no win situation

Great post Chris. You are spot on about this diary. Jeff does have an army of followers and I'm one of them. Maybe it's because I feel sympathy towards him because the toffees keep on winning against his favourite side. How are you Jeff? Take care buddy. Russ

Wow Chris and Russ

Thanks for the great posts .But hey you give me a lump in my throat lol.

Yes Chris like Russ says I have had a lot of encouragement off some great fellow cgs.Without them i would not be where i am now.I first posted on your diary because i got the same feelings again which i went through as i read your first few posts.Its as if we could have been the same person posting.Im glad you have read my diary and i hope it spurs you on.My life has turned around.But (and im sure my friend Winningpost will agree )im not ready to leave these diarys for a long time.I feel im still in recovery.I still need the help of my friends.But gambling doesnt play a part in my life anymore apart from the less frequent urges.Things definatley get better and things definatley get easier.As they say time is agreat healer.Thanks all.Jeff.

Hi Jeff.

Thanks for the post on my diary mate. As always it is great to hear from one of the legends of Gamcare. Haha!

Well done on continuing to avoid the pitfalls of gambling. I think you do the right thing by staying close to this site. It is like a comfort blanket for you i think and there is nothing wrong with that.

I fancy you might be right about there being a red card or two in the derby this weekend. We have never won at Anfield under Moyes and if we cannot do it this time we never will. Maybe we could get them to move the game to the City of Manchester stadium!

It could be a big few months for Manchester City if Dzeko can hit the ground running. At least you will not have to play Jo anymore. If he is Brazilian then my auntie is my uncle.

Keep up the good work big man.

Thanks for the message Jeff,good to see that all is going well for you:),i know that your in a similar position to me these days in that you don't feel the need to say a great deal on your diary,whenever you do post on other diaries though you always make sense.Stay strong.

Seano.

Hi Jeff,

So pleased to hear you say that even though you have gone many, many months gamble-free, you still say that you are still in recovery.

I am a great believer in saying that however long you have spent your life gambling will be the same length of your recovery period. In my case it's 30 years.

This may sound awful but it really isn't. After nearly a year being gamble free, I am now in a much more comfortable position but...

...I still get those terrible urges wanting me to go back and throw away my money again.

...I still have many gambling-related debts to pay off.

But what is important is that life is good. Not spectacular or amazing but just good and ... normal. And that's how I'd like it to stay. Okay, it would be nice to have a better house and a better car and perhaps a family of my own but I already have the most wonderful job in the world which is in itself incredibly rewarding.

There have still been people coming back have relapsed after 5 or so years gamble free so we can never be complacent. The reason that I keep coming back on these diaries is to remind myself how awful this gambling bug is and what it has done to all of us on here.

But I love all of the positivity that goes around on here and seeing the fact that those people that I have 'seen' on previous gambling haunts are actually very nice human beings. They have just been hypnotised by this evil called gambling.

Just my thoughts, hope you have a lovely gamble free weekend.

GT

Hello again Jeff

Trust you are well. Glad you can watch the racing without it affecting you.

Now a clear two months since my last bet and one of my simple techniques is to avoid reading the racing pages, not watch anything to do with racing on TV (even sports person of the year cos I knew AP won) etc. Doing my best to avoid betting stimulation of any kind - and it’s working.

Curly10 and I shared a post about this a couple of weeks back, as we are both massive racing fans. I love flat racing but have a tremendous passion for national hunt - Cheltenham, Aintree and all that. Aged 10 in 1972, my lovely dad came in a bit drunk and threw stacks of cash and loads of grub on the table, having come up trumps big time with Graham Thorner (my favourite jockey of the 70s) and Well-To-Do in the national. And that early seventies era of Fred Winter and those amazing horses such as Pendil, Bula, Lanzarote and the rest - pure magic! And those early 70s nationals, especially 73 when Crisp, giving loads of weight and going miles clear, jumping from fence to fence in such extravagant style, only to just get pipped on the line. Yeah, I love my jump racing.

But Jeff, although I’m quite up and down about loads of personal stuff at the moment, the brilliant way I feel about not gambling, and the hope this gives me for sorting everything out in due course - I can do without watching it or reading about it.

Maybe one day I’ll be able to follow the sport I love again without it causing me to self-destruct. I’m sure that would be nice. But without wishing to tempt fate, I think I am finally coming to my senses at long, long last. If time comes to prove I am able to quit for good, then, I really am lucky after all, aren't I? And if that still means I can’t allow myself to drop my guard, that’s okay with me - a small price to pay for the amazing positive feeling I’ve been getting lately.

Jeff mate, if this sounds a bit ‘over the top’ I’m sorry, but since quitting and coming on here I can actually feel myself getting better. I’m really fortunate that although I’ve suffered bouts of mild depression from time to time (probably due to my CG behaviour), I’ve never been affected by manic depression, so I know this feeling isn’t an artificial high. Long may it continue.

Chris

Yes

Man City top of the premier league.

Is it just coincidence or is it because i stopped betting on them lol.?

hi jeff,

thanks for your posts and encouragement.

when i have doubts, or need a kick up the backside, i quietly dip into some diaries (yours has been on of them) and see what is possible if i really want to give up my addiction, and of course, the consequences if i don't........

having been through a rough spell, i've come out the other side fighting, and i proud to be doing it alongside inspiring people like you.

tommi

jeff....thanks for your well wishes mate.....i couldnt agree more regarding leaving these pages...we may post less and life seems better these days being bet free but browsing for me certainly helps keep them gremlins away....best wishes friend 😉

Glad all is going well for you Jeff,.....you never know,

Man City may win the title:).

Seano.

Hi Jeff and thanks for your support in my times of need. I surprise myself at how quickly I am bouncing back.

Glad to see that gambling continues to play no part in your life but also that you choose to stay around to make sure that it stays that way. Thanks again.. S.A 🙂

hi am itsme

i have look in on you now and then but i did not start to post on otheres dairy tell 2 or 3 days ago. as i did not fell right doing this. but with time and 6 months ferr. i now wish to give a liter back. so thank you for your post they help to keep me strong at the worst of times. you are a good man keep up the good work

itsme

Great to read that all is going well for you Jeff.i expect no less from you now:),keep up the good work mate.

Seano.

Just wanted to say thanks for your post much appreciated. Ive just read through your diary (well most of it, theres a lot, lol) Some very encouraging and inspirational posts, im glad i took the time. Anyway congrats on a great recovery really impressive and its always nice to read someones succedded before you as it gives a little more hope to the cause. It seems on here its one big team wishing the best for each other as we can all sympathies with what were all feeling and going through. Glad im back.