Done it again

Well done mate on resisting the urge ! Whats that 23 days now ? , Why dont you self exclude and take the bookies out of the equasion!! just a thought !! All the best for now Buddy , stay strong , Alan

Hi Alan yes it's day 23. I've self excluded from every bookies but it doesn't make a blind bit of difference. There are so many that I know I can walk in one and they won't recognise me. Only once I was ever challenged.
I've made it home no betting paid some bills so not too bad.
Part of me just feels like c**P because I can't even enjoy a simple sports bet because I know everything else will unravel. Anyway I'm having a beer have a good weekend mate

Woke up this morning, literally first thing on my mind is gambling. Hate it, why do I have to deal with this? Really is this what it is going to be like for the rest of my life, I remember gambling thoughts and pangs dieing down the last time I quit but this time it's tending to linger. Will spend today doing my best to avoid throwing money down the toilet

Am sure the cravings will ease with time Buddy , as with me I.m sure they may never completely leave me but it will def get easier . I gave up smoking which I enjoyed so much ! that was about 20 years ago now , and even I sometimes for a fleeting moment think, thats smells good as I I get a whif of someones smoke !! . But I would never return to my old way's , its just something I used to do , given time I'm sure you and I will feel the same about having a bet !! . All the best and stay strong Brother !!

Good analogy there ill remember that one.
Day 27 today, been keeping myself busy so haven't thought about gambling after a very shakey weekend.
Am looking at the football results over that last two days and know that I would've lost money so that's a good feeling. I'd like to get to the point where I don't think of it at all though.
The less I gamble the luckier I get

Well i've made it to a month gamble free, going to do all i can to be in the position come the start of November.

Going away for the weekend with my wife, will be nice to spend some time with her without constantly looking at the football scores or sloping off for a quick spin on the roulette. I look back and realised i was absolutely brain washed by gambling it totally takes over you and the decisions you make are so iirational it's unbelievable.

Big Congrats on one month. Awsome job 🙂

Congrats! Enjoy your break away!

Got through the weekend gamble free. Went for a hair cut friday and there are 3 bookies on the same road, after Haircut I had an hour to kill so the thought naturally came to mind just have a quick gamble. I didn't but just how naturally the thought came shows how on ur guard you have to be to stay off it. I've literally been gambling since I was 11 on fruit machines, I actually like gambling I always have. The problem is I can't draw a line between enjoying it and ruining my life and finances, that is the simple reason I have to continue to stay on the straight and narrow. Apart from that I had a great weekend. Also started back running today and that has helped with the frame of mind.

Well done, I've had a few expensive haircuts in my time!!! Not any more though we need to stay strong.

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Thanks guys another week gamble free. I did do the lottery today tho, even felt guilty doing that. On £4 maybe I shouldn't have. Never had a problem with putting lottery on but want to be true to the diary. No urges to gamble this week but have been working away. Looking forward to a night out tomorrow with family and some good sport on the box.
This would usually mean a load of bets, I used to put on some many accumalators that I could hardly follow them. Have a good weekend all

Day 45 gamble free.
A moral victory yesterday I had to put some money in the bank the bank is close to three betting shops all of which I am excluded from, usually I would think a few quid in the bookies won't harm and deep down I probably know that self exclusion doesn't really work in all three as I was only a regular in 1 of them. But for once I didn't even have to battle my conscience I didn't want to go in because I knew what the outcome would be. Money banked and home all ok. Maybe the table are starting to turn, I won't be complacent but a nice feeling to be more in control of my actions

Day 64 gamble free.
Logging in today as all I'm seeing is gambling, whether it is my mates in a whatsapp group, friends in work or lottery adverts. It's everywhere. Really need to keep in line as I'm applying for a mortgage this month, if I mess that up ill regret it

Woken up and all I can think of is putting on a football accumalator. Not massive money maybe only twenty quid, my problems are where it will lead to. I actually miss doing the football, I can tell today is going to be a bad day I'm like a heroin addict looking for a fix

[quote=duncanmac]

Hate fobts

I hope you replace the money in your wallet with passport photos, whenever you pass a bookies go in self exclude.

Gift your recovery by shutting the opportunity to gamble out.

I only gambled in 3d,the bookies, pubs,live racing so on and so forth the fobt my nemesis.

For me the reality is they are a £ 500 dream breaker

The actual prize on offer bares no great meaning

I simply graduated from putting my wages in a fruit machine to eventually spinning a ton every thirty seconds chasing a miniscule prize

When the once in a blue moon they did roll in did I dance around the shop with my new found riches?

Did I f**k,it just meant five more spins.

I like every compulsive gambler lived by a mantra

I cannot win because I cannot stop.

Seek change, without it the cycle will continue.

As for luck, in recovery you don't need it, recovery is a re education of the mind

A choice for life, I guess like me your luck ran out a long time ago, mine went on the first ever spin of a fruit machine and the £4.20 in tokens that ensued.

Yes I fed them straight back in.

I hope you stick around, use your diary to help with your own recovery.

Abstain and maintain

Duncs stepping forward never back.

[/wow! That stung. So true xquote]