75+ Days Gamble Free - A Start But ONLY A START

Keep going guys, keep strong and remember the choice to gamble or not is OURS.

Well done Paul, keep on making that right choice.

Suzanne xxx

Hi guys

New mind set for me now, if I gamble IT'S MY FAULT and nobody else's. I refuse to blame the bookmakers for housing those FOBT's, I need to take responsibility.

If I start drinking heavily, turn into an alcoholic, would I blame the pubs, NO!

New quote for me to remind myself of what gambling is really like, "Nothing worse then a destroyed gambler".

Paul

Hi what is a FOBT please

Fixed Odds Betting Terminal, a posh name for a roulette machine in Bookmakers.

Oh thankyou I think my son may use them.

Hi missykat

I can't find your diary so I will post here, FOBT's are dubbed the crack C*****e of gambling, very addictive and take your money very, very quickly. Depends on how often your son plays them, if it's a few pound coins here and there then not a big deal but if he is constantly on them like I was then it could be a massive problem.

Paul

Hi Paul congratulations on your renewed enthusiasm to stop lining their pockets! I had heard it was the roulette in particular that was the 'c rack' but completely agree that it is the FOBTs full stop since I stopped simply sliding down the slope when I discovered them & began plummeting instead!

I was drawn here by your title & agree in the context you use it but if that destroyed gambler hits rock bottom & then finds a way to focus on recovery then @ least some thing good can come out of it!

I think post 18 shows that you get it now 🙂 You are completely right & hopefully these feelings of loathing never go away (I know we're not supposed to be angry but if we can hate the very things that dragged us into this pit, how can that be a bad thing?!?), no room for complacency! Recovery is your responsibility & completely in your hands!

Keep winning - ODAAT

Hi Paul I don't have a diary I was just reading some of the other ones on the forum to see if they sounded like my son. To be honest I'm worried sick about him.
He is 35 now, but when he was in school or not long after he had left we deposited a few hundred pounds out of an insurance we had for him and our daughter. Before we knew it it had all gone and the bank let him have quite a big overdraft, which had also gone. We found out that was in the fruit machine in the local pub.
Over the years he has lost one job after another, one relationship after another and one flat after another.
I know in the past he has asked us for money because he has gambled with the rent, but he always swears he is not gambling any more. I really do have my doubts because I don't really believe a word he says and somehow if we fall out he manages to make me feel guilty and sorry for him.
He does seem to have a lot of the characteristics that some of the other people talk about, but I keep giving him the benefit of the doubt because I haven't actually caught him red handed.
Do you think I should confront him about it , or ignore it and wait till he hits rock bottom, which I think is getting very close because he will soon be running out of options.
Sorry for babbling on but I really needed to get this off my chest.
And thank you for responding to my earlier post. K

Hi Paul,

Hope you don't mind me using your thread to just say to missykat, I understand 100% where she is with her son, and if she can open up her own thread I will gladly reply. or go on to my diary.

Well done you on your positive post you are doing fine. And thanks for your support on my diary,

Keep strong and keep winning.

Suzanne xxx

Hi Suzanne I have posted a thread entitled So Worried I tried to your thread but was unsure how to. Sorry about that but I'm new too this. Apologies to you too Paul.

Hi missykat

These FOBT's are a menace and people who use them find they lose quite a lot of money very quickly. Personally, if it were me I would confront him, if anything, to get him to speak about his problems, that way he might start asking for help (gamcare etc) and put in things in place like self exclusion. Good luck.

Paul

Another gamble free day for me today.

Onwards and upwards and remember that gut trenching feeling of NOTHING WORSE THEN A DESTROYED GAMBLER.

Great diary title Paul and couldn't agree more. A destroyed gambler is a pitiful sight (I've looked in that mirror) and we all should never lose sight of that image. When gambling and in the zone it's easy to feel top of the world and you're the man etc but it's inevitable you'll (I'll) be looking at that destroyed pitiful gambler in the mirror if we continue to gamble.

Thanks for the inspiration and stay strong bro. YOU CAN DO THIS!