One big hit and your addicted

Ya dealing with the snow too hey. Had enough of winter myself, well the snow part any way. Lol

Thanks for the post to my thread. Guess im not much for fishing and live close to the fox river. Yeah not to many people wanting to eat anything that comes out of there. Lol

Sounds like your doing well in your recovery and keep up the good work.

Hey mendedsoul,

I'am changing your user name, lol, your doing great also. I've been fishing that river my whole life. Last April I caught some real nice smallmouths, a couple pushing 4lbs. I found after I went through all my bank statements for last year and made a log of all the money I lost at the casino and days I spent there, a real eye opener. The days I was fishing I didn't visit the casino at all. There was a whole week I didn't even go. How do I know this, simple on my bank statements the days I bought minnows for bait, I didn't visit the casino. I know this spring I will be doing alot of fishing, that's for sure. Something I let my addiction take away from me that I will reconnect with. Tired of the winter and ready for the spring, stay strong your doing great.

Chicagoguy

Thank you again, Chicagoguy. Always appreciate your support. I'm doing well.

You aren't wrong about your time being eaten up by gambling. I too fished every week off the beach where I live on the east coast of England.

Then.. things happened, I started gambling and my last fishing trip was nearly a year ago. I'm quite ashamed at that.

I'm not kidding I was out every week. It makes me sad to think about how I lost complete control and couldn't even go fishing.

I will do again though, I know I will. You're post there makes me ponder on some spring fishing every week. I will try to get out next week, rod in hand, you'll see. 🙂

Cheers,

Alex

Thanks for posting on my diary Chicagoguy. Really appreciated to get your support and I'm sure you will get to your goals!

Wish you great fishing trips when spring arrives! That's really nice hobby and something I could start doing myself. Used to go fishing with my uncle when I was kid and it was always good fun.

Tnx CG.

Be good 2 yourself.

Easy.

Goodmourning everyone,

Hope all is going well with your recovery. Today I'am feeling good about the progress I've made. I think one thing that has helped me is just taking it one day at a time. This is the best approach to my recovery process. Sometimes I expect immediate results, and that's not going to be the case here. Recovery is a long process, a lifetime commitment of finding out what works best for you, putting blocks in place, seeking and working through therapy, knowing what triggers you have ect... It's rediscovering yourself, the old you that was stripped away by the addiction of gambling. I realize that in itself is a working progress. I try not to let little things upset me these days, and try to come to a understanding that whats done in the past is done, can't go back and change that. I look to the future and find myself happy again, doing things for myself that I allowed gambling to take from me. Simply things in life that I once enjoyed so much, such as fishing. I look forward to gaining some employment also. I have to stay focused and have my guard up everyday going forward, I don't want to slip back into the hooks of gambling that were embeded so deeply in me. I have therapy today, so I'am looking forward to my session. I wish you all the best in you recovery process.

Chicagoguy

Hi Chicago,

Great post and very true, someone once said to me committ to your recovery as much as you did to gambling and you wont go far wrong.

Recovery takes effort and honesty and commiment and sometimes we have to learn those things all over again, I always put others before me which sounds ironic because gambling itself is a very selfish act but i kidded myself that gambling was me time, now my recovery is me time, everyday for the rest of my life I know its something I will have to work on, but guess what ? We are worth it.

Enjoy your councelling

Take care

Blondie

Goodevening everyone,

Just got home from therapy, session was good although I'am feeling a bit down tonight. I guess all the talking about reasons why I gambled and all the losses (not money) I've expierenced in the last 2 and a half years stirs the old noggan up somewhat. I understand I need to learn to accept what has happened and forgive myself also for it, but I'am having a hard time doing that. I think my biggest hurdle for me going forward in soberity is the fact that I gambled with my inheritance from my father. So it's a double edged sword so to speak. I feel I really let him down with my actions and somehow in time I have to come to peace with that. I really think that's the driving factor behind me seeking the therapy and taking action before it was almost to late, maybe I think I can gain his respect back even though he is no longer with us. I really brought the house down on me with this addiction, no pun intended. So much shame and guilt and disgust run through my vains for my actions. This isn't the first time either that I came home from therapy and was feeling down. No urges to gamble, just down. It's alot of work to be sober with pain in your life. I'am not going to let myself down or my father again. I know I'll be working on this for a lengthy amount of time and as I continue throughout my journey in soberity I hope someday I can learn to forgive myself. I wish you all the best in your recovery, It's no easy road.

Chicagoguy

Hey Chicago.

Sorry you are feeling down at the min. I think it is quite normal to feel this way so just try and "roll with it" . I remember when I had my first Gamcare counselling session the other week, I felt so frustrated after it and the following week, we spoke about the same topic and I just thought "here we go again" but do you know what, I can see why we do discuss certain things and I felt much better after that session and I'm looking forward to my next session.

Money is a terrible thing to waste but life is even worse. I'm sure you father will be proud that you are no longer wasting your time in a world of gambling.

Keep doing what you're doing because its ALL GOOD.

Take care.

Feb.

Goodmourning everyone,

Today is a Friday, and for today I will not gamble. Hope everyone is having a great gamble free day. Feeling better today, a good nites sleep always clears the mind up a bit. I just have to accept some days I'am going to have the blues, I've got alot going on at the moment. Looking forward to a nice relaxing weekend, and maybe watch a good movie. Some small snowflakes are comming down right now and it's a cold day outside, March 1 though, getting further away from my Jan 7 date of last action. Feeling good about that, next month I should be able to start doing some fishing, pending on when spring starts making its presence. I'am really looking forward to reconecting with the outdoors. Fishing always had a way of relaxing me. I'am going to treat myself to a new rod and reel also. Got to remain positive, and keep healing and moving forward. We all know its a long road but the one we must take. And we are worth that. I wish you all the best in your recovery.

Chicagoguy

Chicagoguy

Thanks for your support and kind words following my diary.

Well done in staying so strong and abstaining from gambling for over 50 days.

I admire your willpower driving so far for your sessions. Stay strong and positive ..... We cannot affect the past but we can definitely shape the future (hopefully for the better).

Hi there

I live on a houseboat on the Thames so will be thinking of you when I see the fishermen on the banks. They always wave to me whatever the weather and always look so chilled (as in laid back not iced).

Looking back in therapy, looking forward in life.

xxx

Goodmourning everyone,

Hope all of you are enjoying your gamble free weekend. Thanks to everyone who has been supporting me in my journey, very much appreciated. You guys and gals have been very instrumental in my recovery. Today it's overcast and a bit cold out. No big plans this weekend as of the moment, just enjoying the fact I'am not sitting down at that dam casino. I will not gamble today or this weekend. I find myself thinking about my old ways every now and then, but I'am starting to real feel the strength of soberity, and how you can put those urges in check quicker. I want to remain strong and continue making my forward progress. It's been alot of work to get to where I'am at, but I'am very much worth it. Today is 54 days gamble free.

Chicagoguy

Hi Chicago,

Thanks for posting on my diary. I appreciate the support. 54 days is a massive achievement! We win if we do not gamble. Like Duncs always says just for today make the right choice and say no to gambling. Here is a huge pat on the back from Massachusettsgal joan!!

Well congrats on them gamble free days and sounds like ya got a pretty good grip on it all.

Ya must be fishing further up that fox river than where im located. In the heart of green bay over here and kinda where all them factories like to dump their sludge. Hell a montain off coal piled off the shore for a power plant and the dust from it turns that water nothing but black. Im sure theres good fishing on the river just not where I am.