Chris's Gambling Diary (-£6,000 Start)

Hi Chris.

Welcome to this forum and thank you for my lovely post. You will find reading others diaries and posting in your own, hopefully very therapeutic and motivational. Just a little advice if I may (I did remain gamble free for two years and six months), is to try not to focus too much on what you have lost in monetary terms. Sometimes I feel that this can be the reason why so many people lapse/relapse and return to gambling. Instead, focus on your future goals you may have and even write them down in your diary. I try to come up with some mini goals when each payday arrives and I find that really motivational.

Take care and wishing you the very best of luck on your journey.

Our Lady

Good luck mate, stay strong!

Hi Chris. Thanks so much for your forum post, believe it or not it perked me up hearing that my boring little diary perked you up too! 🙂

Just reading your first diary post here you sound really level headed and optimistic which is a great position to be in trying to tackle this. I know there will be days when you don't feel level headed and optimistic at all, we've all been there! But that's not bad either if you find yourself on one of them days. This is not an easy thing to do and most of us have relapsed. But the fact that we're here trying to turn our lives around means more than any of the relapses. We know what we've Got to do and there'll be hiccups but as long as we keep trying we can beat it.

You've probably heard all of the best tips already like, self excluding from any and every site or bookies/casino you use. Free gambling blocking software for phones and laptops, and maybe get a cash card and cut your other one up and try to get that over draft sorted. It's good your friend knows as im told time and time again it really helps aid overcoming this if you had someone physically to turn too on the rough days. (I wouldn't know as I'm too stubborn to listen to all the good advice and insist on doing this without having to tell my mum and partner *guilty face*

Anyway just wanted to pop over say hi and thank you - after my diary post today about stressing over money I let my mind wander about how I could maybe win it, only for a little while but the thoughts badgered me none the less and I felt crappy. Seeing your diary post that I'd filled you with hope for getting to a month gamble free really give me that oomf I needed to boot them silly thoughts right out and give myself a pat for the days free I have been. So thank you! Sorry for my ramble ha speak soon 🙂

J xxx

And yes exactly as our lady says, don't focus on the losses as that's what I was doing today when my mind wandered into insane town and I allowed thoughts of 'maybe I'll have one game' enter my mind. Focus on the future that is brilliant advice. Ciao! 🙂

Thank you all so much 🙂 Some really good advice and such lovely replies, I really apprichate the time both Our Lady and Girl J took on your responces, as I'm sure you all know being so open is very hard to people in person and even this outlet was difficult so the support is so welcomed and appreciated! This is the first day in a long time I've not looked at football betting or planning my bets for the weekend ahead, I guess not having much money is the easy part right now, Pay day in a couple weeks will be a real test but feeling positive! The diaries you guys write and the positive posts give me even more motivation, Your right I should not focus so much on the money but more on the journey, who knows next months wages may even go on some new clothes or something nice and I actually want, actually start paying some bills, rather than one of the verious betting sites it normally goes on! Heres Hoping! thanks for all replies and good luck on everyones personal journeys, I will be keeping a look out 🙂 I hope you all have a lovely evening

- Chris

Chris,

Glad you've got something going on here now, it's a good place to get everything down and use it as motivation to kick on against this horrendous addiction. Everyone is here to help and I'll make sure I check in most days. That reminds me I should get my diary going again. Speak soon buddy.

Your friend Al

Cheers Al means a lot! Defo get that diary started up again and I'll be sure to keep an eye on it, watching those days clock up and having your ups and downs, struggles and achievements documented will be great to look back on one day, when hopefully we can look at it in the future and think that's the day we kicked that awful habit and look how richer in more ways than one our lives are now, all the best bud x

Hi Chris! Glad your feeling good! Make sure you have iron clad blocks in place for when you get paid. As I know too well from experience it's all well and good when you don't have access to money to gamble you can feel as though you're totally over it and never want to gamble again, but as soon as our accounts fill up the urges flood in too and that's when you need them blocks in place. And yes like you say when you decide not to gamble you can give yourself a little treat purchase, in my case I purchased a new electric toothbrush ha! Seems boring but I was thrilled to be buying boring things and feeling normal 🙂 good luck for pay day keep strong x

Day 2!

Firstly thankyou girl J for your messages, and your right even the most mundane items would be a treat I'd not normally bother with!

So today I'm not exactly feeling the urge to gamble but I am realising how much of a part of my routine it was, I've already wanted to look at the football several times today,, normally during the week I'd be studying form, planning my bets for later in the week, throwing some money on leagues id barely know a thing about for a quick 90minute thrill, I have found looking through these forums helps break that habit a bit which nice, but onwards and upwards, no looking and no betting, Day 2 come at me because I'm looking forward to a future without being gambling dependant.

It's a lush sunny day here, I hope it is for all you guys, all the best.

- Chris

Hi Chris.

If you have taken time to read my diary at all, you will know that payday was my biggest trigger! Often spending almost every last penny and in just a few hours in my worst times of gambling! Whenever I type this on,people's diaries, I just shudder and cannot believe I went that low with it all but that is where gambling can take you - right into despair.

My main block back then which completely stopped this in it's tracks, was having K9 blocker put on my device and having my sister put in the password. This in itself, helped me to remain g.f for just over two and a half years. You may wonder what then happened? I got a new ipad and did not want to install this as it also blocked other things too. My main block now is self exclusion (online is my only downfall, do not do betting shops or casinos). I am excluded from just about all of them!!

Do yourself some mini goals for each payday. That's what I always did and have started doing them again this time around. I find it really helps to keep me motivated and gives me Little challenges which I like to achieve. Hope this helps.

Take care and remain positive. You are doing well.

Our Lady

Thank you Our Lady, I have read through your diary and I can see payday was/is one of the hardest points! I will draw myself up a plan before payday where and how my money will be spent 🙂 thank you for all the advise and continued support. Stay positive!

- Chris

If you're finding yourself urging to look online at the football, try and direct yourself to Pinterest instead. Pinterest is the holy grail f distractions I love it ha. I like to go on there and I have a little board for ideas on how my house will look, I have a board for healthy food recipes to try, a board for at home exercises and yoga I can do and most importantly of all a 'happier life' board. This is where I have positive affirmations, daily meditation tips, goals, quotes of things that perk me up and allow me to think of things in different ways. Even if you're not religious ( I'm not in by any means) but I'm very spiritual and even if your not either, I can guarantee being open minded and looking at things in a different way can help you in recovery 🙂 these are some of the things that perk me up and keep me going so thought I'd share.

J xx

Thankyou GirlJ, all great ideas, and as my own house is my biggest and most wanted end goal, so I shall take a look 🙂 I hope your doing well yourself, all the best.

- Chris

Day 4 now, feeling positive, off to Holland in a week today for a few days away with the lads, should be great fun and fortunately I brought my euros some time ago so I actually have money to spend out there!

It's a weird feeling gambling being cut out a daily routine, but a good feeling, took the missus out for lunch and some drinks yesterday, was nice not begrudging spending the money as normally I'd of lost Z amount already that day.

Onwards and upwards to the week gamble free, all the best everyone

- Chris