Just another recovery

Fry

Fella thanks for sharing a truly insightful and well written post.

A huge congratulations on your continued abstinence.

Keep making the right choice

Abstain and maintain

Duncs stepping forward never back

Thanks duncanmac, appreciate the comments. Not feeling particularly tempted to gamble at all, the companies just seem to be aggresively urging it everywhere at the moment. I fear for those who will be reeled in like I was. I didn't even place my first bet till about 3 years ago. The spiral was scarily rapid and downward.

Cheers, Fry

Fry

I have just opened up an account on here and I read your post it was the first one I hit on and it bought it a tear to my eye it's so nice to here someone else's story and see it's not only me going through this!! I'm going to work out how to write a diary on here and fill the page with what's been going on with me and gambling in the last 4 months hope alls good with you and I hope I can make over 200 days gamble free like you have and get my life back thanks mate

Hi Mike,

Thanks for your post. It is good to know people can relate to my experience. I have read many posts that are along the same linesas my turbulent battle. Some that are not, but pretty much everyone is united in wanting to beat this. And I'm sure we can. Obviously in the very early stages of the recovery diary but I think its a great way of getting stuff out in my head about this! I have supportive friends and family but its kind of 'arms length' support, and I can't really go into detail or just rant about the issues with them!

I am certain by signing up here, you're giving yourself a boost in the journey away from gambling. For me, day upon day, week upon week its got easier and I'm getting back to myself pre-gambling, but probably stronger for the (horrible) experience.

Thanks again mate and congratulations on facing the challenge head on its the only way. Fry

Just checking in.. been a busy weekend of sport as I'm sure has not escaped those of us that built our lives around sports gambling.

Just pretty relieved that I am no longer getting caught up in all the gamble, lose, chase, win, lose, lose, lose cycle. When it had me in its grip, I could end a weekend like this 0000's down, using my credit cards as gambling chips.

Obviously now paying all these debts back, and have an awfully long way to go. The interest payments are a nice(!) additional penalty for me.

One day I will be sat at 0, and I can tell everyone how happy that's going to make me!!!

If anyone's reading this an caught up in the above cycle, just believe me when I say it gets better when you remove yourself from it. There are days where I am a little overcome with the scale of the mess I got myself into, but you know what, every now and then I think it's okay to reflect and say 'you're doing okay, you can get through this, do not divert from your target back to that mess'.

All the best to everyone on this journey, I am wiser from reading of peoples' experiences.

thanks for the help which i got through reading your diary. simon

Thanks Simon, I've said it before but it is a massive boost to me to know that even one person reading my post can relate to my story and can use what is basically a cautionary tale to help their position. Fry

Fry, great read fella, I see myself in this post so much, I am 22 days free (previously got up to 100 days then 'treated' myself), also with 0000's of debt to clear, and something that would be nice to get rid of quickly, but there is never an easy way. Had thought to try and win some back earlier but just reading this has changed my mind.

Cheers, rst.

Just logging in here now, as a way of effectively hitting the reset button.. Revisiting my original post, reminding myself of how I messed up in the past.

Like many people have posted, I think it's really important to remind ourselves of these things. Complacency is the enemy of progress, or something like that.

Regardless of the urge, today I will not gamble! All the best everyone.

So there it is! Still in a shed load of debt, but it's all relative. One year ago I was in a real mess. Still having the gambling thoughts, even today, but the impulses last seconds. The controls I've put in place have ensured that I can't go back to it without jumping through several hoops. So it was a long year, and at times I thought I just couldn't handle it. But I was wrong.

This time next year, I will hopefully be a year from being debt-free (I saw this as a three-year project, give or take).

May I wish everyone the greatest success in getting to where they want to be. And if you're worried about relapsing, put in place whatever controls you need to prevent it.

Cheers, Fry001

Hi everyone, I hope you are well, and if not, that you're getting the support you need; I'm sure you can find it here as there's a lot of good people.

I can't actually believe it's so long since my last post. I'm very fortunate in that I'm some way down the road now. No gambling for 589 days! Sounds amazing put that way. And no urges. The pain I put myself through is etched quite clearly within me. No going back there. That's an easy decision!

In terms of meeting my goal of paying off the d**n debts, I've now cleared 50% of it. Still in a boat load of debt, but to have cleared half of it is a good milestone. I've got to push on now and wipe it all in the next 18 months or so.

It still feels a bit like running uphill but it's okay, I'm still focused on achieving this. And it will be my greatest achievement. No plans to wreck it through gambling, my worst enemy within myself.

Take care everyone, thanks for reading!

An inspirational post and thank you for posting. I came back here after almost a year and a half of "being in control". Well, I thought I was, but I was just waiting for the devil to bite me on the b*m. Lol. I allowed myself bets and gambling days and justified it that I wasn't spending more time or money than I should. Of course it was never going to last and I recently hit a downward spiral where I just couldn't stop. I'm now feeling Stronger. I don't even want to gamble but to I can't be complacent this time. Again thankyou for your diary. Your proof that by facing our consequences we can achieve. Thank you x

Thank you so much that really means a lot to me! My deepest low came after my first recovery attempt which was going well, before I too became complacent, and ultimately, plunged new depths. I'm glad you are stronger now. I think time is key. Every day of abstinence is the best cure, little by little it builds up. Thanks again.

Xxxx