Hoping i can become normal again

I forgot to mention how much this site has helped me also. It has given me an alternative when I've been bored or just randomly surfing the net. Somewhere to come for a few hours, to share my journey and read of others. It is a powerful tool in the fight against compulsive gambling.

Big urge to play the fobts today. Had some bad news regarding regular work I do and that I will be earning less from it soon. Was so tempted to take £100 out and go play them. I had the time and money to allow me to do so but had the will power to help me resist the urge. I hope I can continue to put the urges behind me and use the thought of where my life will head should I go back down the fobt/online BJ route. It will only make my life worse. Feeling relieved I got through today! Tomorrow will be better.

Hi Ron,

Well done for resisting the urge. As long as u not acting on them you are winning. To make things loads easier, if i were you, exclude from all those online sites and hand those exclusion forms with pictures in devils dens. It is huge help on days like that, when u feel the most vulnerable.

Keep abstaining, you are in control. Every day is different and after every storm we get that ray of sunshine!!

Keep strong

Day at a time

Sandra x

Lost £600 today playing the fobts. I played yesterday and was up £150, really quiet with work so I went back to play them today. I was actually £400 up at one point, so in total a £1000 swing. For me being £400 up and not being able to stop is proof I will never win as I can never stop.

I have tried limiting myself to football bets but have slowly been placing more over time. Today's slip was inevitable if I look back over the past month. Tomorrow I will be quiet also and still have money in the bank. I need to snap out of the mindframe I'm in at the minute.

Just needed to post this quickly and will ensure I log in tomorrow for a gamcare fix.

Feeling ashamed.

Ron

hi ron

I gambled away £440 on 27th December, ive not gambled for 53 days today and im feeling good about it, my whole family know I gamble which I feel very ashamed of I wish they didn't know, I don't mean my parents , my auntie knows and my cousins I feel terrible, even 1 of my old work collegues knows. I just want to stop gambling for good now, i want to treat myself to nice things. I want to buy a new car.

Ron

Fella I hope your honesty serves you well my friend

My advice self exclude, shut the door on the opportunity to further damage.

Regarding your continued sports betting that is something only you can decide what to do with.

For me the compulsive gamblers that have a relationship with the fobt simply cannot be in there presence. The draw is too strong. Your post today I could have written countless times the wins are only ever temporary, truth is they will never be enough the 500 jackpot on offer will never be enough, we simply cannot win because we cannot stop.

As I said before I have walked in the same shoes as you, use this forum and get back on the recovery road.

Learn from your mistake, keep building on the hard work you have already put in.

Again well done for being honest, it will help.

Never give up giving up.

Duncs stepping forward never back.

Thanks for the replies everyone. Today is just as quiet as yesterday for me but I am determined not to gamble today. I have been reading a lot on this site to encourage me (a great post from daveuk on his thread entitled fobts, so true of my day yesterday!)and feel much stronger should the urges arise. I have money in my account now but so many times In the past when work goes quiet I have resorted to gambling and lose pretty much everything I have managed to save. I need to stay strong and realise that even if I am doing nothing at least I am not making my situation worse by gambling.

I have told the missus I will start on decorating next week should I find myself quiet again and need to motivate myself to make sure I do this,no excuses.

Keep fighting everyone. I have had a slip but am determined not to let it stop me on my road to recovery. I know also that I am the only one who can truly arrest my addiction, words of encouragement from others help so much but it is me who must be the strongest and finally stop for good.

Ron

Fella great to see you are taking full advantage of this wonderfull place.

You are right in what you say, it is about you making a choice, only thew addict can arrest there addiction, that is without doubt true.

I hope your resolve to make the right choice grows, to chase those losses would we both know a very futile event, resulting in more losses.

Put them behind you, keep that hard earnt where it belongs

In the bank

duncs stepping forward never back.

Thanks for another post Duncs,always great to get you support on my diary. I have managed to keep myself busy enough today to avoid a gamble. Mainly through reading this site and exploring other ways of saving money! I need work doing on my car so am looking at doing it myself, starting with brake pads and discs,should save myself £110 on garage quote if I do it ( with the help of my dad!). I need to spend my time more productively. To be honest I think I gambled yesterday as I knew I had to fork out for car repairs, I thought I would win the money for it. As it turns out I did win enough,and then some, but threw it all back into those damned machines. Wish me luck with the brakes!!! I am fairly good with manual stuff so hoping it won't be an issue, I have back up from a friend though if it all goes pear shaped!

Not been on the site for a few months now. Things were going really well, works busy and money building up, in fact I managed to save 12k in my account. However tonight,in one foul swoop, I have managed to halve that amount. Quite unbelievable really. I have excluded from the site before I blow the rest. Now starts the challenge again. I have done so well for 6 months, I must get back to saving. I will aim to abstain for now as I kept gambling before but just refrained from huge amounts. Wish me luck!