Hi again 88 🙂
Thing's did escalate I agree and it all got a bit out of hand , I've not posted since as I was banned for a while then moderated so any post I left took a week to arrive , so little point as nothing made any sense with the time lapse .
Anyway line drawn and we move on .
I don't think the non interaction is anything to do with you personally but some posters tend to just say how thing's are generally going and leave it at that and others ask many questions and obviously need a little more input which is when other forum users tend to step in with advice.
You seem to be of the former and just seem to be getting on with it by not gambling which I believe was your sole aim when arriving here ? , so I guess much of the generic stuff we give out when someone arrives here doesn't really apply to yourself as you are happy just being gamble free and nothing wrong with that .
On the watching sport front personally I didn't watch anything much for the first year or so but as my resolve to stay gamble free grew , I occasionally allowed myself to watch an event but honestly by that time had lost interest , not sure if it was the fact of not gambling on it or the fact that I no longer enjoyed it and had replaced those thing's in my life that had caused harm with something less threatening ? .
Anyway congrats on your nearly 2 weeks of non gambling and your resolve to continue , I know from experience it's not easy to do :)) .
Wishing you well for now .
Alan
Cheers K2 & Alan
To be honest the sports betting was never my downfall, the problem was 99.9% online slots. Sports betting would take a huge amount to get out of hand for me personally. I can (and have) happily watched sports since becoming gamble free, and it hasn't had a negative impact on me or my mindset, i just take it for what it is now and enjoy the entertainment without having had a bet on it!
It certainly isn't easy at all, and i can honestly say giving up smoking was much easier. I have found myself in slumps, randomly getting irritated for no reason, incredibly tired, very restless at work, and this must be mainly as a result of stopping gambling. I guess this goes to show that subconsciously i am still thinking about it and it is affecting me every minute of every day. Hoping these 'symptoms' will lessen over time..........
It's all part of the withdrawal symptoms I think , with mood swing's and lack of concentration and the fighting off of the urges of addiction I found to be very draining also , It does pass with time and should become easier to dismiss those thought's that do creep up on a daily basis .
Thing's are still quite raw and recent for you so just push through for a while as it's all about " Baby step's " and "One day at a time " for now at least 🙂
It's all part of the withdrawal symptoms I think , with mood swing's and lack of concentration and the fighting off of the urges of addiction I found to be very draining also , It does pass with time and should become easier to dismiss those thought's that do creep up on a daily basis .
Thing's are still quite raw and recent for you so just push through for a while as it's all about " Baby step's " and "One day at a time " for now at least 🙂
Cheers Alan, glad its not just me!
I Know numbers don't mean much, but i am focused on making it to 1 month GF as the main goal - i have been GF for slightly under a month before after a large loss, but went back to it. I guess this time is different as i KNOW i am stopping for good, whereas before i sort of knew i would always return.
Feeling more committed than ever, more motivated than ever, its just the niggles and reminders that i must overcome.
I think numbers do matter TBH with you 88 but that's just me coming from a place where not so long ago I'd have struggled to go 4 hours without a bet 🙁 and looking occasionally at my day count at the top of the page show's me in another way just how far I've come .
A month gamble free is a huge achievement and a great goal to aim for , look how quickly these past couple of weeks have gone already and they'll continue to grow but In my humble opinion I'd still keep it one day at time for now as looking ahead to a future of never gambling again can be quite a scary prospect ( I know that's what were all aiming for ) but sometimes bite size pieces are easier to swallow 🙂 .
Ultimately though it's your recovery your way 🙂
Have a good one fella 🙂
Cheers Alan - i can resonate with that, i would struggle to go a few hours without a bet of some description or setting a slot off on auto play!
DAY 13 GF - feeling ok and positive, the thoughts of the lost funds are prominent, but becoming more aware they are gone, and they are not coming back. Keep seeing / hearing things which relate to my life, the latest being a quote i saw last night whilst in the barbers of all places..........
―
DAY 14 GF, AKA 2 weeks.
Never thought i would go a week without gambling, but two weeks in and i have no urge to bet.
Today i will be the best version of myself, continue on my road to recovery, and continue to show gratitude for the things i DO have.
It's amazing what 2 week's can do buddy , do it again it's a month ( I'm soooo good at math's ) :)) .
Well done 88 and keep pushing forward .
All the best 🙂
It's amazing what 2 week's can do buddy , do it again it's a month ( I'm soooo good at math's ) :)) .
Well done 88 and keep pushing forward .
All the best 🙂
Cheers Alan - half way to the Month which i am sure will feel amazing! I want to get addicted to the number growing. I did this with Smoking and when i wanted a cigarette i kept thinking about how many days it had been and i would have to start that all over again, and didn't. I am hoping the same will apply here!
It's amazing what 2 week's can do buddy , do it again it's a month ( I'm soooo good at math's ) :)) .
Well done 88 and keep pushing forward .
All the best 🙂
Cheers Alan - half way to the Month which i am sure will feel amazing! I want to get addicted to the number growing. I did this with Smoking and when i wanted a cigarette i kept thinking about how many days it had been and i would have to start that all over again, and didn't. I am hoping the same will apply here!
I find this just the same as giving up smoking if I'm honest but I'm sure that's not everyone's opinion , I gave up some 25 yrs ago after a few failed attempts and remember going the through all of the same withdraw'l symptoms just as I have with gambling .
In my mind addiction is addiction whichever form it takes and is all about learning to live without the substance of choice in your life , it takes a while but your your mind and body learns to deal with it until those craving's leave you in peace 🙂
DAY 15 GF
Rough nights sleep last night, kept thinking about money very intensely, got a bit obsessed/jealous with the lucky sod who won £X earlier in the week thinking what that money could do to so many lives, mine included. Ended up getting lost in my thoughts and having a panic about what i had done.
Managed to get over it, a few hours kip and today is a new day.
DAY 16 GF
No thoughts of gambling or having a bet. Have plans for the weekend which will keep me busy.
Continuing to show gratitude for what i do have in life.
Having plans is a big key, always have them ,stay focused then every day gf will make the urges go a little more.
ive not wasted 1p in 97 days nearly
DAY 16 GF
No thoughts of gambling or having a bet. Have plans for the weekend which will keep me busy.
Continuing to show gratitude for what i do have in life.
It’s all about the simple things some days 88 . Wishing you a happy weekend buddy ?
DAY 19 GF
had a lovely weekend, no thoughts of having a gamble but a few thoughts of the money lost due to having a few unexpected bills etc.
New week today, i will not gamble and i will be the best i can be!
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.
