Dilemma

Thanks for your support the other day mate, I was pretty down after my recent mistakes, but back on the bandwagon and the only way is up I suppose.

I'm glad to see you're feeling positive about your fight with this addiction, I think not posting here and keeping not gambling at the forefront of my mind may have been a factor in getting complacent. I'm not doing that again!

All the best mate, keep up the good work!

Ryan

Good morning, thanks your posts. I haven't posted much on my own diary this week....I've not had a lot to say! I've woken up today in a really really positive mood. I'm not an up and down sort of person, so it's nice to feel like this. I can't put my finger on it. I think i'll keep posting for the time being. I get a lot from reading other peoples diaries. There are a great number of inspirational characters on these pages....even if they don't know it or feel it.

As for gambling, I had an interesting situation yesterday and it amazed me how 'bad Russ' could be so suggestive! I was in a service station coming back from York. All service stations have the 500 pound machines in them. As I was walking past, 'bad Russ' said "go on, just stick some of that spare change in the machine....it's not hard, you could just walk up and put it in....as easy as that!!" for a slit second I thought...ooh yes I can do that.....then I thought to myself "what the hell do you think you are even considering! Are you crazy? The thought of placing that first bet, even if it's 20p or a pound makes me feel sick inside. It just shows how strong 'bad Russ' can be. Russ

Great work Russ!

£1 leads to £10 and we know what comes after that. And judging by my experience of service station machines, they have a payout of 0.00007%!

Keep up the good work fella, and have a good weekend.

MNS

unfortunately mate "the bad russ" will always be there but you know youre better than that mate....well done,we can do this 🙂

Good evening 'Good' Russ.......... just a flying visit and bumping you up! To much going for you pal to let the 'bad' Russ to make a comeback...........no complacency hai onwARDS

Evening, well it's been nearly a week since my last post. I've not been posting on other peoples diaries either. I'm not sure why, I've still been reading. Life is good at the moment. If any of you have read my diary you will know that my rock bottom really came in my relationship. I had lied and gambled so much that the trust I once had was totally destroyed. My marriage and kids were at stake. Well 7 months on I feel real progress has been made. My wife said to me today that i'm like the boy/man she met at university, I'm more considerate, I have more time for the kids and she loves me like she did (if you read this honey, I'm sorry it's put down here for all to read, but it's important for others to know that progress can be made). She has been amazing through this and I owe her everything. I'm clearly not complacent, as the barriers are in place. The 'bad russ' will not come back. It's just not worth it. Thanks for reading and thanks to all of you who have offered me support. Russ

Hi Russ

Its good to hear everything is going well for you.It sounds like your missus is one in a million.Definatley not worth losing her through gambling then m8.7 months is great .keep up the good work Jeff.

Hi Russ

Great to read to diary again and I am so pleased that things are rosy with your family. Keep up the good work and enjoy your weekend......gamble free!

Warm regards

T+G

Hi Russ.

Thanks for the support mate.

You are right to assume that i am gambling when i am not updating my diary. Trouble is that over recent weeks i have been winning more than i have been losing and for that reason i didn't feel down. I've been quite happy with things especially with betfilter preventing me from losing big money online.

But then the losses start and that is when it starts to hurt again. I really should have learnt by now that no good can come from gambling.

I really admire the way you have approached your recovery mate. I take note of the way your relationship with your wife has improved so much. I'd like to improve my relationship with my wife as well. Stopping the gambling and thereby the secrets and lies will be a great start.

I'm glad you say that after 7 months you no longer miss having a bet.

Keep it up mate.

thanks for your ongoing support russ...i liked your "rant" on curlys diary...i too would ve just loved to be able to have my £5/£10 wi my dad and friends on the racing,golf and football etc....unfortunately we all know where it eventually leads...keep up your impressive support of others mate,we can do this 😉

Hi Russ.

Thanks for the post mate.

I'm ready to have a real *** at this now. It's been strange over the last few months as i have had some spells where i have been happy to resist gambling but when the urges have come i have been too weak to fight them off. No more though mate. I've seen the future if i fail to mend my ways and i do not like it.

I read your diary mate and i like what i see and i want a piece of it. It is clear that not gambling is changing your life for the better and that your golf has been improving.

I think that is what is termed a 'no brainer'!

All the best mate.

Russ,

That's a great compliment the missus paid you. You are right to post it on your recovery diary as it is a true sign of how well you are doing.

You wouldn't fancy doing a wife swap ???? mine gives me nothing but hassle. lol.

Well done again.

Brian

Thanks for your post on my diary, running is going well and looking forward to a couple more runs this week.

What a lovely post you made saying that the normal Ross has returned. It just goes to show how gambling can hypnotise people with lovely personalities into something horrible.

And long may this continue!

Have a great gamble-free week.

Getting There

Thank you for the posts. I'm currently on a small vacation at a well know holiday park in the uk for half term. We all went ten pin bowling. As we were leaving we had to walk past an arcade which had an over 18 fruity section. I was surprised to see this. In my opinion there is no need for such arcades. It was not supervised and it would have been very easy for a youngster to play some of the machines. Anyway....there was one young person playing the machines. He must have been around 20-21 years of age. No problem, a bit of harmless fun? Not likely, as he was sat down (which is always a sign of a long session) + he had a baby in a pram next to him! I wish I had had the guts to walk over to him and speak to him. Maybe I could have opened his eyes before he ends up here in 10-15 years time.

Anyway, no gambling here and no thoughts.

Russ

Hi Russ

Thanks for the post on my diary and for sharing your news with us. Glad you are having a good holiday.

As you mentioned on your post and mine, this kind of situation is very sad and certainly doesn't fit the picture that the gambling industry wants the public to see.

I have had similar thoughts to you about it all. I walk past a betting shop in Victoria almost ecery morning at 8am. Almost every day, there are 1 or 2 blokes in there playing the FOBT. In my opinion, if you playing a FOBT before work you have a gambling problem (I should know because I do!). I wish I could go in and tell him to stop but I suspect I would get my head kicked in!

Moral of the story - you can't save everyone but you can try!

Keep well and thanks again for all your support

T+G