Well after 3 years I've fallen right back into the gambling spiral.
I tell myself it's the cost of living that convinced me I needed to better myself financially but we all know that's not true.
Going to post on here every day for the next year as I'm convinced now I can and will beat the once and for all.
Hope you are all well
What did you do for the previous three years? Did you stop completely or were you still gambling but it’s gotten worse over time?
Chris.
@94efcujqa0 easily done i fell for it too after i was convinced it was all behind me not only did it take all my saving im also in debt now because of it, the problem is money issues is a common trigger even if we do someone claw back the money we just cant control it, we cant afford to get back into it as we end up in a bigger mess then it started so someone else after a decade of being gamble free fell back into the same trap easily be done this is by far the worst addiction u could possibly have we can contain the addiction but never be cured which is why some people have 10 20 30 years still seek help its life long and i have accepted this we need to be reminded regular basis like a child not to do it while we improve on ourself it is what it is
@chris-uk how do u stop a relapse from happening how can u plan ahead a relapse is like a death sentence stopping gambling not hard for some especially after a major loss the moment a relapse occurs its like life or death situation
So pretty much gamble free for those years. Then came along stupid unregulated non British casinos that let you use credit cards.
Then even if you close your account and tell them your an addict all you need to do is give your email and date of birth and they will just re open it for you.
I'd like to say money way the factor but I've had a balance of 2k in the last 2 months which would have put me right back at break even for this relapse. But I blew it all away.
So committed this time for my wife and kids they don't deserve to be out though this all the time 🙁
@tazman how do you stop a relapse from happening? I can only talk through my own experience. I’ve relapsed before, even when I’ve had two and three years clean time, but the relapse came when I was complacent with my GA attendance but also life brought along a situation that I didn’t want to deal with and I ran away into gambling to hide dealing with it. I then started to chase my losses and it spiralled until I had lost everything again.
For me now, I have learned that how I react to situations is the most important part of keeping relapses at bay. I have had to change my behaviour, change my character and change my actions. Plus regular GA meetings and not being complacent about the illness, especially when life is going well. It’s too easy to think I’m okay or cured when in reality I know it’s never gone, just on hold.
One thing I do as well which might sound simple but you’ll appreciate isn’t, is I just try every day to not place one bet. As long as I don’t have that first bet, I’m okay. If I place a bet I’m lost to it, so I just try to not place that first bet. It seems to be working.
Chris.
@chris-uk when i relapsed the previous time i was told by GA to stop gambling which i did and it helped however i told them i couldnt stop thinking about my last loss which was a trigger for me i believe i should have relapsed i need to win that money and then lose has dumb as it sounds this relapse went according to plan and i just cant see why i would ever relapse again as this is the first time i have taken full responsibility for my actions i wish it happened sooner each individul is different if i didnt relapse now i would have eventually relapsed later, so yes Ga helped but i wasent understood i believe you have to take some form of responsibility until u dont understand yourself nothing will change in life
Well 24 hours in and I did not gamble. Took my daughter to he park today and tried to keep busy. Head feels a bit fuzzy but will take it as a positive day 🙂
Hi Elliot, well done for giving it a go. It isn't easy to breaking free from gambling, many of on here have successfully managed long periods GF as you did but have briefly fallen back into gambling. Keep going and take each day as it comes.
@94efcujqa0 i think your abit like me quiting gambling easy i had access to more money i could have gamblied and made it worse for myself but i didnt the debt itself is a reminder, i can easily to do 6 months a year without a bet however my issue is similar cost of living or as my last relapse to cover the previous loss and then quit and it did happen however i now know its impossible to quit as greed takes over and it got me in a worse situation, i found other stuff i can enjoy doing and out of all the triggers which caused me to gamble i have found other solutions so i wont reapeat those i have a feeling this could be the end of the road for me as my last relapse went perfect to plan im wondering if it didnt happen sooner
Throughout recovery, one of the biggest challenges someone with a gambling addiction will face is avoiding a relapse.
In this guide, we’ll be explaining some of the best steps to take to help prevent a gambling relapse.
One of the biggest triggers many individuals struggling with addiction find themselves faced with is boredom.
Without anything to do, it is easy for the mind to resort to gambling as something to fill the time.
That’s why we would always recommend a daily routine to anyone struggling with a gambling addiction that gives structure to their lives and a plan for things to do to fill their time other than gambling.
Perhaps you could start a new hobby or rekindle an old one, such as baking, sports or gardening to keep you occupied during the quieter parts of your day, or find something you enjoy such as a new TV show.
With a gambling addiction, your brain has become used to working in a certain way.
Gambling activates the brain’s reward system in a similar way to how drugs do, by releasing a higher amount of dopamine and, eventually, the individual becomes tolerant and needs to gamble more and more in order to feel the same levels of pleasure.
This is why stopping gambling is so tricky- the individual constantly craves that same feeling of instant gratification after a win, despite the negative consequences that follow.
In order to reduce gambling cravings, you should try to find something that challenges you over a longer period of time and offers small delayed gratification, such as completing a crossword or jigsaw puzzle to begin with.
Over time, you can increase the length and size of these challenges, such as completing a book or going on a long walk and enjoying a reward at the end of it such as a nice lunch.
