Hi.
Like so many thousands of people I have fallen into the cycle of gambling addiction. I have wanted all the time to make back all the money I have lost, and yet I have racked up more and more losses. Eventually - a year ago, I won a significant amount of money, tens of thousands of pounds. I was delighted. I managed to stop gambling and I felt that even though I hadn’t managed to neutralise my lifetime losses, I was happy enough.
But if it stopped there I wouldn’t be here. I went back in after 6 months of abstinence and began the most spectacular losing streak. Boosted by the confidence of having money in the bank I quietly lost it all. And then more. I tried to quit. I realised I couldn’t. I realised that I had just become an addict and that if I didn’t really stamp on this as hard as I could it would only continue to resurface until I had obliterated everything.
So I’m on this incredible forum. Everyone’s stories have filled me with hope and I wish the best to you all. One day at a time.
Today is my first day gamble free, consciously in recovery. Looking forward to a future with more meaning and, eventually, genuine self respect.
Hi Not a penny more. Totally relate to you. I also won a huge amount and stayed off gambling sites for almost a year. As you say because you had money you don't really look at the true value of it and I started gambling again. Even had another date size win but managed to gamble that also. I have just joined this site and am hoping by talking to people who understand this terrible addiction i will be able to stop gambling. I am currently looking at blocking all gambling sites. Have you any advise on which ones to use.
Wish you all the best in your journey and I know we can do this!
Hi Lorry 1208.
Great to hear from you. Thank you for your story. It’s very similar.
First of all blocking software is a good idea. I used gamblock. I paid for it and I like that I had to do so. There’s more of a commitment in putting down money to stop gambling.
Other ones are available though and I’m sure work just as well. Next go on a thorough self exclusion binge. I have maximum self excluded from all the sites I was a member of. Which was a large amount. I even had to look at the keychain on my computer to be reminded which sites I was a memeber of.
When you’ve don’t that you’ll feel good. It’s a little bit of power that you’ve taken back. I feel really good to have done this.
Warning: you’ll probably not want to fully exclude all sites and you might want to gamble again very soon. Don’t. It’s vital that you let time work it’s magic - after all that was only the addiction speaking.
You can do this bro. And life will be so terrific when gambling has no place in it. There’s so much more out there.
Hope it goes well! Not-a-penny-more.
Welcome to the forum NAPM,
For us online gamblers there is also GamStop. It doesn't cover every site YET but its another block and more sites will be added to the list.
Not sure how much of the advice you have seen with regards to stopping and blocking access to gambling, to save me typing that out its all in one place, linked below.
http://www.gamcare.org.uk/forum/want-do-something-read
Have a read if you haven't it's a long one but, unlike gambling is a very good investment of your time.
The truth is to stop you have to REALLY be ready to. It's easy to listen to the voice telling you its a way out, a money earner. It's not it will take your money and your time for as much as you can give to it.
Keep posting on here and get them thoughts out. Recovery from this is more than just not gambling, but that is the starting point of course. Why do you gamble? Who have you told? What accountability do you have to others to show you want to/are commited to stop? There's a lot of questions that you need to find the answers to over time to help you stop and keep you stopped.
All the best.
Thanks You SJW.
I am so sure that I want to stop and stay stopped. But you’re right that voice is always there trying to say that I could just win this or that and it would make things easier. But it only takes more and leaves you feeling awful.
I really appreciate your advice. I’m going to look through that list now.
Best, NAPM
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