Day 11- Keeping myself busy and managing to resist any urges to gamble, great weekend at a wedding and roll on my busy time at work until Christmas along with starting the gym this week. Feeling very positive at the moment and hoping i can carry on this way. I know xmas will be a real test for me as ive found a lot of the time i gamble its to try and pay for something. However in the past even when i got to the amount i wanted i'd just carry on as there would always be something else i'd be looking to fund with my winnings, and i would almost always then end up blowing the lot. Its so hard to remove all the thoughts of gambling from my head as its been a part of my life for as long as i can remember,i log for the day i dont have any thoughts for a flutter. Good luck everyone
Well done on day 11. Glad to hear you had a good gamble free weekend at the wedding. Keep up the good work mate!
No gambling today. Day 12
Over 3 weeks without gambling now. Feeling positive.
Nearly 4 weeks without a gamble now, getting some more money in my account but having the urges to have a little football both teams to score bet. I keep thinking "i'll only put a fiver on" but i know what that might lead to. I would love to be able to restrict myself to just 1 or 2 football bets a week but know from previous experience if i lose i will want to bet more to chase a win. I did used to enjoy watching the results come in waiting for the odd team to score that elusive goal and do miss it somewhat. Think its probably too big of a risk to do it though. Goa try keep abstaining as people have said thats the only way.
Hi Ron
I have just managed my first ever gamble free week and feel great. I do know though that temptation is only round the corner and our minds will try to convince us that it will only be a small bet but I would say this- if you win off the bet then you will up the ante at some point therefore in the future losing bigger stake and if you lose well you lose and then possibly chase it. I would advise to steer clear of any bet. That is what I will do myself when the evil gambling troll in my head tells me to "only bet with a tenner". If you go back you will be annoyed with yourself and just going by others diaries it will spiral again. I hope you get through it and make it 5 weeks. All the best
Merry Christmas everyone. Not posted for a while on here as just been too busy. I'm pleased to say though that I still havnt gambled since I began my diary (21st November) and am just as focussed as ever to remain gamble free and dig myself out of this financial hole that I dug myself into (roughly 15k debt). Must say I am missing the football bets I used to do but I know where these nearly always lead to and that is a massive spend on an fobt. I've got a feeling work will be a bit quieter for me early in the new year and so see this as my first real test of how committed I am to abstaining from gambling for good.
Well I set the New Year as my 1st milestone and its just around the corner now. I am really pleased I have managed to go since the 21st Nov now without any form of gambling. I must remain strong though for myself and my little family as we need to move on in our lives. I have held us back for too long with my complete disregard for the family finances and have vowed to myself I will put this right by taking it one day at a time, making sure I keep free from gambling.
A day at the coast today (a tad chilly!) and a lovely day out it was too. So many times i have been on these trips and sloped off in the amusements to play on the fruit machines, on a day that is meant to be a family day out. It makes me feel so shameful that this is how i used to act (was only our last trip i did it and won £70 which felt good at the time, however as everyone will know the money didnt last long). I have quite often gambled in order to try and cover the costs of things like days/nights out, things needed for the house etc. but have finally realised there is no such thing as free money (especially when it comes to gambling) and i have actually enjoyed spending the money i have today on our day out as for once playing on the machines whilst at the coast didnt interest me in the slightest, therefore i knew i would never end up spending the amount i may have were i still gambling, Heres to a gamble free 2014, one day at a time.
Good on you! I know what you mean re the amusements! That was my downfall! They're not getting any more of my money!
It's such a good feeling buying things for the family without thinking I.m spending gambling money. How did I ever get there
I've been thinking back today to the day I decided enough was enough and I must give up gambling for good before it was too late and I lost everything, my fiancee, my daughter, my home etc, and I can remember sitting at home on the sofa,after losing around £800 that day (21-11-13) from being £500 up at one point (so a £1300 turnaround), I just sat thinking about what I was doing,what I was becoming and the damage I was causing to mine and my families lives and just started to cry. How sad had my life become. That was the point I knew I had to stop. That starting point in my recovery will remain fresh in my memory forever as I try to move as far away from my life as it was then, to where I hope it is leading now- a much better, less stressful and (finger crossed at some point!) Debt free life. Here's to the future.
Well, 1st day off today from work (on my own without family) since start of December and I have managed to keep myself from gambling. Managed to get in my 1st gym session (only an hour but a start nonetheless!) And then had an appointment about an operation I need on my knee. Slightly worried about when the op arrives as this will mean time off and alone but hoping with my new resolve I can get through it. Enjoying life without gambling, even though work is tiring the hell out of me!!
Day 50 for me today. I really was at my lowest point back in November last year, spending 100's of pounds daily. Fingers crossed that I can slowly but surely pull myself back to where my life used to be, before the gambling took control and occupied my every thought. The biggest thing on my mind at the moment is my debts, but I know if I keep abstaining these will eventually be gone also. Keep fighting everyone.
Had some really strong urges for a bet yesterday. Main reason was i finished work earlier than usual so had some spare time to myself ,i managed to put them to the back of my mind, drive home past the bookies and decided to wash my van and the missus car instead! not very rock and roll i know but it managed to fill my time and take my mind away from a gamble. One of my issues is im self employed so have found it difficult in the past when work was quiet. I am hoping this will be the year i finally kick start the business as i can focus my spare time on generating more work rather than spend the day in the bookies. 52 days GF
Hi Ron.
Good effort so far. Like you say, keep it up for good. Days off are always hardest and it's no mean feat to get through it.
Ryan
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