Day 16 and another succesful gamble free morning before work! I will be out of trouble in work this afternoon and can't wait to get it done as I'm off tomorrow. I need to think of something to do tomorrow to reward myself for a good start, something cheap to get me out and about rather than just staying in saving money. Feeling generally good, no bets today!!
Day 17 and my day off work, been racking my brains what to do with myself, but on a Monday when everybody else is in work its not easy! Got to admit to having a few bad thoughts this morning, I have fought them off, but I wish they would just go away! So todays task is to enjoy my day off and not gamble!
I had a hell of a time around this point Phil...Keep fighting, you know you have it in you! They are bloody annoying but you are better than them & you have a holiday to go on by ignoring their taunts!
What about an Ice cream in the sunshine...Never fails to put a smile on my face!
Keep winning - ODAAT
Good to see you posting regularly and battling away bornagain!
The urges come and go but the great thing is we don't have to act on them and as long as we stay away from that first bet we are always in control!
Remember how hurtful the losses are and having to start over again and keep looking forward to that holiday!
Well done bornagain. I always look out for your posts. You inspire me with your honesty.
Thanks for the posts on my diary its a boost and when I have time I will put some posts on your diaries. Running the 2015 challenge limits the time I have to post on others diaries.
So its day 18 and that big event the Queen will be attending won't be taking a penny of my money. I have no idea of any of the runners and I'm in work for the next 5 days so I will be safe from it. After beating my urges yesterday I feel better today, maybe it helps because work will keep me busy. This morning I booked train tickets for a day out in London in August and I have also booked London Eye tickets and tickets for a Thames river cruise. If I was gambling I wouldn't be able to afford things like this, but I felt I needed a day out, I can't just stay in everyday saving every penny for New York. So a good start to the day and I won't be gambling today!
Day 19 and I'm feeling pretty good, no urges and will be in work this afternoon. I like living life like this, I have money in the bank, I don't need to lie to people and experience that sinking feeling when my last money is spent in a bookies. Need to keep making the right choices, I don't want to be that gambler anymore. No bets today!
What a lovely post Emily, I'm glad to see you are well and you've made my day with that post!
So hello day 20, I don't have any urges and have been quick with the remote to turn over once the word Ascot is mentioned. I will be safely in work this afternoon, out of trouble. I'm not off till Sunday and it feels like an age away, but day by day thing will get better!
Keep it going mate.
When those voices tell you gambling is a good idea start to remember the not so good times rather than the optimistic hope of winning!
Remember how much better you feel not gambling and the hope you have in turning things around.
Day 21 and I'm in a good frame of mind right now, its strange that the urges can be so strong and make life such a struggle and then times like now I'm able to function well and enjoy recovery without any urges. Less than 11 weeks to go now till my holiday and it really is much needed, work is an absolute nightmare at the moment, I will be glad to get to my day off on Sunday. No bets today!
Day 22 and thankfully I get a day off work after today, the sooner 10pm comes the better! I'm plodding on day by day trying to do the right things and make the right choices. When I was a gambler I stressed almost 24/7 over debts which just seemed to get deeper and deeper. Things are so much better now, I need to take a grip of my life and start enjoying it! No bets today!
Day 23 and a nice chiled day off work, I have contemplated going out for a few drinks but I really need to save every penny for my trip! A few fleeting thoughts about a bet on tonights football and golf have come into my mind, keep thinking about the cost of my hotel and maybe winning enough to cover it. Clearly that wouldn't happen as the more I win the more I want to bet and then the more I lose! Just got to fight on, I have beaten the urges today and won't be placing any bets!
Day 24 and I'm back in work but only for one day and then I have two days off, my rota is all over the place! The important thing for today is that I have no urges and will be out of trouble this afternoon. Just got to keep this up one day at a time I will not gamble!
Well done Phil Keep at it! Dont allow problems or rota at work to lead to a relapse it's something I realise with hindsight happened to me before my latest recovery attempt 🙂 keep the barriers in place and try fulfil your spare time with enjoyable activities!
Keep working towards that holiday!
I've had a troubled morning and found myself browsing todays racecards! I can see now that I find it more of a struggle on my days off work. I'm off today and tomorrow! Every penny is much needed for my trip and I'm also off the beer so finding things to do when I'm off is a struggle. So for an hour this morning I convinced myself that if I went into a bookies and hit lucky I could win big and cover my hotel. Just one days betting then I will stop is what I was telling myself and what I told myself the other times I slipped. Anyway I have managed to pull myself together and see sense. I don't want my daily count to slip back to zero and I don't want to experience that sinking feeling again when I've lost the last of my money, and of course the extra stress that it will bring in the aftermath. I've had the same 20 pound note on me for a few days now, its not enough to tempt me into a bookies, I would have needed to get more money if I was to bet today. But I won't be doing that, I'm going to keep fighting and I'm shortly off to do some food shopping and for a walk by the beach. No bets today!!!
We are available 24 hours a day, every day of the year. You can also contact us for free on 0808 80 20 133. If you would like to find out more about the service before you start, including information on confidentiality, please click below. Call recordings and chat transcripts are saved for 28 days for quality assurance.
