What have you done to help yourself?

Hi chris,

I have also got gamstop which i have found the most helpful tool, 

Ive also done the online cbbt module course which i recommend and i am in process of receiving furher support from gambling clinic 

Even getting on a debt management plan and focusing on repaying debts has helped.

Theres lots of different tools out there to support everyone but gamstop having the block there has saved me from further damage

Loux 

I’m fairly new to giving up and I’m finding weekends are the hardest as this is when I’m putting football bets on.  I’m trying to keep busy and that’s what’s keeping the gambling gremlin away at the moment.  I’m trying to spend precious time with my daughter.  I do still feel the anxiety and desire to gamble, but I guess the key is to make the weekends as productive as possible.
Jon 

Hi Chris, 1 Gamstop  2 self exclusion from bingo halls  3 Husband in full control of finances and he lets me use card only for shopping and things we need 4. Gamcare at least 3 x daily to read ,post for others and update diary 5, 8 weeks counselling organised by Gamcare 6, Now commitment to weekly GA meetings via zoom until at least the new year .....with a little nudge and helpful phone number provided by Chris for my local group.......Once covid is much less I'm going to find a hobby/project/ voluntary work or maybe all 3 something for me to get that personal satisfaction !!

Ohh and  currently 6months + gamble free . And we have a WhatsApp group with GA that we use inbetween meetings for support and just to send messages

Anyone else do anything to help with stopping gambling?

Remember, your actions help you which may help someone else.

Chris.

Blocking my debit card from gambling sites. I tried to use it once online and once in an actual casino and got blocked. So grateful for it. Obviously can’t stop me entirely but it does make me pause long enough to reconsider.

Hi Chris,

My contribution may be trivial to some, but I lived for live sport, EG football, horse racing tennis etc. Since I decided to stop I've never seen a newspaper except whilst sitting in the barber's shop waiting for my turn. I was never interested in Brexit or the pro democracy riots in Hong Kong. Old habits live long & even now I'd probably turn to footy & horse racing pages if I saw one. I recognize trigger points.

Al

Gamstop for 5 years, blocked transactions with Bank, Betblocker installed for 5 years, all finances now in control of my wife with all passwords changed, diary on here and read and comment on other peoples posts, counselling organised by gamcare, finding other things to fill my time. My wife has also registered with gamstop and put Betblocker on her phone so I couldn't use hers either. Debt management plan set up with Stepchange took a lot of stress out of dealing with credit card debts.

Now 6 months gamble free and man does life feel better

Hi Slowlearner (AL)

This is what I’m trying to avoid watching any live sport, I’m a big fan of betting on football and I’ve deleted the bbc sport app and resisting conversations with friends around footy for now.   I get annoyed when I see the score on some recent games and knew it would have been easy money and even get annoyed, but hoping this will pass.  I bet last Sunday and 3 weeks before that.  I was daily before so it’s starting to work. 

Jon 

Hi Jon,

I think I should point out I excluded for 5 years through Gamstop as well as handing finances over to my wife. For sometime now I've been able to watch a game of football on TV & genuinely enjoy it. However, Cheltenham, Royal Ascot, York & all the other televised meetings are a no no for me. I'm happy & content now without them so the way I see it is if it ain't broken don't try & fix it. 863 days since my last bet. 

Stay Strong & Stay Safe

Al

Thanks Al, appreciated.

Well done for going so strong, I must admit each day is getting easier and my gambling gremlin is not so active as it used to be. 
Jon 

Hi Jon,

My gambling gremlin isn't so active these days, but never forget TRIGGER POINTS, what turns you on, what gives you the buzz ( and yes even now the hairs would stand up on the back of my neck if I witnessed the OFF for the first race at the Cheltenham festival. Wow the roar from the international crowd as the tapes went up ). During my untreated addiction I would have thrown caution to the wind, forgot about the damage & the debt, and continued blindly for the big pay day that was going to return everything I'd lost plus a giant profit. 

What's different ?. Well I now know they saw me coming, bookmakers, exchanges you name it. I've been sucked in by them all. Am I any less susceptible today than I was then ?. Who knows, but right now I've no intention whatsoever of finding out. SATAN GET THEE BEHIND ME.  One of the best things about my life today is knowing that they miss me much more than I miss them. Once you reach that point recovery feels good. 

Al

Thank you