Diary 2

SamePhil wrote:

Wow. I wanted to find out today when my self-exclusion was up so I could extend it from Bill and Laddy and most of the shops in my area had no record of my self-exclusion....seriously. So basically I'm saying within a mile of my house in quite a built up area there were eight shops I thought I was self-excluded from and I wasn't. Now, my point is this: I go into the city centre and pass by shops I HAVEN'T self-excluded from and if I had know in my vicinity I had known I WASN'T self-excluded I would NOT have gambled because of my attitude etc. but what has P-issed me off is the fact that those bookies didn't do what they are supposed to do. Comments please? Nothing snotty please because it isn't about betting it is about the responsibilty the industry is supposed/alleged to make when you self-exclude. I'm fine - no temptation but I'm very annoyed. Thanks, Phil.

I'm always wary in answering posts like that. So, this is my humble only. And not even even sure whether I'll be able to articulate myself.

But ... here goes, I think it's addict thinking. An element of being an addict is losing ones self control and wanting to control what's around us. Self exclusion is an important statement! While heartedly agree but wanting to control the flaws in the self exclusion the industry pretends to afford us, is in my marrow opinion, a load of B.ollox.

So, my moral here, don't waste your energy in getting angry with the gambling industry. But, try and understand what your really angry with.

We need to worry about our own personal cocoons and what we hold dear and not get dragged into this corrupt, yet sometimes beautiful world.

Corruption makes the world go round.

Yes I know what you're saying about wanting to control what's around us - not everything but a lot of things. Thanks for responding Volcano.

My point is, what's the point in getting pi.ssed off with inefficient service. You can rant untill your blue in the face but, there still going to be inefficient and your gonna waste your energy in being pi.ssed off.

Recovery isn't in the money making machines gambling interest.

Disclaimer.

In truth im commenting on things I don't really know much about and not really thought about.

So, gonna gracefully retreat from my not thought out views.

Have a good day Phil

You too Volcano.

Fair play to Wolves. Feel free to take the Mickey Deano!!!

I wasn't going to say anything honest lol.

Like I said fair play to Wolves!

Here goes my sensitivity again. I was with my friend earlier and HIS friend turned up drunk - I should have told him to eff off but he just went on and on about gambling. I patiently tried to explain to him in his drunken state that the MONEY is irrelevant but he droned on and on. I will post more tomorrow. It's done my head in. Best wishes, Phil and well done Wolves grrrr!

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Thanks for the response. With hindsight I've decided not to go into anymore detail about the incident as a) he didn't or couldn't understand what I'm trying to achieve on a daily basis and b) what's the point? I just needed to vent briefly last night. Best wishes, Phil.

Quick post before supper - MONEY has gone and unless you are James Bond in Casino Royale (?) you and I will never get it back whatever your poison was. If you haven't gambled and want to treat yourself to something - great but think about the bigger picture depending on your individual circumstances - lying, borrowing money, stealing, trust, respect, a messed up head, obsession etc. Follow your path as I am but I just wanted to say I think money is part of a bigger issue which I have struggled to explain to some of my non-gambling friends with difficulty hence this diary entry. All the best, Phil

A comment about self-exclusion and the sneakiness of the bookies. I did all my self-exclusions around the 20th of February last year yet a) I found out a lot of shops I KNOW I banned myself from I wasn't and b) only BF self-excluded from around the date above. Laddy ends on the 3/3 and Billy on 1/4 - wow six weeks or so to process my self-exclusion. This has nothing to do with temptation. I also don't understand this "24 hour cooling off period". Why? If you're committed to staying bet-free what's the point of that? Do they hope you are going to change your mind over night? Phil

I'm posting this on my diary because I don't want to cause any conflict elsewhere. What is wrong with having an "insistence" that your way is working if it IS working? I've been enjoying Phil83's posts - feel like we are on the same wave length to some extent. I take onboard all the posts about underlying issues but I still feel some people who should know better insist it is their way or the highway.

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