Stopping gambling - strategies

I downloaded gamblock........FANTASTIC.....I cannot even access my free play sites now. What an investment. Thankyou all so much, without this site, I wouldnt have found out about gamblock, here's to a much happier future. You know now I am totally cured. I cannot gamble even if I wanted to....I cannot go out and gamble because I have my 2 small children see? Thanks again xx

Well, it's my first official day with not 1 penny going in someone else's pockets. I am so proud.....I'vemanaged to get on with redecorating my kitchen,lol.

I've also worked out that after gambling so much, we keep piling money in to try and recover our losses...that's what I was doing anyway, and just losing more and more!!! It's a big viscious circle, which I've now broken thanks to gamblock!

Hi there Shazzidy

Just wanted to say what great news. I've been away from the office for a couple of days so I am just catching up with all the posts. I am so glad Gamblock is working for you.

All the best, Lorna

how does somewhere like this help you???

Pug

I dont know if you are still around, judging from your question I suspect that you probably are not around.

However, if you are , and for anyone else who is that cynical let me tell you how this site helps you

Firstly, if you are on this site you are not gambling (or very unlikely to be gambling), its difficult to gamble and read about not gambling at the same time

Secondly, by logging on to the site you begin to read about the stories of other people. Think you would have to be an alien from Mars not to be affected by some of the real life hardship stories you see on this site. So if their stories dont put you off, just continue gambling

Thirdly, there is a real fellowship of people who truely want the best for you. And more importantly care if you fall, and more importantly still, are there to help you pick yourself up and brush you down

Forthly, just look at all the information sites this site provides. This can help you to put your gambling in to some kind of perspective, and at the very least assure you that you are not the only person on this planet who suffers from this horrific addiction

Fifthly, I have just finished a 2 hour chat line sssion for gamblers, and am feeling more positive about my self than I did 2 hours ago.

So, how does somewhere like this help you??? It can only help you if you want it to.

Therein the the secret of this sites success

Hope that answers your question PUG

Gamblock sounds great accept that my husband uses his work computer to gamble on, is there anythingthat can be done about that?

Why do people gamble ?

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

I think a big proportion of people who gamble dont fit into any of those catorgarys. I like many people gambled because I had far too much money, and continued to gamble because I had no money! (quite a paradox)!

What was your excuse folks, if you could put it down to one thing, as to why you gambled?

Mike

Hi Mike,

My excuse, hmm well I wasn't happy with my life, and I got an initial rush from playing on the poeker machines. But I stopped because I changed my outlook on life. I wasn't depressed or anything it was just I wasn't happy with the way things were going, working too hard, marrige, house all the things that at the time seemed important to me were infact propagating my gambling addiction. I have none of those things now and well I actually don't want those things anymore. Sure I'd like to own a home but it's not a priority, I have a roof over my head, my health, my friends here and in Aus and well thats whats makes me happy. I will be debt free again and from then onwards my focus will be on maintaining a happy life not a life that other people think I should have.

Roger

Andrew, great topic.

I had tried to stop gambling serveral times over my 25yr 'career' with horses and stocks/shares. In 1990 I found myself in the AA program and 3 mos later it occured to me to try GA for my gambling. Sure enuf it worked as well.

I went to GA meetings. I took their suggestions, e.g. turning my finances over to my spouse, no longer associating with my gambling buddies, not looking at the sports/biz pages of the paper, trying to help other CGs stop.

That's just what worked for me. Hope that helps someone.

rich r, detroit

hi all just admited to myself that ineed help blew £18000 on gambleing that is in the online casino ************ and thats only since xmas eve cant belive i have been so stupid i have lovely home car wife and son which noone seems to realise i have a problem and i dont want them to know,what made me realise is when started having nightmares and loss of sleep how on earth am i going to pay this debt back i have 2day closed down my accounts online down HELP!

(Edited by GamCare Administrators.)

Wow, this was one of the earliest topics on here - good to see it resurrected.

I wonder if anyone can reflect on the techniques they talked about or if anyone has any new ideas that havent been suggested already?

Andrew

Back to the top...

I think the most important strategy for stopping is to TALK to people about it who will listen to you.

Whether it's a Gamcare counsellor, a Gamblers Anonymous group, a good friend, a sympathetic family member, someone on this forum etc...

Gambling is a horrible illness that draws you into a nasty world of secrecy, lies, deceit, paranoia and ultimately madness and or death if not treated.

Simply by telling others your feelings helps enormously - there are a lot of people that understand what compulsive gamblers are going through and you can feel better about yourself.

Also, I think combination therapy is good. Ie try lots of different strategies to give up at the same time. It will show you are commited to stopping and if one form of treatment is not working at the time then you have other options open to you.

I use GA and this forum at the moment. I will also go to the Gamcare London group. And I will also call the Gamcare helpline if I need to.

Haven't gambled now for 140 days which is so good but the last month has been a complete head battle and it's not getting easier