Rabbit

Boxing day is approaching & for the last 20 years iv gone out had a good bet football horses & cards. This year I'm having to fight of the gremlins. I'm in 2 minds wot to do. Shall i still go & enjoy a game of cards with the lads & a few beers. I'm 100% not going to bet on football horses ect as I know this is simply wrong but this game of cards is really playing with my mind. I'm almost curtain I can have a enjoyable game & then walk. Am I kidding myself????????

Hi My family, only you know the true answer to your question ..

... and what you deep down know you should do.

I'll leave it there 🙂

2morrow will be my 1st milestone 100 days gf. Thanks to all the pepole in this forum for there story's there have helped me a lot.

https://youtu.be/14IRDDnEPR4

Almost the first of many mile stone's. Well done on reaching the gates of the century club.
Key is under the mat and the heating is on full lol
Have a great one.
Top work
Deano

Just read through your diary. Congratulations on 100 days.

Keep up the good work, All the best

West

Just read your diary!..

What a fantastic effort. You've done superbly well to get this far.

I'm going to take inspiration from this diary. I'm only on Day 3 but I hope to be where you are now one day. Well done!

Hi all I'm currently on day 119 gf and according to my I quite app I've saved £1349 based on a loss of 80 pound a week . Which makes me feel great as I know it would of been a lot more, 80 pound was the minimum I lost. I gona keep this up but currently out of work & been thinking of ways to make sum money to pay bills & the gremlins have been running around my head a lot. So fingers crossed a job comes very soon. Thanks to all that read and good luck in your battles

120 day's gf so far but on the 1st day of Cheltenham at the end of march I plan to gamble again for 1 day only . Myself family & my friends have been going to Sedgefield races for 15 years. I love this day the betting the time 2gether all of it. I use to be a jockey so all the good memories come back to me as well. I'd be really gutted if I miss this day . I know the danger it may bring but I honestly believe in myself to just carry on as normal the next day .Does anyone 1 have a opinion on this? Thanks

When reading this, my first thought was to wonder why you're inviting opinions? Not so much as a criticism but quite literally, what does it matter to you what GC members think? And why do you need your plans to be approved? Might be worth some thought?

I can have some sympathy with liking race meetings because my husband and I went from time to time and we always enjoyed it. But we both realise that as an activity for us, it's no longer possible. Worse for you as you've been living the best the industry has to offer (according to Mr Francis) but as an occupation and an environment, it doesn't help you.

If you go to the race meeting and bet, your betting will quickly get out of control in the same way that it always has before and it always will again. One bet is too many because one thousand isn't enough, therefore the bet to avoid is the first one.

The problem is the itch, the compulsion, it's that you want to bet so a whole elaborate set of circumstances arise, apparently outside your control which means that you pretty much have to bet. But it's not really outside your control at all. It's about your choices, to place the first bet or not to. To tell your family that you can't go to any more race meetings and why, or not to. To get help for you from GA and counselling, or not to. To stir the deeps about why the compulsion is there, or to avoid the discomfort.

There's a decent bet free life to be had out there, hope you make the best choices that you can.

CW

Hi mate,

Well done on how far you have come so far. This is the first time I've read your diary and looks like you're doing well.

So why risk it all for one day of betting? I stopped gambling 4 years ago, almost to the day. I spent the next 6 months telling my wife and myself that I was done with gambling, about how it had ruined my life. And I believed myself that I would never have another bet as I knew it would lose me my wife and family.

6 months later I was sitting in my car waiting on someone and had a night out that night but was a bit skint and I placed a bet on my phone thinking I could make a bit of quick cash. I reckoned that it would just be this bet, maybe another couple to make some cash for my night out. 3 years later I had hit rock bottom, serious debts and seriously thought about taking my own life. I'm lucky that I still have my family but if I could rewind those 3 years I would have made a different choice. I also wouldn't be facing the next 10 years paying back gambling debts. It's not worth it mate.

Hope things work out for you.

PA

Thanks very much guys them comments have made my mind up and to be honest really made me stronger .I won't be going the races at all now .thank you both very much & good luck

130 days 2day .think I'm truly starting to beat the gambling bug once and for all.

175 days 2day im so proud and deep down didt really think id get this far . This site and u guys have help me massively so thank u all.

200 days complete 2day . Had my uncle round these last 2 weeks he's a compulsive gambler and has been for 43 years 7 g a month and is now homeless and living in his company car in a car park . This so easily could of been me.