no win situation

Hi Jeff,

Not played Boysnope Park mate. Hope you make a few birdies!

I'm playing a match at Hart Common tomorrow afternoon wherever that may be.

4 hours on a golf course beats 4 hours in the bookies any day!

Hi All

Ive just been reading through some of the new diaries and it took me back 8 months ago when i first found this forum.At the time i read through so many diaries and decided i actually wasnt the unluckiest person in the world.(i wasnt far off mind you lol.).

I wanted to be so much like the people who had stopped for years.I still want that but now it isnt so much of a struggle.

So to anybody new to this forum i think if you can concentrate on stopping for say 3 months then once you have done that you will see no reason why you shouldnt continue.

I feel its a big step to say i will never gamble again in my lifetime while it has got a grip of you.Once you take control then you will see how much better life is and decide this is the way i want things to be.

This bit might sound a mad comparrison.

We tend to call this an illness.

When we get the flu or a cold ,its really hard on us at first ,but with the right treatment it gets easier.Eventually it fades away.Im now on the easier bit and hopfully it will fade away completely.Neverthelessthe flu can always return as can gambling.so keep close to the treatment lol. A bit of a mad post i know.But i hope someone can relate to it or understand what i mean,or maybe i should be committed lol.All the best Jeff.

Hi Jeff,

I enjoyed your last post but were you referring to "man flu"......now that takes some getting rid of lol.

You are doing brilliantly...lovely to see!

Jas x

Jeff sounds like you and me are now at the point where we realise that we do not need gambling to enjoy life. It exists-we cannot stop it-but we can avoid it a lot easier than we ever thought we could.

All the best pal

Stumper

Glad all is still going so well for you Jeff,as you have said in your last post the first few months are hard....,it then starts to get a little easier as thoughts and urges gradually get fewer...,we all need though to remain on guard though and avoid complacency,posting on here is our "medicine".

Seano.

Hi Jeff

Thanks for post and support. You are doing really well as ever.

If there is any other secret ingredient you have to cracking this addiction please pass it on mate !

thanks for the post jeff mate,as ever your doing tremendously well...had to laugh when you posted on ades diary aboot lanky crouch knocking you off champs league,its one of the few laughs ive had lately....best wishes we can do this 😉

Hi Jeff

Good comparison between gambling and flu. Definately something that can always strike at anytime! 8 months is absolutely brilliant and you deserve it so much. I think your loyalty to this forum has definately helped you along when you've needed it, still being on here supporting others is commendable!

Take care and keep safe buddy

Jimmy

Hi Jeff just wanted to say hello after a long while absence from here. Thanks for checking in on me, im sorry I did not reply sooner. Hope all is well with you. Blocked.

Hi Jeff cant say much at the moment but thanks for your continued support. I would have never guessed how hard this addiction is to over come. In some ways im in a better place than i was 3 months ago and some ways not. Hard to explain at the moment. Im clear though on thing i need to be here and not "elsewhere". Again thanks for your support! Blocked.

Hi All

I passed the 8 month mark yesterday.

Things seem to be getting easier.

I have just actually got in from taking my dad up the bookies.I usually wait outside in the car but an old friend or should i say an old gambling aquaintance called me in to talk.I was only in there 10 minutes and there must have been 3 various races going off.One of the lads behind the counter asked me if i wanted to go in their competition at a cost of £5 i said no thanks i dont gamble anymore.He replied this isnt really gambling all the money gets paid back out.I said it could be a trigger to start me off again and he promptly agreed ,and asked me no further.

I had no interest to have a bet at all,but i did feel uncomfortable. It was like sitting in a cafe without having something to eat.You dont really feel wellcome so i think in future i will stay in the car.

I do feel as if i have come a long way though to go in and not even feel the slightest of temptation.I hope you all have a good gamblefree weekend .All the best Jeff.

Jeff 8 fantastic months mate...well done you were the 1 st to reply on my diary when i was in dire straits mate and for that am forever grateful...the amount of time you put into other diaries has to be applauded as well my friend...just shows how far youve came when you felt awkward walkin into bookies...we dont need them mate the monies in our pockets and long may it stay that way 🙂 well done we can do this 😉

Great news Jeff,8 months is a terrific achievement,and i have no doubt you will continue to steer clear of gambling...,keep up the good work!!!.

Best wishe's,

Seano.

Hi Jeff

I read how you can watch the Derby as a spectacle and will do so with the World Cup as well.

Obviously I dunno your background mate but for me whilst I watched sports as a spectacle when I was a kid, I started putting on bets at 14 and in all my adult life there have been very few occasions I have had an interest in watching any sport when not betting on it, I just have never had the mindset to do that so its not something I can go back to.

I'm assuming that part of your adult life has been enjoyable watching sport without betting on it so since quitting gambling you can revert to that?

I could relate to your earlier post a couple of months back about putting on 'virtual' bets but not to watching just for the spectacle....

Best wishes mate

Hi All

Up nice and early today for a game of golf.No thoughts of gambling at all.Just going to enjoy the day.

Captain i will try to give you an answer to your question as best i can m8.

Yes i know to many it may be a trigger watching sport on tv so i wouldnt really recommend it to anyone.Over the last 8 months i have saved or spent wisely more money than i have ever won at gambling.So if while iwas watching say the derby,and thought in my mind maybe i would have had £50 on workforce and won £300.I would just then turn it round to how much i have saved.

The bit in your last post m8 where you assume i have had some time in my adult life watching sport on tv without a bet couldnt be more wrong i always had to have a bet on it.

I like you have been betting since i was 13 or 14 i am now 44 during that time i have tried to stop many times but with little success(6 weeks being the longest).The only way i can explain what i am doing is that i am living life as i always did not giving the bookies my money.This also gives me extra money to do more things eg go the pub ,play golf and take the missus out.

I read a lot of people struggle to find things to do of a saturday i just do the same as i always did but i never count my losses at the end of the day.I count what i have saved as winnings.So believe me these days i win lots more than i lose lol.I hope that explains things but like i said its not for everyone.Have a good gamblefree day all.Jeff.