almost 40 years addicted

13 days 

14 days

re-registered for GAMSTOP for 5 years at weekend.

Debt £23145

Should be able to knock £2k off that by end of October.

Perhaps just as importantly haven't looked at exchanges, racing etc etc

Hi KS2,

re-registering with Gamstop is a positive step. Also 14 days is a fantastic achievement. Trust me, take care of the gambling & money matters will take care of themselves.

Best Wishes

AL

Posted by: @slowlearner

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Hi KS2,

re-registering with Gamstop is a positive step. Also 14 days is a fantastic achievement. Trust me, take care of the gambling & money matters will take care of themselves.

 

Best Wishes

 

AL

Cheers AL,

as ever your kind words are much appreciated.

I know in the past I have been guilty of trying to solve a lifetimes problems all at once. Nothing will get solved until I've stopped for good

15 days

18 days 

Hello friend

Keep up the good work. It is heartwarming to receive updates on your journey and the clean time that you are accumulating.

I'm sure you have the motivation and desire to see this off once and for all now - that clean time is precious, protect it at all costs... eventually the need to gamble fades into a passing thought or a brief ponderous moment. 

Don't let the past hold you back, and keep doing what you are doing. All the best ✊️

Hello mate, im in a similar situation managed to take a break from gambling for around 3 years since covid hit currently on day 452 g/f since joining this webiste i feel i have put more effort towards my recovery and with the extra support it has helped, i will always be a compulsive gamblier i use to think if i could stay clean for a while that would be the end of the addiction how wrong was i, i am taking it day at time and need to keep myself going its the only way forward 

21 days

Posted by: @tazman

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Hello mate, im in a similar situation managed to take a break from gambling for around 3 years since covid hit currently on day 452 g/f since joining this webiste i feel i have put more effort towards my recovery and with the extra support it has helped, i will always be a compulsive gamblier i use to think if i could stay clean for a while that would be the end of the addiction how wrong was i, i am taking it day at time and need to keep myself going its the only way forward 

Thanks Tazman,

I know I will never be able to gamble 'normally', and I know that many times I have wanted to continue gambling, but just wanted someone to wave a magic wand and take the pain away, solve the money worries etc .

I guess we are all the same but different in little ways.

To be honest I find the first days and weeks fairly easy - afterall I have been down this road more than once.

Rather than posting much, I have read my diary a fair bit from what I posted 5 or 6 years ago - need to learn lessons of past mistakes.

One day at a time - must have said it to myself a thousand times - but need to do it for a lifetime.

23 days

Like most of us I can juggle money, accounts, credit cards etc 'better' than most.

I have an 'additional' current account that I am in the process of closing.

My shop betting would mainly consist of having bets on my debit card.

July 2024 alone (and wouldn't be atypical) payments to bookmakers £8190.

Typically £480 a time on a horse (why that amount appears so frequently I don't know).

There are credits back as well but lets be honest, none of would be on here if we were winners.

Naturally there would be some days I'd have to take money out on debit / credit cards to bet, £300 per card. Probably in the region of £2k across a month

Incredibly this is a vast improvement on the days before GAMSTOP when I had access to dozens of online accounts, and could bet 24/7

But its not normal is it ?

I put this only to remind myself, if once the account closure is complete, I can no longer get access to old transactions and statements - they are a sobering reminder.

Posted by: @mn0vu6tsgf

↑

Hello friend

Keep up the good work. It is heartwarming to receive updates on your journey and the clean time that you are accumulating.

I'm sure you have the motivation and desire to see this off once and for all now - that clean time is precious, protect it at all costs... eventually the need to gamble fades into a passing thought or a brief ponderous moment. 

Don't let the past hold you back, and keep doing what you are doing. All the best ✊️

Thanks as ever for the wise words...

"Do you think it's possible to feel 'too well' in your recovery and then complacency sets in, what I mean is that do you think it may be prudent for me to carry around a 'small' amount of my gambling pain each day and be mindful of what I did and where it got me at all times... Almost as a continuing safeguard? Is that healthy or unhealthy?"

You posted the above some 5 years ago, and I think I appreciate it better now.

"continuing safeguard" is a great expression.

If I think what worked for me, it is about continuing safeguards.

I've ticked the box on GAMSTOP again as that is just incredibly powerful for me.

My orginal 5 years would have been long up, but even when it was I just didn't have the desire to test it.

I do know that I'm going to have to get a few passport photos done and march round bookmakers self excuding.  I know that there is a multi operator exclusion scheme, but I'll be going in the 3 regular ones I used to be on the safe side.

I think I will always carry some pain around. But you know what ? It will be better than gambling.

My names KS2 and I'm a compulsive gambler, my last bet was Sunday 15th September.

25 days

Never been the best at remembering peoples birthdays, but ask me any saturday during the year and I can could tell you the main race meeting and races...

Away with my wife all this weekend - which is always a good thing !

Just for today I will not gamble.

Hi KS2 hope you are well and having a gamble free day. Just thought I would message to say how well you have done previously and can do so again! The horse racing is a demon of mine as they are stunning animals and I enjoyed going racing but unfortunately the sports we cannot watch without betting on have to go and this is certainly one of those for me. 
Stay clear of gambling today and you will have completed todays task, be well

TH

Posted by: @tryinghard1234

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Hi KS2 hope you are well and having a gamble free day. Just thought I would message to say how well you have done previously and can do so again! The horse racing is a demon of mine as they are stunning animals and I enjoyed going racing but unfortunately the sports we cannot watch without betting on have to go and this is certainly one of those for me. 
Stay clear of gambling today and you will have completed todays task, be well

TH

Thanks TH,

Although I have gambled on most things, it was horses that were my real weakness.

Apart from watching my football team live, I'm trying to avoid sport on TV and have cancelled Sky.

Just too many gambling ads for my own sanity really.

Just for today, I will not gamble.

28 days.

29 days

Debt £20946

Should be able to get it a few quid under £20k by end of November but won't make any progress after that until February or March.

As much as it feels daunting, about 6 years ago it was near £40k

Just for today I will not gamble.