My story and journey forward 190416

Thanks ADT.

Just checking in after busy weekend (day 105). Was working on a project in the garden which was hard work, but felt great when finished!

Gardening, cinema, shopping, walking - a normal weekend gamble free. The simple things in life eh?

To celebrate 100 day milestone treated myself to some new clothes on Thursday on lunchbreak. Old mindset crept back in where I nearly didn't buy in queue at counter (grudge spending money of myself) but then squashed that voice and thought f**k it that was the old me. I wouldn't have thought twice about spending that money in the arcade,bookies etc.

Counselling today. Think I'm coming to end of free sessions soon so going to speak about what I can do to continue whether with Gamcare or private.

Onwards and upwards.

Bit behind cause of holiday..... but well done on the 100 days Tommy.

Damo

Thanks Damo, hope you had a great time in Majorca.

Next up is 200 day mark for you 🙂

belated congratulations on 100 days mate. i hope to emulate your success so far.

keep going mate
Ben

Spoke to my counsellor on Monday about future counselling - it was actually my last 'free' session as per initial consultation but she agreed we should continue. Was really pleased as last couple of sessions have felt like a real breakthrough. I'm now going to continue for another 3 sessions and again we'll talk about options.

I cannot stress enough to those in first few weeks/months of recovery the value this has added for me. I'm starting to understand alot of the underlying issues in my life that I had been running away from and how they maybe contributed to my gambling behaviour.

So many times as CG's we are able to abstain for short periods before going back to old habits. Stopping gives us the time to reflect and think but the counselling challenges me to go beyond that and although it can be difficult and emotional at times it is proving to be the biggest difference in my TRUE commitment to life without gambling this time.

Onwards and upwards.

Hi Tommy, looks like you're shaping this diary much the same way 🙂

A very late welcome to the Century club & funny how much more money we have when we're not throwing it away trying to get rich eh 🙂 I'm so happy that you are finding the counselling so beneficial & lovely that they have agreed a few extra sessions 🙂 Keep reviewing your options & good to see you being prepared to go private if necessary! The more we put in to getting better, the less likely we are to ever allow addiction to take hold again!

OAU - ODAAT

Thanks Kelly, much appreciated.

Prepared to do whatever it takes now to stay gamble free - if it costs money for counselling so be it - would be worth every penny if it helps me in recovery. If I continue on this path I know the debt will dissapear but more importantly I can lay the foundations to become a better person so I don't return to the haze of the past few years.

Checking in on day 110 gamble free.

I imagine today will be difficult for alot of us. It's the start of new football season and lots of chat about coupons/adverts/promotions all around us with friends, in the pub, on the tv, radio etc. Let's stay strong, that voice telling us "a couple of quid on a coupon will be OK" just ignore it. Come here and read like I have had to do this morning.

That couple of pounds would undermine everything we are working for and would lead us back down the path of unknown. If we chose not to gamble we know things will get better. Take control, don't leave it to chance.

Onwards and upwards.

Checking in on day 113. All good.

Was out last night with my 2 best mates. Really enjoyed myself, sounds silly but was actually present with them - being myself, chatting and laughing with no underlying thoughts of gambling, worries etc.

A little bit rough this morning but feeling good. Gonna go for a big walk and brush off cobwebs. Today would have definately been a gambling day for me in the past. Now it is not.

Life is better. Onwards and upwards.

Thanks Uncertain Outcomes. It is the future and for the first time in my grown up life I genuinely feel that I will now stop for good.

I'm starting to enjoy life again. Had a great weekend. Out with friends on Friday night, went for big walk and lunch with brother and hung out with my parents on Saturday then me and Mrs been watching Olympics non stop since yesterday afternoon. All the simple things I took for granted, that I would have grudged doing as it could have been gambling time.

I have control back of my life and I'm feeling the benefits of being gamble free. Yes, the debt is still there but I'm eating into it and continuing like this it will be gone in a few years.

I still have to work everyday to challenge the gambling voice within and to log on here for my daily medicine. 6 sessions of counselling and continuing with that for at least another few weeks. Then need to see what's next - maybe paid local counselling sessions - need to look at options as it has been a major part of recovery so far.

Now just keeping fingers crossed Andy Murray can get this gold and in less than 5 sets so I'm not up too late 🙂

Hi tommy, Well done for having an open mind on help. Counselling helps many as does getting help from GA. Thanks for the support. please drop by anytime and say hi. Tri

It's exactly 4 months today since I stopped gambling.

My life has changed alot in that time - bad and good but one thing I know it would have been made even worse if I kept on gambling.

I'm working on myself, working on being a better me. Treating myself and others a little more and although I am paying off a fair bit of debt every month I genuinely feel like I have more money to do things than ever before. God I've even got a little bit of savings from having money left in my account at the end of the month (something that's never happened before!!)

Have read alot about needing to feel the benefit finacially from not gambling and I agree that is so important in the early days.

I'm finding pleasure in simple things again - the cloud is lifting and I feel less anxious, restless and I'm sleeping better.

Next week I'm going to Portugal and so looking forward to it. Have actually paid for the holiday in the 4 months I've been gamble free. In the past it would probably have gotten whacked onto credit card and would have 'worried about it later' but then tried to win to pay for it etc etc you know how the CG mind works.

This forum and counselling have given me a great platform and now I know I need to continue to work at it everyday.

Day by day things a looking brighter 🙂

lHey Tommy,

Unlike your massive success on your 4 mo this without a gamble, I have been 2 days and still in tht dark place where I don't know how or where to turn.

I have a GA meeting tomorrow and not even sure this is for me. Your story and success brings me hope though.

Good luck on the rest of your recovery and I hope you have a blast on holiday

Thanks Liam, know how you feel mate.

I went to GA years ago. One thing I would say is that if you are not wanting to talk in the first few meetings you don't have to. You can sit back and just listen.

Everyone is different. GAMCARE forum is great but in itself probably not enough.

I see you've arranged for 1-2-1 counselling. I've been having weekly counselling sessions from gamcare - done by video conferencing. It's free and you can be provided upto 12 sessions. I'd recommend it to anyone.

Everyone on here is willing to help, even if you have a blip don't disappear. But let's work on the basis that there won't be any blips 😉