Well yesterday I hope I have had my last bets in a long time. Before then I was clean for a good 7 months but over the course of 3 or so months my gambling has been getting out of control. I have easily been losing a weeks wages for 3 continuous weekends all on one day. So I decided to stop.
However, I know the journey will be hard (heck I am even having urges to open new online accounts just so I can bet!) But I know I must be strong.
Till next time.
Hi Lost
Welcome. There is much support on these forums and phyiscal help also. Have you read some of the other diaries?
Hi Triangle,
I have been reading quite a few of the diaries and they are all pretty inspiring, it amazes me how much people have managed to overcome this addiction.
I ended up not gambling yesterday despite having some serious urgers. Day 2 today and woke up with even more urges, but I am hopeful I will not cave in!!
Best of luck.
If you really do want to give up gambling again, then it's time for you to get serious about it again, you've done it before, you can do it again.
You've already seen the advantages of leading a gamble free life and you need to use that as a spur on, towards achieving an even longer abstain or a complete abstain from gambling.
I started my gamble free journey in 2009 and myself had several relaspes after long periods such as your 7 months. Normally just a week here or there. But if you stop it before it gets out of control again, then it won't undo all the good work you've done before.
It is a case of taking a step back and teaching the mind, once again that it's not the normal thing to do, or a good thing to do. Even some 5 years down the line, I found myself suddenly spending silly amount of time and money gambling, over a few months period. It wasn't life changing, because of all the hard work for long periods, over the previous 5 years, but I had to take measures to ensure, it was nipped in the bud.
Excessive gambling is such a waste of life and has no advantages to it.
Day 4 today and I am doing okay I think - I didn't have any urges yesterday as I got in home from work at 10pm due to entertaining agents!
Had a slight urge on the way home from work today - but thought I will not cave in and just carried on walking.
Going to try and keep myself busy so I can tick off another day.
Hi Lost 12,
Well done for sharing your story here.
It’s good that you recognise that you need help and support to overcome your gambling problem, and posting into the forum enables other forum members to contribute to, and also support you in your journey to recovery.
Much as we’d like you to avoid a relapse, it’s not unusual for one to relapse when in recovery but, the important thing is that you don’t give up trying to stop.
You managed to abstain for 7 good months; that shows you have the capability to repeat and even do better than before.
Your determination and the support you get from the forum will see you through this. It’s not easy but, it’s doable, and you can do it, lost12!
Maybe, you’d like to contact our free phone Helpline on: 0808 8020 133 for a 1 to 1 chat with one of our advisers on other forms of help available to you.
I suggest that you post as often as you can to the forum, so we can follow your progress, and also provide more support in case you need it.
Thanks again for your post, and pls. keep up the good work.
Best wishes,
Beatrice
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