I will be there for my wife and daughter

Couldn't agree more...Give it a swerve! Let addiction sit dormant as you continue to fight for your life...It will offer you all sorts of temptations but nothing can equal the feeling of really living which we can't do in a gambling fog!

You are doing fab! Keep it up - ODAAT

Day 471. Day 500 insight.

Check in 11/14

Day 477 and my birthday. Sitting here watching Angelina Ballerina with my little girl. Still have debts but I've halfed them, most of which has been done in the last 2 years. So I've done well. Wish the debts were gone but I've accepted that's a long way off. Now I have a daughter the repayments have had to decrease but they are getting paid and no one is banging down my door for the money so as long as payments are made I'm not to worry. They're going down and they will be paid off at some point. I used to say how unlucky I was but really I'm very lucky I have a nice home, a wife and daughter. I'm in work and I now have 476 days gamble free behind me. I really don't want to gamble again so I'm confident my life can only get better as the self destruct button I had has long gone. I'm chasing down day 500 that milestone will be big but getting through this year and completing a calender year gamble free will be huge. I've joined a few yearly challenges in my time and never completed one so this would mean a lot and show me I really have changed.

Day 478. Check in 12/14. Two more to go and it's day 500!

Clearly messed up the amount of check ins. Three to go and I'll be on day 500!

Day 485.

Check in 13/15.

2 to go!!

Day 492. Day 500 getting so close. When I take a moment to think about the number 500 I can't believe I'm doing this.

Check in 14/15. 1 more to go!!

Check in 15/15. DAY 500!!

Don't think I ever thought I'd get this far even yesterday I couldn't quite believe it's been 500 days without placing a bet.

I am pleased with myself and know i wouldn't have the life I have if I was gambling, having a child and dealing with finances and her needs I would have no chance because I know how all consuming gambling can be.

Life is hard, I'm broke and debt looks to have 3 and a half years left and in truth thinking of getting a car now we have babe so that's more debt to help buy the car so I think debt will just be part of my life. I often feel down and regretful because of the position I'm in and the position I feel I could be in if it wasn't for gambling but then I also think who knows if I go back and live my life again with zero gambling maybe I'm a different person, get a different job and never meet my wife and never have my little girl so who knows and to be honest it can't be changed so I try and make the best of it and make plans to make things right over the next few years so the rest of mine and my little families lifes will be as perfect as I can make them.

So it's a proud moment for me but I don't feel as happy as I thought, more like a pat on the back but I'm still on the road, still on the journey and this is just another milestone. Im striving for day 1000 so halfway there.

My next goal is to complete my three month challenge thread which ends 30th Sept and then complete 2017 to complete the year long thread. Then I'll set a few 2018 goals to keep me going and the day 1000 will be hit I believe if my maths is right Dec 28th 2018.

Main thought is it's day 500 and that's a goal I never thought I'd reach but I have and I have no desire to gamble and have very few urges and even better when the urges do hit I know how to handle them so I'm confident I can hit my next goals and reach my targets. No complacency from me though I still know if I bet I bet my life not my money.

Hi,
Your situation is very similar to mine. Your diary is inspiring me. I have a wife and a daughter and i am 18k in debt.
I am on a long recovery road. Maybe 10 years to pay my debt in worst case. Last bet 31 August. Now 16 days gambling free. Hopefully i will be here in couple of years time celebrating 500 days and inspiring others.
Thanks and goodluck. Life can only get better without gambling..

Apologies as i have marked this post as abusive.

Admin please note

Far fingers Bal..........lol

Hi 30 S :))

Huge congratulations on reaching the 500 club :))

You should be proud of yourself for how far youv'e come and as for the debt's they will go down and won't increase because of Gambling :)).

Stay safe Buddy and keep pushing forward :))

All the best for now !

Thank you for your posts they mean alot and they keep me going.

Day 530 just dropping in its been a while. Should've come on here more recently really as I've had loads of urges big and small in the last month or probably 2. I had some things I really had strong opinions on and some that I knew odds on and kept thinking how much? What can I do? Can it be a one off? Can I just do this x, y, z etc. Luckily I'm far enough along and have to much to lose and I worked through it in the right way and decided not to gamble. That's the lesson for myself and for everyone it's all about choices. Yeah its not easy and unless you have this or another addiction you just can't understand but if you stop and take the time and make the right choices then you can overcome addiction. I'm along way from "cured" and to be honest I get the feeling I'll always be a gambling addict I just hope I'll be a gambling addict that doesn't gamble.

Day 562. A rare post on my diary, just wanted to explain the name change. I had been using my username for dates that I wanted to get to and seeing my username regularly and seeing that date would help me keep that goal in mind. But after i keep having to change it I have decided that I'll try Neveragain121016. It's perfect really as I never want to gamble again and the date is my daughters dob and she'll keep me on the right path.

So a new name but the same goal to start and end everyday gamble free.

Day 576. Very stressful times, problems at home, personal, emotional, financial. Working through it. I think I have depression. Well to be honest I must have. I've had it in parts for approx 12 years. I've never said that but I must have, the things I feel and think must not be normal. I've never gone to the docs as I've always wanted to get through things myself. I know depression is serious and you never know what someone is really feeling but I do think it can be played on by some and some just want the doctors note for some time off. Maybe in some cases I'm wrong in that opinion but I think in some cases im not buying it. For the record I'm closing in on 10 years of service at my works and had one day off sick which was about 7 years ago.

I think I can get through this myself. I know some changes I need to make in my life and I will in time make them all. I don't know if I want to go to the docs or not, I have thought this a few times in my recovery, as I say I think I can survive but I wonder if some sort of medication would give me that pick me up that may improve my life and therefore my families also. To be honest I never go to the docs whatever I'm feeling, if I'm sick etc I just deal with it so the likelyhood is I'll do the same.

I'm just typing away, if anyone is depressed don't take this as any advice or a valid opinion and if you find any part in anyway offensive I apologise. I just felt like getting it out there.