This is called practising delayed gratification- helping to retrain our brains to self regulate better and crave instant gratification less. This allows us to enjoy the smaller things in life a lot more.
Many schools self regulation and delayed gratification to younger children by doing something called the ‘marshmallow test’.
In this test, a child is offered a choice between one small but immediate reward (a marshmallow) or two small rewards (a marshmallow and a chocolate) if they wait for a period of time.
This teaches them to wait longer for greater gratification and tests their patience.
If you know there are certain things or events that are likely to trigger your desire to gamble, it is better to avoid it than to take the risk and relapse.
For example, if you particularly enjoyed sports gambling, then it is probably best to avoid sports bars or pubs around the time of big events such as the World Cup or the Grand National where there will be many people placing bets.
It may also be wise to avoid social media around the time of these events or use tools such as Twitter’s ‘mute’ options. Here you can choose words or topics that you don’t want to see any tweets about.
Online gambling apps and websites have given individuals 24/7 access to casino and sports betting at the click of a button. Not only does this make gambling itself incredibly easy, it has also made it easier to hide from loved ones.
A recent study led by Aston University Psychology Professor, Richard Tunney, found that the number of bets made via a smartphone was higher and done more frequently than those who go to a physical casino or bookies because users tend to check their phones regularly throughout the day, and as they do, they often place a bet.
To stop yourself from using gambling apps and websites, you can do something called self-exclusion.
Self-exclusion is a method that many people with gambling addictions use to set a barrier between themselves and gambling venues or services by having them refuse you entry to their premises or websites.
By law, self-exclusion must be provided as an option by gambling providers in the UK. The process starts by you making the decision to exclude yourself from venues or websites where you may be tempted to gamble.
You can then do any of the following:
You can set your self-exclusion from 6 months up to 5 years to ensure you can stop gambling for as long as you see fit.
Gambling operators will do everything possible to help you, however, responsibility for sticking to this lies with you.
Many people use gambling as a distraction or a way to cope with stress in their lives, however, it can actually end up leading to greater stress when the individual loses money and cannot win it back or when their gambling habits start to affect their everyday lives and relationships.
In order to prevent a gambling relapse, it is crucial to target the root of the addiction, whether that be stress or something else in your life that you are struggling with and find better techniques to cope with it.
Healthy techniques for coping with stress include:
Exercise has been proven to be a powerful stress reliever as it releases endorphins- the natural substances that help you to feel better mentally.
If exercise isn’t already part of your routine, you might want to start out with something simple such as going for a walk or a swim after work.
Although the connection between our diet and mental health is a complex one, research shows strong links between what we eat and how we feel.
This is because of the way your brain and gastrointestinal tract (often called the ‘second brain) interact with each other.
Maintaining a healthy diet promotes the growth of ‘good’ bacteria in the gut, which positively influences the production of neurotransmitters, helping to combat stress.
On the flip side, a diet that is high in processed unhealthy foods can cause inflammation of the gut which negatively impacts the production of neurotransmitters and in turn lowers your mood.
Sugar commonly causes this type of inflammation and feeds the bad bacteria living in your GI tract, causing a temporary spike in feel good transmitters such as dopamine and causing a sugar rush.
This is fleeting and is often followed shortly by a crash, causing you to feel low and stressed.
Taking just 20 minutes out of your day to wind down and relax can help you to manage stress and improve your overall mental wellbeing.
There is a wide range of relaxation techniques to try, such as deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation and mindfulness meditation. Nowadays, there are plenty of websites, videos and apps to guide you for free.
If you find yourself close to a gambling relapse, please don’t hesitate to reach out for help. At Acquiesce, we provide a programme and treatment which can help you develop better skills and techniques for preventing a gambling relapse.
Get in touch with our team today to find out how our gambling rehabilitation programme can help you.
So looking at my timer 55 hours and 30 mins with no gambling. The 2 days were going to be tough. I'm back to work in the morning so literally don't have time to even think about it as work in a busy airport control centre. Only 2 days this week then 2 weeks off to spend with the kids during the school holidays.
Hope everyone is doing well today. Still just taking it 1 day at a time at the moment. Here's to another gamble free day though. Hoping I look back in a years time and see how much I was struggling that even getting through another 24 hours was a success. Here's hoping anyway 🙂
So your last relapse was caused by financial gain this is one of the most common triggers as we know money can be gained i realised the problem compulsive gambliers we cant keep we only make matters worse for ourself im concentraing on this trigger no matter what financal loss i occur in my life i will not turn to gambling this is my only weakness
So 78 hours down and haven't gambled again. Not to say I haven't thought about it but I haven't done it.
Big challenge for me will be Sunday evening when I know I would be due I large no deposit bonus from my relapse last week. Issue with these casino's is they won't let you permanently close them as they are unregulated non UK casino's.
@94efcujqa0 u were 3 years without gambling, even people who have not lost a single penny in gambling are not 100% happy life is tough however it way bettee then gambling addiction i appreciate the life without a bet atleast their much slimmer chance in getting yourself in a mess not only finanically but mentally even professional gamblier who make money out of this industry are saying it not worth it unless they are making x amount and few do make living out of it just goes to show its not worth it by any means
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