My Road to Recovery

Hey Batman!!

Welcome to the forum mate and congratulations on taking those first huge steps of admitting the issue and putting all of the foundations in place to support your recovery! Well done as well on joining the 2014 Challenge, I'll make sure that you feature in the update this coming Sunday! I'd ask that you check in another couple of times on the challenge thread this week to keep us posted on your progress.

There's lots of great people on here who I'm sure you'll learn to appreciate and will find their support and encouragement invaluable.

This is very much down to you now Batman - you've taken the first steps and have the support you need - one day at a time. Delighted to hear that ou won't play poker on Thursday night - just keep your guard up that you don't get pressurised into a game 'for old times sake' - you're very early in your journey for such temptation and it'll take a very big effort to walk back out with your gambling cleanliness in tact.

Congratulations again my friend - start to look forward to a much better future......and to hear you say you cannot win because you cannot stop is like music to sore ears!! duncanmac would be proud!!

All the best on the journey and know that we are here as and when you need us.

Mr Brightside

Hi Batman

You nearly knocked me over with your enthusiasm for recovery. Make sure you keep it going. Sounds like you are serious about your future. I wished I learnt my lesson at 18 it would have stopped a lot of pain, anguish, lies, deceit and so on just to gamble. Make sure you hang around with the winners on here and abstain from gambling one day at a time. There is no going back even for a quick go on a scratchcard which could be seen as harmless fun. Question all your intentions around carrying extra money and extinguish those feelings of gambling by telling someone how you feel. If you can be honest and open with everyone you'll get more out of recovery.

Take care

Thanks alot guys it means alot to me that I'm already getting the support and help I so desperately want and I already am starting to feel like one of the team 🙂

Today was difficult I worked a short shift on the lottery counter and saw a guy play ten scratchcards in a row without a winner. My usual reaction would be "great I'll take the next one off and buy it on my break" but as tempted as I was I told myself no you could use that £5 for petrol or something which you actually need. I feel like this may not seem a big deal but I struggled not to buy it and am proud of myself for fighting the urge.

Another day another dollar....

...but this time it's in my pocket !

Goodnight - Batman

3 days gamble free,

Bit of a lazy day today feeling bored, normally I would just fire up the laptop and make a deposit to P*ker st*rs for a tourney or two but have decided to tidy my room and have a bit of a clear out instead. Seems easier to fill my time so I'm not thinking about it as much. Slept better last night, feeling better about things... Onwards and upwards !

Batman

Hey Batman!!

Really well done on being gamble free for 3 days - you should feel proud even at this early stage!

re Thursday night - I think you will know the answer to your question deep down and will make the right call for you. It's always tough and to an extent you may find yourself mourning your past - try to look forward though rather than back.

Good to hear you are sleeping better - that's one of the big positives to take!

Keep going!

Mr B

Hi caped crusader,

Well done on day 3, the early stages are the toughest.

I am in no way saying you shouldn't go on Thursday that choice is yours but if I was in your shoes I would avoid it like the plague. The key thing to be is in control and if I take myself back to my first week my focus was to avoid being in any form of a gambling environment ensuring control remained in my side of the court.

Everyone's journey is different but with the same goal (to be gamble free), I wish you well and no matter what your choice I wish you continued strength.

Del 🙂

Thanks so much guys this forum is really helping me to vent and get my thoughts and feelings out there and to have this support is just amazing !

I have had an ok day today, been off college and work this week because it's the so called "February week" and filling up my time is posing difficult... Was thinking about poker this afternoon and how much I genuinely enjoyed playing it, and in a way miss it, but like all good things it has to come to an end. I feel bad for saying I miss it but I have decided to get rid of it all and get it clean out of my system. I have started up the piano again and am looking forward to getting back into it, something to take my mind of poker etc. as for Thursday I have decided to text my mates and just finish it once and for all by text and I will not be attending again, think the further I stay away the better ! Anyway off to bed again and on to day four !

Godbless,

Batman

Hope your day four is going well Batman. I wish I had found this place when I was 18, it would have saved me a lot of pain and misery. Lots of people waste their whole lives gambling and never admit their problem. So well done for admitting you have a problem and trying to deal with it. One day at a time this can be done and life will get better by the day.

Hi batman hope it's going good piano wow my boy has taken up the electric guitar . Thanks for dropping in to my diary it's all new to me this virtual world.we joined the challenge like you said on same day we can do it. Will drop by again hitthefanx

Thanks again for the support everyone 🙂

Well unfortunately I have some bad news today, have been putting off the embarrassment but after four days of gamble free I was in dundee with my brother and afew mates and ended up in the casino... I tried so hard not to bet but decided that it was "ok to just bet a fiver" ironically I doubled it but I wish I had lost so I could see how much of an idiot I was being. Feel really disappointed and ashamed in myself don't want to let anyone down anymore.. So that's me back to square one again. This is it I promise my self, my friends and family that I am going to really try hard but as I have found out it's not all that easy. I hope I can do it for the betterment of myself and my life I don't need gambling any more it's just stupid and ruining me.. Had a nice night with my girlfriend, things are feeling a bit better but still massively embarrassed, anyway off to bed hopefully get some sleep...

Night all,

Batman

One day gamble free

Morning Batman,

Time - Money - Location........remove one and you can't gamble!

All of our journeys are different fella, but the most important thing to do now is to learn from what happened and do everything you can to avoid creating or being in that situation again......you really need to want to stop!!

I've got a situation in a few weeks when I am going with a load of mates to a footy match - it's Grand National day and I know they'll all want to put bets on the horses.....which means hitting a bookies. I've already taken one of them into my confidence and told him my situation.......and he has agreed to taking my money for the night away too. I've removed one of the points from the triangle.

With you every step of the way sir - Gotham needs a super hero as someone once said to me!

Mr B

There are criminals running amok in Gotham Batman - where are you? Hope you are ok - it's time to get posting Sir!

Mr B

Finally reached 10 days on my journey !

The week has flown in and has been both hard but somewhat easy at the same time, seems like with so much on I haven't even had the time to gamble and that is key ! Really chuffed with myself and and enjoying telling my mates my progress and am now getting support from most because they can sort of now see I am serious about this. Had Afew thoughts on Thursday night when I would usually have gone to poker if I should just go because it's again "only a fiver" but it's that mindset that has got me where I am and it's not where I want to be ! I turn 19 on Monday and I'm off work on holiday going to be a good week but rest assured I will not be gambling because I cannot win ! Worked out I've already saved about £100 of money which I would have gambled just by working out my deposits to pok*rstar* and weekly games etc and for me that is a serious amount of money. Hope to be on a lot more this week 🙂

"It's not who I am underneath, but what I do that defines me" - Bruce Wayne

Batman

Proud, very proud. So should you be Matban.

That's all.

Mr Brightside x