Struggling with closure of accounts

Hello Pontefract Pigeon

Thank you for adding your post and sharing your journey. 

The Helpline can provide much support and advice and are available, 24/7,365 days a year. Their telephone number is 0808 8020 133.  It may be helpful for you to talk through your concerns and to consider the options that are available to you. You are not alone. 

I'm sure you will receive much help and encouragement from other Forum members too...

Please take care of yourself and keep posting

Best wishes

Elaine

Forum Admin

As you have posted on here I assume you want to stop gambling. If the answer is yes you need to close these accounts and put blockers in place by registering with gamstop and putting blocker on you devices, I use betblocker. As a gambling addict you probably know this is the only way but I get it that it's hard to stop, I've been there, but the only way is to go full on and stop. It will be hard but you will gradually realise how much better life is getting without this addiction.

Good luck ?

Hi, it's normal to feel like that but it's just a feeling that will fade. If you want to stop gambling? Block everything and use your money for better things. I'm 4months gamble free after a long bad relationship with gambling and I'm enjoying having that bit of money for the extras that make life nice . You haven't told us much about your gambling, any debts etc so it's difficult to give you much advise/ support. If you want to of course, maybe we can help a bit

Block everything. Trust me. Just do it.

Honestly I feel exactly the same way as you right now. I’ve been on a 2 week extremely messy relapse and over the years I’ve done everything possible to not gamble but always found a way around it. But this time I found my very last way around it and closing down that very last ever option pains me allot.

which makes me feel ridiculous too because in the grand scheme of things, these gambling companies are utterly vultures. So why do I feel so bad about letting it go?

Well I don’t know about you but for me it feels a void, it’s an escape from life and sometimes I need an escape and without gambling what the hell is going to be my escape? 

Just like me, you have two options 

1. You continue to gamble because you can, the option is there nobody is taking it away from you and you have free will. But you are signing up to a lifetime of being skint, chasing highs that only get higher. You’ll get to the stage of betting higher and higher, the wins will be higher and the losses will be far bigger too. There will never be a limit to what you spend, it’ll grow. You’ll end up with not much dignity or pride about yourself and you need to ask is it really what you want? Don’t lie to yourself and say it’s just for now because it never is just for now or one last bet.

2. Your second option is to do right by yourself and exclude yourself and find a better way to work through whatever your going through. Have an honest chat with yourself and ask yourself what are you trying to escape from and why? Find solutions to the life issues your running from. Find other things that you can do that give you that escape we all need sometimes. A hobby, exercise, meditation whatever floats your boat. 

Ive spend £12k this week, my biggest relapse in one hit. I’ve been in this for 10 years on and off, I feel nothing short of dreadful. But I’m choosing to turn my back once and for all and cut that last string.

Posted by: Pontefract Pigeon

Hi, I feel i need to close my betting accounts but can't face the thought of not being able to bet again.

Any help or suggestions would be appreciated. 

In GA there is the suggestion that we can do something for twelve hours that would appal me if I had to keep it up for a lifetime. In other words, don't worry about never betting again, just don't bet for one day. You can do a day bet free can't you?

Chris.

Thank you everyone. 

I am a modest gambler compared to some. I have bet for years but I find myself over the last two years spending a lot more time than I should betting or thinking about betting more than enjoying playing with my child for example. I may lose £50 to £100 a day / week (I only bet weekends) but its the amount of bets I put on to chase my losses that literally gives me an headache come the end of the day.

I have closed one account and had a time out on my other account for a month. Deep down I know I should close/ block all betting accounts but I just can't face never betting again. Its so hard to explain. 

Been there and done that and there are times I still wish I hadn't done it!  But, and its a massive BUT, its the best thing I've done so grit your teeth and press the exclude button!!  Do it now and feel the instant relief and weight off your shoulders as you take the first small step to quitting.

Good luck