no win situation

Hi All

Well i would say that last night is the closest ive come to gambling since ive stopped.There was a group of us all lads a few had been out all day at a darts tournament in macclesfield so had had a fair bit to drink luckily for me i think i hadnt been out as long. We went back to one of our locals and got invited into a game of poker. The lad running the game automatically set up 4 seats and 4 lots of chips as he knew us . One being for myself.

I politely refused the seat. I must admit though I found myself going over every now and then and watching the hands.I will take that as a real warning that if you have had a bit to drink you can be vunerable.Plenty of football to watch and enjoy today without a bet.Looking forward to a new year all the best Jeff.

hi jeff. Just a quick message to say very well done for not ruining your good work and taking up a chair at the card table. The temptation must have been enormous but again well done. As you say plenty football today and im off out for few beers with lads.defo not having bet. Keep up the good work and the excellent posting mate.

Hi Jeff,

Likewise well done for not giving in to temptation.. not joining in with the lads and getting past the peer pressure can be tough.. but you managed it.

Seems to me like your working your recovery hard.. keep it up one day at a time. Regards.. S.A 🙂

Hi Jeff

Just catching up with your diary.....what a great effort mate. I knew when you first posted how determined you was, and i was right. You can usually work out the ones who seriously want and need to quit gambling, and the ones who just took a beating that day and never come back, back to the cycle. Im far from perfect or 100% beating this just yet....ive lost £15 since my last slip in early sept i think, but i work on it everyday...never will i return to old ways..never!!!!!!!!!!

I have a good feeling for you buddy....keep up the great work and never get complacent.

Hi All

I know its probably the same for everyone, but ive found it really hard the last few days.Im still off work until 4th so ive got to keep busy somehow.to be honest ive been going out most of the time but i dont think my kidneys can take much more. i feel like ive been run over by a double decker bus.Ive enjoyed my holidays but its been a bit of a struggle with the demons.I hate my job but i feel safer from gambling when im there.I will enjoy the rest of my time off and i wont spoil all the good work i have put in.Looking forward to 2010aqnd my first ever holiday with my family(thats my next aim).Thanks all Jeff.

If it was easy mate, none of us would need to post. You are doing really well and resisting the poker game must have been hard but you past the test. Hope 2010 is a good year for you and a first family holiday is a great thing to look forward to. keep strong. Stumper

hello jeff, i'm pretty much in the same boat as you as regards the family holiday, i've never been on one ever i don't think which gambling hasn't ruined in some way, either through no money or gambling stress or sneaking away to gamble. i remember last year i was £1000 down (all my holiday spend) in the airport horror shop till i managed to claw nearly all of it back and very very nearly missed the plane, how stupid was that. we'll be 10000000 times better off without the stress jeff, here's to happy stress free holidays in 2010.

Hi Jeff, am finding your diary very relevant, intresting and inspiring. We are all decent people who have been struck down with an addition. Gambling is not important, our friends, family and especially children are.

Regarding the dreams, a book about stopping smoking I read, said you will still have dreams about smoking, but when you wake up and you realise that it was just that you can rejoice in the fact that you are free......maybe this mindset will help you.

One point, maybe you should change your user name - after all your choices made you gambler Jeff.

Keep up the great work!

jeff. Dont give in to them demons mate. . I know its not easy but you are doing exceptionally well and are an inspiration to myself and am sure pretty much most people on these forums taking the time to advise on just about everyones posts. Keep up the good work mate.

Thanks for your posts stumper,mtwbbs,seenthelight and winningpost.All much appreciated.I cannot find a diary for mtwbbs or for seenthelight.Maybe you are both just helping out others which is great.

Yesterday an old friend sent me a tip for a horse in the later races.I was in the pub at the time with 5 friends of which 2 are gamblers. I gave them the tip and told them i would not be having a bet on it. We all watched it as it come in second. I felt guilty for passing the tip on.they only lost £10 each and it didnt bother them . But i did honestly feel guilty. I think if i get any tips in future i will keep them to myself .Still at least i didnt bet and will continue not to. Happy new year all Jeff.

Hi jeff,

Thanks for your support this year and keep going with your recovery, you are doing great. Some days it is hard, but not as hard as the alternative and the s**t that comes with it.

Good luck jeff,

DT.

Hi All

Reflecting on the year. I can say that the last quarter has been the best.,Obviously due to not gambling. Every day up until i stopped gambling depended upon what sort of luck i had (usually bad).There was the odd day i would win,but even if i said once a week (which it wasnt) then i would have one great day and six s**t days.As it stands now i have to be honest i find life a bit boring without gambling. But i will say ive not been pi**ed off for the last 3 months,and ive become much closer with my partner and kids.Its a huge gap that has to be filled but it has made me realise just how much i did gamble.I think this week will bring a big increase in people joining this site and wanting to stop. As we all know most new years resolutions are soon broke. So if you have just joined and are reading this be the one to break the mould stick with it and kick this addiction into touch.

hello again jeff, no i haven't got a diary on here as such, i do have a thread on the opg section but no diary. i do like to come on and read the diaries though, i can relate to every story on here just about and i like to read the good things that are happening in the diaries. i like to offer my thoughts from time to time if i feel its relevant or if somebody is having a particularly bad times. i remember my bad times all to well you see and i have stopped before for months so know how important it is to avoid complacency also. i know what you mean about being an increase in people on here over the next week, i expect that too with new years resolutions and the huge gambling calendar on offer over xmas and new year. i've had many a cr** xmas with gambling but all i've had to worry about this year is eating too many chocolates and its been much easier on the mind. keep it up mate.

Hi All

I was wondering if anyone had a spare kidney to lend me lol.

My problem has been keeping busy to beat the gambling and to me there is no better way than to spend my spare time in the pub lol.

Seriousluy i do feel that i have got over a big hurdle coming through the holidays gamblefree i was worried about it and even though ive been out a lot there have been lots of temptations fruit machines,games of poker and the bookies is next door to one of my locals. So it was hard but it has been worth it.I will start the new year with money in the bank.I hope everyone has a good year all the best Jeff.

Happy new year to you Jeff.

Well done for staying gamble free over the hoiday period. I know a lot of gamblers regard the period from boxing day through to the first few days of the year to be mama from heaven. If you can get through this period without a bet then i'm sure you have the strength to beat this addiction permanently.

You are an inspiration to a few people on here i think Jeff. Keep it going mate.