Join me on my road to recovery

Hi everyone,

Thought I would do a quick progress report. Was meant to have my first 1-1 counciling session today but got cancelled & rearranged for next week. Have to say days are going by so quick now I have no gambling in my life. With work, social activities, gym etc its feeling great to start having a life back where as before I can't believe I would spend so many hours a day just playing a stupid slot game on repeat!

It's day 33 now completely GF with no urges to ever go back. Hope everyone else is doing well & being strong as I appreciate everyone is different in there recoveries. I will of course keep updating every few days.

Paul

**Day 35 on this journey** still GF and going strong.

Thought I would just comment on advertising. With the Cheltenham festival on all next week. Can't believe how much advertising is about! On tv, online, posters etc. Never seen so many bonuses and offers and it is s hard for people to resist. I used to love going to Cheltenham and never had a problem with horse racing betting so it's hard this year knowing it's for the best not to even be tempted to have a bet.

Just keep thinking about how all these ridiculous levels of advertising and bonus sign up offers must affect some people that are vulnerable or are trying to stop etc. Will be hard to ignore it all for the next week and this will be the first real challenge for me. It's been 35 days without gambling, had no urges at all but as I said Cheltenham festival was a big part of my life not just having some bets but attending and the social aspect of it.

Paul

hi Paul!

Enjoyed reading this, you're giving me motivation which is awesome : ) I'm only on day 4 but looking forward to the future. Keeping busy and not wasting my hard earned cash any more!

Well done

Kirsty x

Hi Kirsty,

So pleased your getting some motivation out of reading this. 4 days is fantastic, keep going. Your doing the right things staying busy and take one day at a time then soon it will be a month GF.

Goodluck

Paul

Hi Paul

We've touched on this before but you're so right Cheltenham is going to be really tough as I really enjoyed it every year and for once it wasn't always about making money I wouldn't even bet on the gold cup .

Anyway totally agree on the advertising never paid much attention to it when I was gambling thinking people suckered in by all that must be crazy ! All the while I was piling £100's on the next bet ! What an idiot!

I think realistically I've just got to avoid it completely this year maybe next year I can take an interest again but I'm too weak and too early in my recovery to watch or hear about it . Going to be difficult but I know in the long run it's for the best

Really good to know your going through something similar means a lot . Let's get through it together.

All the best

Hi Mate!

Yeah totally agree with you on avoiding it this year as like you I feel I'm to early in my recovery & doing so well that I don't want the distraction or temptation of it. As I said in my previous post for me i didn't always bet on a lot of the races but I used to attend the meeting, atmosphere unreal, but need to focus this year on no gambling & getting myself back to how I was before.

Thanks for your comment as it's always a comfort to hear someone else that is experiencing similar & has a mutual understanding of how it feels etc. Goodluck and I'm sure we will get through it fine.

Paul

Into my 6th week now GF and feeling good. For people who've asked me what I've found the most difficult in the early days weeks of the recovery I would have to say was missing the routine of gambling. I know that might sound strange to some but i don't miss the gambling itself or the highs or lows that come with it. For me gambling became a part of my daily routine and what you must do from Day 1 if your to be successful is to change your routine and replace the gambling with something that works for you. For me I filled my days with more gym sessions, running, cinema trips, going out more, not being in the house on my own to much (as for me my problem was online betting), also coming onto the forums reading stories & updating my recovery diary has been a great help. As the days and weeks go by your find things that work for you and life really does start to get better.

Paul

End of day 37!! No urges at all however with Cheltenham getting nearer and all the coverage in the media, online, newspapers, posters, shop windows etc will be the most difficult week for me since I started this journey. Hopefully I will just keep doing what I've been doing and try and ignore as much of the coverage as possible.

Paul

Nearly at the end of day 38 GF!! The big test comes tomorrow and throughout the week with the Cheltenham festival starting. Need to stay positive and keep doing what I have been doing, try avoiding coverage of it (which will be hard as it's everywhere). If anyone else feels the same stay strong and battle through.

Takecare Paul

On day 39 and this is the first day I've genuinely found tough so far! Trying to avoid the Cheltenham festival coverage is so difficult, it's everywhere!! Staying busy though & keeping smiling. Fingers crossed the day goes quick.

Paul

Have to say I struggled early today as I was trying to avoid any Cheltenham coverage. So I decided rather than keep avoiding it (as it was proving nearly impossible) i watched a few races at home of the Cheltenham festival and have to say I felt fine. Had no urge at all to bet and if anything felt more relieved as I was more stressed trying to avoid all coverage etc. Feel that the rest of the week will be fine now as watching a few races today did nothing for me! No urges, no excitement & feel great now.

Tomorrow is day 40 GF and looking forward to continuing my GF life.

Paul

Hi Paul

I totally understand how for you, watching and facing those races head on worked for you. Back 6 years ago, my gambling started with horses racing. It won me quite a lot of money too but we all know the end to that story! I then went to Blackjack and this has been my downfall since relapsing after just over two and a half years being gamble free.

Like you, as I am off for the rest of this week, I will tune in to Cheltenham and "watch" the event. I used to be a runner back in the day so still love races of any kind involving legs!! I also like to see who is wearing what (that's the female in me ha)!! The main important point from this though as you said is all about "how comfortable we feel about doing it". Why should we not be able to watch something we enjoy? Only if/when this becomes a trigger or leads to temptation, do we then need to reconsider and change our behaviour. For me, and I haven't watched any racing events in a good while, it makes me feel good to look at all the people there and say to myself "well how much have you lot lost today then"? Even if they have won I remind myself that at some point, that will go back on gambling as I believe it is only money borrowed. That thought is one that really helps me to remain gamble free, as well as my blocks of course.

Take care and stay strong.

Our Lady.

Hi Our Lady,

Thanks so much for your message. I totally agree with "Why can't we watch something we enjoy" comment. For me it's not proved a problem at all watching it and if anything I'm actually just enjoying the coverage and not even thinking about betting. As long as it doesn't become a trigger or create any urges then I think we should all do what suits us as everyone is different and copes with there recovery in different ways.

Many thanks again

Paul

Hi Paul and Our Lady,

Can I just row in with that and say I watched it yesterday afternoon. I am fascinated by the sport itself, and have grown up from a young child watching it. I firmly believe and this is just a personal one, that the more energy you give to something and especially if it means something negative for you, the bigger it becomes. I enjoyed the coverage, I think ITV have really done well, and yeah it worked for me, not to deny myself it. All of our recoveries are different, and there will be some that feel that that have to avoid it all. I actaully really respect that, and I believe we are all walking our own road.

Paul well done you.

Julie x

Hi Julie,

Great to hear from you!! Totally agree with everything you said. It works for me also as I'm a fan of the sport and don't need to bet to enjoy the festival. But as you say respect everyone with whatever works for them.

Hope your doing well Julie!!!

Paul