'Just one more bet, just one more spin, It'll be different this time, I'll know when to walk away'...
If you're anything like me then these phrases will have found thereselves into your everyday thoughts and to be quite honest I'm sick of it. It's time to make a stop to all of these horrendous thoughts and the disasterous feelings that come with them.
But first a little about me, and I'll try to keep it brief. My name's Sam, I'm 23 and I have a gambling problem. I started gambling when I was 17 with the occasional football bet of a couple of pounds that I would get an older friend to put on for me. Needless to say I had no idea where those bets would lead me. I'm sure we're all aware of how gambling provokes and consumes you and how quickly it can escalate, the main form of gambling that I do is online sports betting. There's been times within the last year when I've told myself I was going to stop, mainly the time that my Girlfriend of 5 years gave me an ultimatium... Needless to say she is now my ex girlfriend. I'm in thousands of pounds of debt due to my gambling habbits and when spending the last bit of money I had (which I need to pay my debts off) I realised It really has got to stop. My debts started when I took out an overdraft just so I could have some money to gamble with... I lost that within the first day I had it so what did I feel the need to do? Take out a pay day loan of course to provide me with some more tokens... oh yeah 'tokens'... right now money doesn't seem like a currency it's purely a form of credit in which I can top up my betting accounts with and this is the reason I need to stop.
I've recently fallen in love with another girl and I can't bear to see this relationship end like my last did and thats the main reason I'm getting help. Other factors that are just as important are the lack of sleep i'm getting (due to anxiety) my money problems and my lack of social life as a result of the money problems.
This is it now I need to do something about my problem and I'm hoping that with the help, support and advice of some of you guys I can overcome the worst thing in the world- that is gambling.
So.... Here it goes, this is hopefully the last bet I'll make.
Sam, I bet you can't put a stop the gambling that is quite simply ruining your life... Good luck
Sam - just wanted to check in and make sure you are still on track? Hope you're well.
Hope you are coping well Sam. Sounds like you've had a tough time of it, but you've taken the first step in posting on here.
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