I am stronger than I thought!

Thank you Char!

After I read your post, I decided I needed to clear some cobwebs from my mind. So, I did something I never ever do! That is I went for a walk.. an extremely long walk, in the chucking rain and I didn't care. In fact, the wetter I got, the better I felt! lol I think I've turned a bit weird!!

Anyway, I'm back home now, bathed and cosied up in front of the telly!

I just wanted to say a big fat thanks to you! I was reading what Shaun wrote to you and I feel exactly the same as him. I remember when I first came to this site I went onto chat and you helped me so much.. I will never forget that...

I am going to fight this thing with everything that I have.. and so are you!

United we stand.... xx

Thank you for your post charlotte, its always really nice to catch up with you on chat and your so supportive its really appreciated.

Thank you

Blondie day 22 x

Hi Charl thanks for your support on my post, glad you're back by the way, the place wasn't the same without you, take care, Steve.

Thank u 4 all ur kind words and support on my diary, it means a lot 🙂

My bf had a day off work today and I helped him paint the spare room that will be Maddisons eventually..... I got more paint on me that the walls lol.

I don't think i'd get a job as a painter 🙂

No gambling 2day 🙂

I hope everyone else is doing well!

night night Charlotte.....thanks for popping in lovely...the feeling is entirely mutual...xxx

Glad to see your back and getting stronger every day... I also need to start thinking about painting some rooms too and Dotty proof the tin or it will be paw marks everywhere....lol

keep on keeping on ...you are doing fantastic xxxxx

Hugs and wuffs...Rach n Dotty xxx

I just need 2 rant........... y is life so difficult!

I am having a tough time 2day, I really feel like I need to gamble, I am trying 2 convince myself £20 will not hurt........ y can I not see this is wrong!

I need to try 2 stay away from the machines, I do not want 2 ruin my hard work again.......

I just wanna scream!!!!!

HI Charlotte,

Your right life is difficult enough, try to remember gambling will just make it that much more complicated. £20 always hurts us CG, because we cant win, because we cant stop.

Try and keep in mind all the hard work you have done so far and how bad you feel when you gamble.

Go outside and scream if you need to, go and punch a pillow, kick the dog lol, (joke) do anything you think you need to keep you focused.

Stay very strong charlotte, you can do this.

Blondie day 23 xx

Good morning Char,

I think the first question you need to ask yourself is why do you feel this way today? Has anything specific happened to set off a trigger of you wanting to gamble? Is it boredom? Lack of money? A difficult situation?

Sometimes in the midst of really wanting to gamble, we close out what it is that makes us want to do it in the first place. On Sunday, when I had a really rough day, I felt I just needed to gamble.. didn't want to really look at the reason I wanted to, I just wanted to. But later, having thought about it, there was a trigger. I had a bit of a falling out with a friend the night before and gambling was always my escape from dealing with these things.

Try and force yourself to think about why it is you want to gamble.. and then try and deal with it in another way.. it might be tough, but not as tough as what gambling will make you feel like if you do it.

I'm not going to state the obvious to you cos you already know it's not just £20..

Well done for coming on here.. you have done the right thing.

I am 'virtually' holding your hand here.. you can do it girl... stay strong and tell that demon voice to b****er off cos it ain't welcome!

xxx

We will all feel like that at some point Charlotte , I try and take myself for a drive or a walk when it happens and cool down for an hour , collect my thoughts and come back to the house happier.

Every day the little thought of gambling will creep into our lives sometimes greater than other days and the fight inside us justs makes you more angry to beat the addiction.

You will find most people on here experience the same kind of pains in trying to beat this , feel sick , light headed dizzy its truely awful but staying strong and true to the person you are is key.

I try to concentrate on a person in my life that ive lost and say to myself for that person I will make them proud just for today and not gamble , every day you dont gamble is one victory for Charlotte and a defeat for the bookie / online games company and make sure you give yourself enough credit when you pass a day without gambling , maybe set yourself a target and put the money to one side you would have gambled with and every so often spend it on you , purely you and enjoy it , enjoy life.

We are in this together and help is always here with any member we are just like you trying to recover from gambling.

I just about made it thru 2day without gambling!

I always use to gamble 2 escape painful feelings and 2day I really felt I needed this!

We woke up 2 the sad news that 1 of my bf's friends, little boy had lost his long battle with cancer in the early hours of this morning. He was 7 yrs old!

If i could fight this gambling battle with a quarter of the fite and determination that this little man used. I would beat this 100%!

It made me realise that life is so precious and I could not put my little girl down 2day!

However I managed to stay strong and away from gambling 2day, I went to my parents and spent the day there.

I hope I can remain strong 2moro!

Nothing else 2 say 2nite!

good morning Charlotte.... feel sorry for family and friends of this little angel, sadly such things happens and hit into most vulnerable and defenceless... to deal with it for us, CG's is even more difficult because whenever we are under pressure, whenever we face bad things inthe life

.... ooopps sent unfinished post.... sorry....

so whenever we face such bad things in the life, we become an easy target and - what is difficult - we have to then keep our guard proper... this is the war, real fight and we have to be strong and vigilant.... glad you defended yourself yesterday and i m sure you will defend yourself today as well... keep strong keep posting keep the fight and never ever give up... all the best for you

K.

I'm glad you didn't gamble, Charlotte19. It is a terrible loss for your friend. However, remember the phrase 'Time waits for no man', this child has lost his life but time still moves onwards, so don't break the promise that you made to yourself.

Hi Charlotte,

So sorry to hear about your news its so tragic , Your right about life being to short and precious one minuet the people you love are here and the next they are gone. I refuse to give any more of my precious time to gambling its taken enough from me.

You should be very proud that you got through what must of been a very difficult day.

Keep fighting the fight charlotte.

Blondie day 24 xx

Thank u 4 ur kind words.

I couldn't sleep very well last nite, lots of thoughts whirling through my mind.

I realised that in life we have 2 deal with wotever is thrown at us. The good and the bad!

Little man never had a choice but 2 be brave and fight!

In my view I have never seen gambling as an illness, I see it as a choice. Time is one of the most precious things in life, and I am no longer going to waste my time gambling... when I can enjoy what's important and what matters 2 me in my life!

It really hit me last nite, 4 me 2 beat this now I realise I have 2 be selfish!

One day at a time, 2day I will not gamble!