Right well looks like I am here for the first time on the chat room but far from the first time I have ballsed everything up. Starting from the beginning I have been gambling for 10 years on and off I first started when I was 18 seriously gambling. My main vice is roulette however I have come to find over time I can’t help but hate losing at anything and that is why I am in this mess. I was hooked by massive wins when I was 21 I had won over 12k in 3 days and didn’t know what to do with the money except for try to win more. Eventually I lost all that money as well as an addition 10k through loans, credit cards, overdrafts and payday loans. I sought help around 7 years ago and went to GA classes which I hated as it brought gambling to the front of my mind I know it works for some people but it’s not for me. However I stopped for 3 years with the help of my Nan and girlfriend repaid all my debt and saved up enough for a deposit on a house. Then I relapsed again and ever since have been gambling which is around 3 years. I will stop when I lose it all for 3 months or so then start again. Anyway the past 6 months I have lost 15K which is all on credit cards, luckily for me there is still a little bit of credit on them and I have a little bit of cash in my current account to keep me going but it is going to take 4 years to pay that back at £350 a month then I will have to try and pay the interest off but that is the least of my troubles. The biggest part of it all is lying to my girlfriend it’s all I have ever really done about gambling and it’s horrible to see that she doesn’t know how to help me. I have taken the first steps now and downloaded Gamban signed up to self exclusion and referred myself to some couciling. Sorry for the rant but this is the first day now that all the money is gone. I could of had an easy life as I have a good job and future wife who I am marrying next year but I have to tighten our belts because I am selfish and compulsive. Day 1 has started and let’s hope I can live a new life without gambling
Sorry it’s a long one but I needed to try and paint the full picture
Yo, it was not too long so put that thought out your head . Ga helped me and maybe worth another go but do understand it’s not for everyone . Well done asking for help before you dug a bigger hole which would be even harder to get out of financially and mentally . You had 3 years in recovery , so can you retake those steps to set the foundation moving forward. Maybe that’s too difficult to get your girlfriend or Nan help again which I understand . I wish you well,be kind to yourself mate , I relapsed after 5 years , and beat myself up for a long time for letting the addiction take hold again, but that achieves nothing , only gives addiction more power to feed on your low self worth . Take care my friend stay strong .Shiny 🙂
Cheers mate, I am looking at face to face counciling first as I have never tried this but I may go to GA to see if my mind set can change. I have told my partner so the first steps have been taken.
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