i know,a bit of a contradiction there but think about it. If you actually say it, and mean it, one way or another it will make you feel strong enough to never try and re-open and account. Also destroying and cancelling credit/debit cards helps a great deal.

Have you heard of Gamblock - it blocks access to gambling sites. We have heard that some people have found it really useful and it may help when your willpower is struggling a bit.

http://www.gamblock.com