I will no longer allow gambling to ruin my life….

Hoping you stayed strong and made it through the payday weekend !!!

Em, I know I’m going out on a bit of a limb here posting as someone who isn’t a CG gambler but hope my supportive perspective is helpful… I can totally understand how triggering that must have been for you, but perhaps it’s worth reminding yourself that you are that person that has ‘won’ big when you’ve kept your money to yourself and not lose it to gambling companies. It’s not only a genuine financial win but also a health win.

keep going you are doing so well xx

C'mon Em we want an update on how your getting along. Wishing you peace and tranquility with no stress! Hope that your okay. 

Em while the days are adding up i would advice u to invest in stuff find a new hobby this is what seemed to help me early days u have little intrest but with time u will find enjoyment even if it costs i see it as an investment i too hated spending money and used gambling to make it back as i couldnt keep i always ended worse off then repeat 

I got quite invested in Ems story and am just hoping that she made it through the payday weekend she was so worried about.  Would be nice to hear that she is still staying strong, or an update on how she is doing.

Dear Diary (and all my fellow friends here)

Last weekend the worst happened. My partner and I had an argument, I had been on here the day before and saw a post that was pretty triggering and I fell - pretty badly, put it this way, I hit EVERY branch on the way down 😓.

I haven’t been back here because I realise in my early stages of recovery, I just can’t afford to see something that allows me to think there may still be hope in gambling because there’s just not for me.

Mostly I want everyone to know I am ok and I will be back to fill in the big gap. I just need some time.

I hope everyone keeps up the good fight 💪

Em x

Hi Em am really sorry to hear u have relapsed i totally understand how u was triggered i did this many times over on the bright side u have managed lto beat your previous days so give yourself a pat in back, the issue with this addiction u can remain gamble free but cant cure the illness however make a note of this and take it as a learning curve which is what i have done and i personally believe it what helped to stay gamble free i know in certain situations i am quite vulnerable a non addict wont understand this so i know if it means i cant be in place where their temptation i could relapse i avoid at all costs blocks help however the issue with this addiction i too can always find a way however i have learnt the urgues dont last they have become alot easier the more u fight the addiction most people who have been successful have had few relapses on the way so dont be too hard on yourself👍

That wasn't the message I was hoping to see, good luck as you move forward.  The first step in any recovery is to try and make sure that avenues to gamble are not open to you.   Sadly the system is not a friend to gamblers, whilst they pay lip service to enabling you to block yourself, they put limits on exclusions.   If you are a compulsive gambler and want to stop the block should be for life.

I personally rang up today to extend my exclusion through MOSES only to be told, you missed the deadline so we removed your details from the system and you will need to apply again.   Fortunately years of exclusion have removed a large element of the temptation from me, but this could have been a trigger that made me rush back to the bookies.

My only recommendation to you, based on my past experience, and it may not apply to you is, don't look for reasons to gamble "I had an argument with my partner" "I had some bad news", "I had a stressful day at work".   None of these are reasons to gamble online or in a bookies, they are just self justification, which is something addicts look for as it reduces the personal responsibility.

Wishing you all the best, hopefully you will be back in the future with a good news story.   And rest assured, there is no hope in gambling, merely a continuing downward spiral.   Everyone has a wonderful story about how they won, at the same time of hiding 100 stories of where they lost.

So sorry to hear this Em. I've been thinking about you lots over the last few days just hoping you was doing okay.  What's done is done now and no amount of misery can replace what's happened so the best advice is pick yourself up and begin your journey again immediately.  It's to easy once relapsed to go to town for days or even weeks or months before getting back on the wagon. Limit the damage and stop now. We all support you Em. 

To make you laugh I wrote a rrealllllly long post on here in reply to you and by the time I wrote it and pushed send, it has logged me out and said error and I lost it completely. I thought you would appreciate that lol 😆

Hi Em

Just reaching out to see of you're ok??

Here to chat if need be, don't be quiet please talk to us

Xx

If you’ve reached the point of saying “I will no longer allow gambling to ruin my life,” that’s a powerful first step. Admitting the problem gives you back control. Start by limiting access, setting firm boundaries, and focusing on healthier routines.