So I've been gambling on and off for 6/7 years never starting as a problem but the last couple of years it's just got worse. Using credit cards to fund everything I wanted to bet on from football to horses to slots! I eventually opened up to my partner who took it quite well and was willing to give me a shot to get through this. I was good for 3 months then I never closed the credit card I payed off with a loan and before I knew it I had maxed it out then another card shortly followed! I lie to myself saying I'm ok and I don't need help but I know that's bull! My partner doesn't know of any of this and will kick me out and hate me if/when she does! I'm probably in about 8k of debt now which was only 4K last august. I'm lost now I don't no what to do, always hoping that one day that 5000/1 will come in and I'll be laughing it all off. Just stressed and anxious every day now just waiting for the time my partner finds out. I keeping thinking of different ways out from running away, honesty and taking what I'm owed for being a s**t partner and liar or just one day buying lots of alcohol and drugs to see how I really feel about myself! I'm trying to talk to debt planners but looks unlikely they can help me. Can anyone advise or help me?
Hi Guy777
Welcome to the forum and I'm glad you have been able to open up about how you are feeling. The forum is used by a very supportive community of people who understand the stress and anxiety that you are struggling with at the moment. Please do keep reading the forum and posting and letting us know how you are doing.
You may want to think about joining one of the chatrooms that we run everyday, where you can chat in realtime to others members of the forum, who can give you advice and support based on personal experience.
GamCare advisers are also available everyday between 8am and midnight to give you help and support. We can sign post you to agencies for debt advice, talk to you about strategies that you can use to help you to stop gambling. We are also able to offer free one to one counselling in some parts of the country.
Our freephone number is 0808 8020 133 or you can contact us on the netline via the link on our website.
Best wishes
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Hi Guy
you need to tell your partner the lies are what breaks the trust and she will never forgive that. Trust me iv just had it happen. i was very similar however my gambling got hold of me very fast and in six months i spent 3000 without her knowing. i got found out cause i was getting wrekless using the savings and shuffeling money here there and everywhere. i had the mind set of just one big win will sort everything. we lie to ourself cause if we do win we always think we can win more. the best advise i could give is tell her and take the concequences and deal with the problem i have no access to my bank accounts and i self excluded from every site iv been on. the realtionship had been damaged but more cause of the sneaking and lying whih is sad but im 10 days free now but feel better for it. dont do any thing silly as things can be fixed just gonna take a lot of time and effort i do hope it works out for you and be truthful to your partner they have every right to be angry at us for thsi but show her that you are willing to change and get help for it
regards
Sam
Hello Guy,
I agree with Sam you should tell your partner about your relapse she may be mad at first but may then want to have more involvement in your combatting of this addiction. I'm nearly 2 years gamble free and the first thing I done was take away access to money. 1 to prove i was serious and 2 to act a safety net in case i was tempted to gamble again my gf would notice it.
You can speak to your lenders direct and explain your situation you don't have to tell them about gambling but you can tell them you're struggling finicially and they can offer solutions to help with affordable repayments.
Conradnose
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