A new Life?

Hi Glasgow, well done for coming on and speaking about your problem. Also for the steps you have already taken putting the barriers up. As you say it was hard to do this as we don't know what the future will hold but now it's done you can start looking forward to getting your life back

Good luck and keep posting

Thanks Bladesman. 

I can’t (won’t) go back. It’s no kind of life, i’ve ignored this problem for years and it’s taken me long enough to see that.  
I know that it’s only Small step’s so far, but mentally for me posting here and keeping this diary feels like a huge stride forward to actually start to turn my life around.

Thanks for Reading. 

You're welcome, it's a familiar story to most of us but with the right help and determination you can beat this.

Can I suggest you speak to a gamcare advisor, they are really helpful and can give you great advice. For me they arranged some counselling which really helped being able to talk to someone about everything without being judged, they just want to help you through this.

I was where you are right now but with the barriers in place and the help of gamcare and those closest to me I am 180 days gamble free today after 5 years of secret gambling and getting into some serious debt. 

If I can do it so can you so feel proud when you wake up tomorrow knowing you haven't gambled and look forward to another gamble free day

Like you say, what keeps us going when we know we should stop is the chasing of losses hoping for that big jackpot we know will never happen so letting go of what you have lost is a big step in the right direction.

All the best ?

Hi GlasgowG and Welcome 

You have taken a giant leap forward in joining us and starting your recovery journey.

I hope there is someone close to you that you can confide in. Its a great help in feeling you wouldn't let them down, it would be obvious if you were gambling again as you can be monitored to some degree. It helps in the fight to reset your mind against a strong additive power

Its an addiction where reaching out is a good thing as none of us can really do this alone. Please keep asking questions and use the forum. 

Keep talking about your feelings and talk it through. Please dont bottle anything up. Lots of reality exercises are good for you. When you are strong enough, talk through a gambling session with a non gambler. It will reinforce how it only makes sense to an addicted, delusional and indeed ill mind seeking a drug hit

I promise you will learn things about yourself and addiction as time passes. You will look back in disbelief that it was actually you that did those things. They were taking your money your self respect and your dignity...taking your whole life away from you!

You can never be complacent again but you will begin to feel so positive about that  statement.

Best wishes from everyone

Thanks Guys. 
Today is day 22, I have no urge to play. In fact the thought of playing makes me feel sick which I hope lasts forever. 
I have people around me that can help me get through this and that will stick by me which is a massive help, sharing here with others that have went through and going through similar things is a huge comfort. 

Hi Guys, 

Thought I would drop in a little update,  another day without gambling. It’s feeling slightly better as each day passes the anger for the amount of money lost is still there but I know I need to take it one day at a time.

I’ve started reading into the psychology behind gambling and it’s fascinating the effects it has on the brain, which is something I’ve never really thought about.

It’s opened my eyes that gambling is an unseen drug. Not in the conventional sense but the effects are all the same.
It’s now dawning on me how much of a grip this has on my life, and I’m determined to switch that off.

There are so many other things to feel passionate about and put my energy into. 

Interestingly for me anyway , I did get a raft of emails from Online sites over the last two days saying that they had blocked my access through Gamstop.

What took me by surprise was that a smile actually appeared across my face as I read each account has been closed. There is a massive sense of relief that I can’t go back to these sites anymore.

I’m hoping to make it into the chat rooms but I keep missing the timings!  

Anyway, thank you guys for reading and being here as a community. 

GlasgowG

Well done Glasgow on what you have achieved so far and what you will achieve in the future. My very best wishes for you.

Thanks Chezzy. 

Appreciate the support. 

Well done, just keep your guard up and don't let yourself become complacent. Life gets a little better every day, I now have total contempt for the gambling sites when adverts come up particularly on sports channels with how they portray how they "help you stay in control" just set a deposit limit, take a break, set a loss limit etc. As a recovering gambler I know it's not as simple as that but they get away with it because they give this so called advice.

Onwards and upwards? 

Totally Agree Bladesman, the amount of Betting Adverts between football games is shocking. I like to watch the boxing and after near enough every round there is another gambling advert.  
It’s hard as i can look at it from both sides, for the majority of people a few bets here and there isn’t an issue and I don’t necessarily think they shouldn’t be allowed to advertise, but for a select few like me gambling is a problem and the constant adverts I’m sure do make people relapse.  There needs to be a balance. 

Personally I think one of the big issue’s is that we are so secretive about it, it’s not like an Alcoholic/ Drug Addict where you can physically see the devastating effects.

We get so good at hiding and lying that it’s not been as widely known. From what I can see it’s really only starting to become known as much bigger problem in the last few years. I think lockdown has compounded it for a lot and we will see a lot more people next year fighting this demon.  

I hope that in the next few years, these adverts along with Team sponsorship will be curtailed the same way the did with Tobacco and Alcahol, but with the amount of money they pump into sport through sponsorship I’m not so sure. 

Hopefully the government will step in sooner rather than later to help the people that are slowly falling into the trap that I’ve been in. 

GlasgowG

Hi Guys, 

Nothing really to update on, but feel like if I keep coming back each day just to say another day without gambling. It keeps me in check and it’s a target that I keep tracking moving forward. 

Today is Day 25 GF - I’m conflicted though, on the one hand it’s great that I haven’t done it in 25 days, but on the other hand I feel quite pathetic with myself that I’m that much of an addict, that not gambling for 25 days is an achievement.... I’ll just keep taking it one day at a time. 

Anyway, thanks for Reading. 

GlasgowG

Stop putting yourself down man, every day is an achievement no matter how long it is! Feel proud and more positive each day that you are on the road to a gamble free life

Thanks Bladesman, you are totally correct. Part of the mindset that I need to change. 

Hi Guys, 

I’m not really a talkative person or someone that talks about there feelings much but I’m pushing myself to keep posting on here and reading through the forums everyday as a helpful reminder that many people have been in my shoes and have turned there life around. 

I don’t want to go back to what I was doing, it’s not even about the loss of money now it’s hurting those around me who love me with my deceit and lies.  
All I can say is that each day does seem to get better than the last. Early days I know and I don’t want to get ahead of myself.

Some I stopped, registered here and self excluded everywhere through Gamstop I really don’t feel the need or want to gamble anymore.  

I can’t really explain it well but it feels as though a switch on my head has changed from Loving Gambling to Loathing the very thought of it.

I read a post earlier about someone feeling embarrassed when a gambling advert pops up and I can honestly say that I feel the exact same way although I also now tend to block them out or look away from the TV, before I would be wondering what that site was like, what was the signup bonus. Maybe I’ll be lucky on that site.....

I truly hope that this switch change stays with me forever but each day at a time. 

This turned into a bit of a longer post then I intended! If you have stopped by then thank you for taking the time to read. 

GlasgowG