Having taken so much from other diaries on here, I thought it only fair that I contribute my own diary.
My situation is that I have a problem with online slot machines. In the last eighteen months or so, I have fed circa £5k into them and currently have a credit card owing 2.1k (having been cleared back in February). I haven't played an online slot since the 27th of April and despite occasionally thinking about them, it has been no harder than that... I think that makes me at Day 29.
My aim with this diary is too log my recovery (both mentally and financially) and occasionally delve into what makes me gamble.
Self exclusion from websites helped enormously although I have kept one account (with a deposit limit of £20 per week) for sports betting. I realise this approach will not work for everyone, but for me the main reason I pitched up here and self excluded was the realisation the slots were my main massive weakness. I still get enjoyment out of betting on sports, but have accepted I really should look to reign that in as well. I was sports betting every night (on things that were just punts, with no knowledge and sometimes not even knowing which country the footie team came from!). The last of these was on the 19th of May - so I suppose you could say I'm on day 7 since my last insanity bet!
I would like to get 100% free from gambling at some point along the way... but currently feel I have made good initial progress.
I will update the diary (hopefully daily) and will be warts and all truthful as I go along. To break the time part of the triangle, I am cycling to work and back and this gives me good time to think... expect some of those thoughts to pop up in here.
My initial aim (as well as keeping Mr G in check) is to clear the £2.1k. After that, my current thought is I'd like to save for something nice. But as always - One step at a time and thanks for reading!
Welcome to the diary section Slotless & congratulations on your 1st 29 days 🙂
Your way is an unusual approach as most of us tried to 'control' our betting before we admitted defeat & I expect it will get a huge gasp from many & I understand why...But I'm a stubborn old gal & have (to date) point blank refused to give up the lottery so I kinda speak from experience here when I say leaving any door open is risky! My poison was & always will be the machines although I 'progressed' to the FOBTs when I'd excluded from so many places without addressing any other gambling aspects & yet my urges have been largely lottery related.
Take it easy on yourself getting those debts down & why not think of a few mini treats (they don't have to cost much) along the way, it's a marathon not a sprint after all!
If gamble free is what you want, go get it - ODAAT
Its a pickle for many a gambler, can we control our gambling. Clearly many people can along the scale but there comes a tipping point were some can't gamble any more. I know I very clearly passed that line a long time ago but your journey seems to be working for you right now. Keep it up and recovery your recovery. Tri
Hi Slotless
Well done on your 1st month without the slots.
I can only talk through personal experience and would say that keeping an account open is fine, as long as you don't try and turn the sports betting into a substitute for the slots. I started off betting on corner markets on football and progressed from £20 bets to £500 bets, realised that I had a problem with it and started playing online slots, which got me into more trouble than the football. Try and treat it like giving up smoking using an e cig and phase it out over time.
Whichever way you decide to go, stay positive and remember why you came here in the 1st place. Try to post every day, I have found that this helps.
All the best
Russ
Thanks everyone, Day 30 today and won't be anywhere near an online slot machine. I appreciate everyones comments but feel this way is the right way for me.
I thought long and hard before joining the forum as I knew my recovery method would still involve some gambling and might not fit with what looks like the classic recovery strategy of abstinence from all forms of gambling.
The smoking analogy is a good one Russ... If I can wean myself off slowly (and constantly show myself the Sports betting is well in check), I think I will be OK. I have only placed one bet since Thursday the 19th (and that was a free bet that appeared in my account).
Why do I gamble? I've thought hard about this... like a lot of you, it's a buzz... and in my case relieves boredom. I just keep reminding myself it's an expensive way to keep busy!
Not really keeping up with the posting daily... but I am still here and still off the slots. I make it Day 44. No real pangs and I have even reduced my sports betting (not had a bet since Sunday).
I put a lot of this down to time. Two weeks we got a puppy which is a brilliant way of removing the time element of the triangle.
In terms of finances, i've moved my £2k debt onto an interest free deal for twelve months and will hope to chip away at it from there. I am very lucky in the regard that all of the day to day money goes through a joint account and is off limits for gambling purposes. Whilst i still feel the need to sports bet, the stakes and frequency have dropped massively since I realised I was having an issue and joined up here.
I'll say again, I know my approach is an unusual one but it's working for me. On a scale of 1-10, I'm not sure where I sit as a CG but anyone who can waste £5k and have nothing to show for it must be either daft or unable to stop... My reckoning puts me at about a 7 based on once reality had dawned on me, I've coped reasonably well with stopping. Must update this more often and keep a tab on the forum to be able to offer support...
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