Thanks for your message on my diary mate!
You’re 2/3’s of the way to that magical century yourself
Not long now until you can really enjoy the true aspect of a gamble free Christmas.
It’s there, waiting for us. We’re in touching distance of it.
Keep up the good work, Muststop123
Checking in day 68 GF
Hi Muststop123 - well done. I read through your diary again and your recovery is truly inspiring. I'm hoping some of your Olympic level strength and resolve rubs off on me. Congratulations and thanks.
Equinox wrote:
Hi Muststop123 - well done. I read through your diary again and your recovery is truly inspiring. I'm hoping some of your Olympic level strength and resolve rubs off on me. Congratulations and thanks.
Equinox - keep to the code!
Day 69 GF today and will not gamble today.
I can keep this really simple for myself. I can have a really good life without gambling or I can throw it all away for the desire to watch a few graphics spin around on a computer screen. Not really a difficult decision.
Well done, muststop. I like what you’ve written about keeping things simple. Why make life harder than it needs to be by gambling?
Checking in day 70 GF.
Not much to say today, busy and no thought of gambling which I guess is normal for 95% of the population.
Day 71 GF today and all good.
Last day at work today before Christmas as have a week's holiday away with my son before Christmas while my wife prepares Christmas. Don't ask how I got away with that because still not sure I have worked that one out but figure she maybe just wants us out of the way. Guess I owe her even more and that is on top of the trouble I have caused over the last six months. I was just about to write that staying gamble free would be the best thing I could do for her but then realised just how incredibly selfish that sounds - not gambling is part of the absolute bare minimum that she should expect from a decent husband, its not something she should be grateful for. I feel suitably chastised for even momentarily thinking that.
So away with my son for a week so definitely not going to be in a position to gamble, not that I want to anyway, and then back just before Christmas which will be busy as have quite a lot of family over for Christmas and then busy until I go back to work in the New Year so fairly confident there are no likely opportunities/triggers over the next couple of weeks which is good.
That brings me to the New Year and whilst this is not something I actively worry about, I do keep telling myself that I need to take extra care when things get a bit less busy. I know it would sound crazy to someone would has not gambled complusively to suggest that a slightly quieter period of your life could cause someone to act irresponsibly but I am not taking any risks here.
No urges to gamble but advertising on television still makes me feel really uncomfortable, particularly if I am with my wife or son, I feel like leaving the room as if I am guilty of doing something wrong just by being in the same room. I notice myself picking up my phone to look at something or leaving the room pretending to go and do something when they come on. Watching a comedy on a popular digital channel last night and in one set of adverts there were three adverts for gambling, two casinos and one bingo. This is blatantly ridiculous but I don't think society as a whole has yet woken to the damage being done, hopefully at some point in the future gambling will be seen a bit like cigarettes and the advertising will be controlled a bit more. Guess the gambling industry will continue to take advantage for as long as it can.
Keep strong everyone and get through another day GF.
Day 74 GF.
Limited internet access so just want to say keep strong everyone and make sure we all finish 2017 GF.
Well I'm back, day 79 GF.
Not sure the last few days can really count as I had little or no internet access so hardly difficult not to gamble but i'll take all the days I can.
Need to find sometime to check out how everyone is doing.
Excellent effort, keep up the good work! Hope it is getting easier but never forget were you were 79 days ago. I did 18 months and thought I could gamble responsibly again which has led to a full year of gambling. We can never gamble again because we cannot stop.
You're doing great!
James
Checking in day 82 GF and all is good.
No urges to gamble and being fortunate to have a wonderful family around me at Christmas no time either.
Television adverts still a bit painful as they just appear in front of me as I am sat with my family which I still find offensive but that is a suppose a fairly minor thing to deal with.
Day 84 GF and still see anything to do with gambling as a dark and filthy activity. I am not going to partake.
Less than three months ago I was wasting hours everyday on some small spinning wheels. Now when I see the adverts (yes, still really bugging me!) I just see them as the pathetic and manipulative drug that they are, dragging us down.
Not going to let my guard down but still 100% determined not to let the demons back in again.
Checking in day 86 GF.
More new people post here on this forum every day with stories of how gambling has impacted them negatively just as they did for years before i found this site and probably will continue for however long this site stays open. The few of us that post on here are probably the tip of the iceberg in terms of those suffering. Makes me sad to read the pain. Seems a long way away from the happy smiling people in the gambling adverts. It's late or early depending on how you look at it and I am rambling so better go to bed.
Ah, it's good to have Iron Man - Destroyer of The Gambling Myth - back in the forum! Thank you for posting in my diary - it's hard to express just how much help you've been to me.
I agree with you, there's so much heartbreaking reading here - but this forum does feel like the safety camp where we can begin to immunise ourselves from the disease. Gambling addiciton is such a lonely place - but anyone that finds this place and its supportive community is in much stronger place to fight that fight.
Well done with your 86 days and I wish you all the very best for New Year. When I raise a glass at midnight, I will make a silent toast to you, Mr Muststop! You've been a rock to me in my recovery.
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