Just wanted to update this because the time has now passed where I could have had a bet at the festival as ive now picked up my son from school so can't go to the bookies and I have no online accounts these days and Im in work all day tomorrow (Ive been off wed and thurs) Frankly I'm really pleased with myself, I had another really strong urge to gamble last week, it got as far as going in the bookies and looking at the runners and riders but I dragged myself out of there before I gambled and getting through chelthenham without having a bet is massive for me and something I haven't done for over 20 years. I'm at about 68 days now and am feeling great, don't want to let this go but there's much work ahead.
Well done! I too have always bet on the festival and it is the first one this year that I haven't.
Had urges but been able to resist, it's great you are in that position too.
It's definitely a long road and the urges don't go away but I think perhaps they never do it's just your ability to deal with them improves over time..
Keep it up - hope to see an update on Sunday post festival 🙂
Long time no post from me. Just been reading my comments back and it makes me sad in a way to hear the torment I was putting myself through. It's still Jan 4th since I last had a bet so close to 11 months. I've no idea exactly how I've managed this. 25+ years of uncontrolled gambling, thousands upon thousands of ££ and countless family relationships ruined and then all of a sudden I stopped. No meetings, no counselling, I just stopped. I had a bit of an urge to go in the bookies the other day whilst christmas shopping, the old thoughts of 'I can pay for all this with winnings' but it was just a fleeting thought that I quickly dismissed. I'm always aware that other people on here will be going through absolute torment so I don't want to crow too much, my thoughts and prayers are with all of you in your battles against this horrendous illness but however bad you think it is, trust me, not even a full year on and life is completely different. Make it your time to stop now and you can improve your life immeasurably. I'm absolutely not complacent but I'm never ever going back to where I've lived most of my life. Good luck everyone
Hi mate. Just read through the whole of your diary. Just wanted to congratulate you for 11 months free of gambling, amazing. .
Hi NH L&YR 1878's,as sonic boom just said I ve just sat here and read through your whole diary,I must say it's really good to hear you ve managed 11 months gamble free.I can relate to so much of your old posts,especially the ones you stated you were worried about not been able to stop,I'm currently thinking of leaving the country to a none gambling one (middle East) to get away from the temptation,but I must say you ve give me a glimour of hope I can stop.cheers.
Cheers chaps.
Well it's exactly a year to the day for me, this is a day I never thought I'd see and I'm still not entirely sure what happened or how it happened. I don't do G.A and I don't come on here as often as I should I just stopped without giving it too much thought. This is after 25 years of losing hundreds of ££ of every month, I've never added it up but with the loans as well I can safely say it's well over £100,000 over the years.
I walked out of w**********l on Oxford Road in Manchester on that Saturday morning 1 year ago having just put £200 on some South Africa no hoper which of course lost, this was just my morning break at work and I'd already lost £200 having just been paid and owing most of it out from Christmas.
Believe me if I can just stop then everyone on here can, I've been at the lowest depths, plundering my own sons bank account, spending the mortgage money, pay day loans left right and centre, there's not much I've not done and now it would seem that its finally all behind me. I'm not complacent but I hardly even think about it now. All I would say to anyone that is struggling is that you might think that you're so deep in the s**t that there's no way out but trust me you're so used to living on next to nothing that if you do stop gambling you soon dig yourself out of that hole.
Good luck to all of you
Great last posting, very encouraging,well done to you, I've just been reading your earlier entry's, your story hits home with me, that could have been penned by me oh so similar. I've sat there so many times thinking how can I place 9 or 10 losing bets on the bounce, mostly with the stakes getting bigger and the odds getting shorter. no more chasing for me this time next year I want to be in your position. stay in that winners enclosure my friend... onwards and upwards..... Ginger
NH L&YR 1878 excellent post again mate and congrats on a year,that's top draw. I had a terrible pre Christmas losing everything just at the wrong time of year,I ve got on here and tried to put it all behind me, reading your diary does give me great hope that I too can beat this..
Long time no post from me. My last bet had remained the 04/01/14 so I was 3 and a half years. That part of my life was behind me, that chapter closed or so I thought... I remember going to AA a few years back and when people used to say things like "my name is Neil, I'm a compulsive gambler, it's been 13 years since my last bet" I used to think to myself "why the f**k are you here?' But now I know, this illness never leaves us, 3.5 years without a bet or even thinking of a bet and today I opened an account and lost £800 on some of the worst quality racing you could ever wish to see.
Why? Absolutely no idea, life's good, I've cleared all my debts, things are great at home, it just started nagging at me again, completely out of the blue and I folded like a pack of cards.
It's not the end of the world in itself, it's a kick in the balls no question but it's not like the old days yet, I can cover the loss this time but it's scared me. I've become complacent, ignored my illness and let it creep back in. I'm not going back to where I came from, I can't, it would finish me this time.
That's all really, needed to say this to myself more than anything. Good luck to you all, just been reading some of the threads and it makes me so sad for all of you, all of us I mean. God bless.
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