my betting diary

Morning Winning,

Turning to the arms of gambling at times of stress was always my pattern of behaviour. You did no damage though wp. Perhaps you may need to self exclude just to protect yourself.

I still have arguments wp but I just don't use them as an excuse to gamble anymore. You are doing incredibly well....I hope everything is calm again very soon.

Jas xx

Hi Post--sorry to hear that you and the Mrs had yet another row mate. I am not surprised that you found yourself wlking into a bookies to seek some refuge. Glad you realised that it was not the answer you were looking for.

Keep up the good work mate but I still think that sooner or later you need to make some major choices in your personal life because maybe on anther occasion you will not be as strong when you are driven that far.

All the best mate

Stumper

Hi wp.

Really hope your feeling better now than you have been lately.

Still you haven't given in to the evil of gambling so thats good.

Thinking of you my freind.

Stay strong wp.

Viggo.

Hi wp

Good on you mate, you are far, far stronger than you know. I like that you always write WE CAN DO THIS at the end of your posts, as I think this is a very important tool in recovery. You have to believe in yourself, and believe that YOU can do this. I think you are starting to believe this yourself - but I would love to see your positive affirmation made a bit more personal and for you to say I CAN DO THIS!

Don't underestimate the power of having someone in your life who does not believe you can do this. I believe this is why your ex pushes you. The tension of waiting for your next slip must be unbearable, because unlike us - she doesn't believe in you....YET! So its easier if she can try to provoke you, then you will go running back to the bookies, and she gets to be 'right all along' and have the moral high ground.

You are worth so much more than that. Don't let her have this satisfaction. You can do this, I am really proud of how you have done under real emotional stress.

HIGH FIVE!!!!

f x

Thank you all so so much...15 replies since sunday has really touched me and i cant thank you all enough....a couple of you mentioned self excluding and why ive never done it ?? Where i live and work there are loads and loads and loads of bookies to self exclude from....under my present circumstances as most of you know money is tight so i havent been able to justify all them £5 photo booths...be assured this is no excuse but i am doing well enough in sheer will power with grit and determination...self excluding is a great way of abstaining but if i really wanted a bet i could find a way...I DONT WANT TO BET !!....P.S im still in the doghouse...today i did not bet folks tomorrow i wont bet folks we can do this 😉

Thank you for your post and your words of support are vital in all areas of my recovery, your last post made me smile as I have lost count the number of photo booths visited to get photos for self exclusion in the past!!! how crazy!!! anyway today you didnt bet and tomorrow you wont have a nice wednesday!!!!

I had the same thoughts as you with regards to photo booths so why not try this (I did and it worked!)...

1. Take a photo of yourself using a digital camera - this took many takes with me!

2. Open Microsoft Word (or Open Office if you want a free option).

3. Import the picture and change the size that is needed for the form.

4. Copy and paste multiple images on the same page.

5. Print.

There! You have plenty of photos at the fraction of the cost. Of course, all this depends on whether you have a digital camera or a printer but you could borrow one and get it printed somewhere else.

Just a thought...

October (66 days to go!)

Hey wp,

Sounds like you were fighting more than just the temptation of the Premier League over the weekend.

Going into a bookies, and then not betting must be progress in anyone's book.

Keep at it mate, every day gamble free is a win.

Ryan

Hi wp,

Greetings from Ayia Napa! There is a heatwave out here so i am taking brief shelter from the sun in an internet cafe.

Have not really got time to post on diaries as i only have credit for a few minutes but i just wanted to say well done for walking out of the bookies without betting. You have come so far mate it would be awful to spoil it now. I know this will not happen.

All the best buddy.

Hi post,

I think you made a great point in your last post, if you want to gamble there are dozens of avenues you could take, but the fact that you have been strong enough to resist shows how far you have come in your recovery. Hope the dog house isn't too uncomfortable. Keep up the good work mate.

Stay Strong

Steve

Hope your shift has gone well today mate,must be a nightmare doing what you do in this heavy rain!!!,stay strong and calm on the family front.

Seano.

Hey wp,

I see your diary slipped off the front page, and we can't have that happening now!

Supporting Wales, England & West Ham, negative thoughts about their respective teams seems to be almost impossible to avoid! I think Benni McCarthy's weight problems seem to pretty much sum us up at the moment.

Have a good weekend mate, you deserve one without all the drama I think.

Ryan

Many thanks as usual for your continued support...well im out of the doghouse for now..gee whizz when you women take the huff you take some time to come round lol....anyways hols on hold for now as there is absolutely nothing from the north east for at least a week due to companies goin bust and every seat has been taken unless you want to pay over the odds ..in fact one company offered a flight from Newcastle returning to Manchester :- ???whats that all about...on the way to work this morning passing pubs i found £10 on the ground...my immediate thoughts was to put it on the footy this afternoon as it was somethin i did nt have in 1st place...,i didn't but it just shows them demons are never far away...i also have to admit that i found it very tough to avoid my works fantasy footy this year...i always seen this as a bit of fun with work mates but declined as didnt want to take the chance it maybe s led to somethin else....there have been interesting postings about the chat rooms recently...i personally have never participated but from my time on the diaries they do seem to cause controversy every now and then...i suppose a forum wouldnt be a forum without some kind of debate....seanos post yesterday was very scary indeed as to where this addiction can leave us...i feel posts like that should be at the forefront of these diaries to point newbies in the right direction as to how this can have a major effect on our lives...i for one will remember that page (158) and will advise newbies in due course...i have a little time in edinburgh tomorrow from work so im taking in the hibs match but at £27 a shout its prob gonnae be my one and only game this season...cmon the hibees!!! ...payday yesterday so im rich again for the weekend at least lol hence taking in the match..rest of month will be the usual struggle but a wee treat now and again tends to perk you up..today i did not bet tomorrow i wont bet we can do this my friends...enjoy the rest of your weekend 😉

wp

Another weekend safely negotiated - for us both - as you say "we can do this". Thats 4 for me now - how many more til Xmas? We can start counting them down.

Hope that things are improving for you and that you continue to stay strong.

All the best

Hatch

Hi wp,hope all went well at the "den" last night and you got the investment your pitch deserved:),keep up the good work on that front mate.I watched a few highlights of Hibs v Gers,blimey it was a rough old tussle!!!.

Seano.