From now until gambling debt free

Good luck Tom

Im also on day 8 today. Keep at it.....

Well done Tom, you sound resolute and it's always good to have a goal. What measures have you put in place or are you planning to help you achieve this?

Twinks x

Good luck Tom well done on 8 days Lu x

Stay strong and keep posting. Do what you think helps and keep at it. You noted all your debt and know what to do.

Lucy x

Thanks for the messages guys. Really does mean something to read them.

Twynklyr, I've self excluded from the sites that offered me the only way I liked to bet, the exchanges. I excluded in the past but always left another open. I guess, despite all the talk I was never really ready to give it up totally. Now I am. I've made a pledge to myself and I want to do it for my partner and children.

I am going to do it.

Back at work and feeling loads different to how I did this time last week. Had a good nights sleep last night too. I will be paying off some gambling debt later this month, looking forward to that. My god I did feel strange last week now I look back after my relapse. I felt I just couldn't get through the week but here I am, I did it and feeling like I'm taking control once more.

Well 12 days in and feeling resolute. In fact I don't recognise the person I was 12 days ago chasing until I lost 4K.

How did I let this go on for so long in the past? I guess now IS my time to finally leave this behind.

12 days in, not a lot to start shouting how great I am but the days will rack up.

Can't dwell on losses and what I could have done with the money.

Still going good and looking forward to the weekend.

One foot forward day by day. No urges to gamble.

I was thinking back a couple of days ago to a time where I thought this gambling lark was a good thing. I remember I'd gone out with a friend for some food one evening. Over the week running up to the evening out I'd won 9k. I remember sitting at the table with my friend thinking I can pay for this meal and not even worry about it. This is now my life. A life of lavish things as the money comes easy. I was feeling on top of the world.

I remember the next day carrying on with my betting system and losing the lot by the very next evening. The depression sunk in and the crave to get back what I'd had the night before was immense. I never did get it back and subsequently over the next couple of years lost thousands, as such was the beleif gambling could work.

It sucks you in, it changes the way you think. Got to break the cycle and then stay away from it.

The road I now choose is hard work and determination.

Hey Tom

Thank for your post on my thread. We seem to be in a very similar situation and dealing with the same struggle. I too had similar experience of winning, getting deluded, losing a lot and then losing even more chasing. When I last gambled, I could just see the naked lies we were caught up in. All of this stuff is rigged against us and we are just being preyed upon and ripped off. The whole package is so deceptively presented to us that we get misled. Ever wondered why people who work there - the croupiers, managers, etc why they put in hard shifts instead of gambling? Because they know all this stuff is rigged and a rip off. Even then I think we should own our mistakes. Because we let ourselves get deluded and refuse to accept the pain of losing our hard earned money that we will have to slog hard to repay. This is what took me back again and again to gambling as I did not like the idea of slogging hard to repay my losses. Unfortunately thd system is so rigged that repayment through the hard way is the only way out. And perhaps staying GF and hardwork is not such a bad thing as 1) It makes us wiser and better in the end 2) It prevents losing even more and not just money but relationships, time and respect 3) It gives us peace of mind compared to the constant stress, tension accompanying a silly ball falling somewhere on the wheel we have no control over.

Therefore, despite the obvious unpleasantness, remaining GF is the best option. Time to time strong urges will keep coming and that is where blocks will help. I have also decided to view any gambling related thoughts (that try to tell me gambling will get back my money or is a nice escape) or any related emotions as utter rubbish to be put ejected out of my mind totally and immediately.

We have to be firm and strict with ourselves regarding this and not allow our gambling mind any credence or space at all. We have suffered enough from our its deception. Good wishes to you mate!

well done on your gf days, keep it up x

Day 16 and feeling strong. Not sure what's happened this time, it's like a switch has been flicked, no interest in gambling at all.

I am finding though, that I'm often contemplating what I could have done with all of the wasted money. I'm aghast that I lost so much over such a long period. I don't want to now move on to constantly dwelling on lost funds. I think it will be one of those, times a healer things.

I'm going to pay 3k off my gambling debt shortly.

I've got a small pot of savings that I've somehow not managed to lose.

My normal payments will likely be 300 or 400 a month but want to get off to a good start so here goes.

Great going tom, keep it up

Thank you hardygirl. I made the payment. Gonna keep plodding.