Day 9.
After a building a gambling addiction over 20 years, I decided 9 days ago that I had had enough. I've never been that unfortunate to have landed myself in £1000's of debt but I dread to think how much I have wasted over the years. It's my 9th day gamble free, and I have to say it's been ok. I'm slowly getting out of debt - holding on to the next pay day to bring my account out of my over draft and then waiting for the next pay check to actually put me in credit! I can't remember ever building any savings up - but this is a great incentive. Coming to these forums scared me initially - a lot of the recovery stories involved people getting into £1000's and £1000's of debt, and I was worried that I would have to get that 'unwell' before I could break free of it. But that's not the case. I have an addiction that I could not control, and it was simply luck that I did not end up in serious debt. I have a good support network and although I haven't told my partner, I have told my parents who have been very supportive. I have blocks in place and cannot access online sites anymore.
Day 9 and no gambling - here's to day 10!
Good Luck to each of you xx.
P.S. If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing you have to do is stop digging.
Yo, exactly . Good on you coming clean to your parents , excluding and stopping before you made the debt so much worst . Some peeps like myself and you just can not gamble , once we totally accept that and seek help or put blocks in place , very quickly life changes . Wishing you all the best , keep on keeping on with what you are doing 9 days is a great start . Take care Shiny 🙂
Day 10 and I'm doing well - so far I've still not had any urges to gamble. For me, deciding to stop didn't come off the back of losing another big amount, I just decided that I had had enough of the life I was leading. I wonder if that's why it's different this time for me? Normally I would gamble, lose and promise to never do it again...and then gamble again, but I've just genuinely had enough of the deceit, the waste and the guilt. I want to be better, I won't gamble again. xx
13 days! Nearly two weeks into my new life!!
14 days
Good luck mate, you sound like me.The first and only time I decided to stop I did it easily for 4 months or so, I actually found it easy to do then one day things were fine money wise to a degree and bam I dabbled out of the blue and eventually was full blown at it again.ive started off the same way but it’s different this time I now know this is my very last chance the way my life is working out, I cannot fail this, Ive put more blocks in place this time, I’ve soon but not yet going to be handing over control of my bank account...I’m changing the way I think about how I conduct my life outside of work by involving my partner more , wanting to do things with her.Im under no illusion this is a massive change, changing 30 years of gambling isn’t easy but I simply HAVE TO, I hope you make it, like me you are early into this and we have years to go, good luck mate.this place really keeps me focused
Keep up the good work. It's awesome. Really difficult to stop. Sounds like you are doing OK
16 days.
My bank account is nearly out of the red - but I have an expensive month coming up - but at least I'm not £1800 into my overdraft - which is usually where I am by now.
I've managed to give my partner money this month and last month towards the house too! He doesn't know anything about my gambling - and the anxiety I have felt about him asking me where all my wages go is immense. But, I have given him a contribution and as long as he doesn't start to question my past finances I should be ok.
My next target is my next payday 27 days (42 days gamble free) - I'm hoping to be completely out of my overdraft and have nearly all of my wages for myself and my family. Following that the next target will be 24th June - I will have been contributing to the house for 5 months by then and my partner will hopefully never question my previous expenditure and (probably more importantly) I will be gamble free for 107 days.
Everyday I remind myself that my children's future relies upon me not gambling, that my future relies upon me not gambling.
Life is ok today. x
Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says I'll try again tomorrow.
17 days.
21 days! Great weekend - no urges to gamble! I truly feel like I have been given a second chance at life. 22 days until pay day and I'll finally be clear of my debt! Good luck to all on this journey x
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