Silence-Broke

Don't worry glint, we have all reached that point where we are at our worst! That's probably the reason 95% of us are on this website, your not alone buddy read through some diarys and get speaking to some people. I'm new here too and it's helped me loads! Good luck with your recovery mate one step at a time!

H.

Thank you Harryh123.

After every loss I tell myself I'll stop.

Nothing can lose and regain its appeal more rapidly than gambling.

My aim is to break the habit by going an entire calendar month without gambling.

First I will stoically (try to) see out the rest of January without gambling.

Hi glint,

Isn't it amazing what a step back from gambling can reveal about your past habits?! I have been gambling for about 15 years and something triggered in my mind just before Xmas that it is all a waste of time (and money).

I haven't gambled since 21st Dec, which isn't long in the grand scheme of things but I'm already noticing the differences. When ever I bought something I would then go gamble to try and pay for what I'd just purchased but would inevitably end up broke. Now I just buy things and think nothing of it. I'm also a better person to be around, gambling would leave me irritable and snappy, I've noticed that now.

It's not easy, especially on the weekends (when I would gamble a lot) but I'm not thinking about it ALL the time now, just now and again.

Stick with your resolution and read the comments here, I've found them a help if not just to remind me of what gambling does to you as a person.

Good luck and stay away from the Fobts. They are designed to take your money and will do more often than not.

Hello Glint. Welcome to the forum! It's great that you can use your phone to get support here on the forum. Remember you can also gamble on a smartphone now too so you might want to look into getting blocking software on your phone. Have a look at this page on our website: http://www.gamcare.org.uk/get-advice/what-can-you-do

Hope to read more of your posts in future.

Best wishes

Forum Admin

Hi,

I had my last bet on the 28th December and am determined to start the New Year as I mean to continue, bet free! However I have a large debt to ckear and of course my partner has heard my intent many times and is concerned clearing my debt will only allow me to bet again. What can I do to convince her this time is different?

Thanks

Thank you Lancer.

Thank you for sharing your recent success. Pleased to read things are improving for you.

Thank you Forum admin.

Your prompt responses, advice and support are much appreciated. I'm very mindful of having internet access again.

Thank you for the link.

You'll be reading a lot more from me.

Thank you Megan1george for sharing your predicament.

Before I start, anybody reading this who has been in a similar situation to Megan1george please feel free to post advice.

Megan1george, I think your partner has every right to be concerned if you have a history of relapsing as your post implies.

If your partner is to be convinced that things will be different this time - do things differently.

I'd suggest handing her complete control of your finances before the debt is cleared and certainly after. This will allow you both to get used to her having financial control before the problem of having money and no debt arises.

You could allow her to install blocking software on devices (Forum admin have helpfully provided a link above, thanks again) or self-exclude from bookies.

I'd say you not having access to money would be best to give you both peace of mind.

Finally, you might find it useful to start your own thread to get more support and advice. If you click on 'New members intros forum', scroll down to the bottom and click on the 'new topic' rectangle you'll be good to go.

This isn't that clear and would be more useful at the top than bottom of the screen (you still reading Forum admin?).

Best wishes

Glint

Hi Glint- good to hear you are so committed to recovery and it appears you know what needs to be done. The difficult part for us all is practicing what we preach, we all have differing journeys but with a common aim.

For me the early days were taken hour by hour and I used everything at my disposal to make it easier not to gamble than to waste more money. The time, location, money triangle is the obvious one but this also has to be linked to some real soul searching and the development of changing how you live not just what you do. I found a positive attitude and talking about "when" and not "if", along with sharing my plight with nearest and dearest were critical. Support isn't always about what we want to hear but often about what we need to hear, I am sure you will benefit from the advice of many on this forum. Keep your diary up to date and make sure you value and enjoy the benefits of being gamble free. Make today a great day if great choices.

Take care my friend and well done on your first few days.

Hello Glint,

Sorry to here your trouble with fobts and online. But you need to take control and self exclude from online and bookies. It isn't rocket science.

I have been lucky not to pawn stuff that must of been hard. I do appreciate your honesty. You will get great advice from me and other gampeeps on here. It is an excellent site.

Good luck on your recovery,
Toad.

H i Glint , just wanted to pop by and wish you well for January , Iv'e noticed your footprints around the forum and some good honest post's and advice given !

Well done my friend and best wishes

Alan

Afternoon Glint ,

Wow , thank you so much for your kind and complimentary words on my diary , I take that as a real compliment .

Glad to see you still posting and doing so well , although I've only been on here for a relatively short period compared with some , I find passing on what I've learned very theraputic but it's very much a two way street , with everyone mucking in as and when the need arises .

Having said that , what works for one person doesn't for another , so I think were always learning and adapting as we go , its gonna really be a permanent thing this journey of ours as maybe the urge will never completely go , only that we learn to with it and control it ?.

You seem in quite a short time to have got your head around it , that's the impression I get from reading your post's and you already are passing on what youv'e learned so far to those you have contact with .

I think it's a pretty standard set of things we need to put in place when we decide to give up `, the difference why some succeed and others fail is to what extent those things are implemented , you have to be serious about changing things and if you leave doors ajar then the gambling demon's got an easy entry point !.

Take it from me that the more day's you rack up , the easier it becomes to fight the urge , you become stronger and more focused on a better life as you see it unfolding before you .

One last thing , I did laugh when you mentioned the new technology , I was exactly the same LOL !, my daughter gave me her old iphone and it's like I just discovered fire , I'm always talking to Siri asking how I spell thing's , brilliant!.

Anyway well done my friend , keep racking up those days , one day at a time !

Best wishes

Alan

Hi Glint & a rather belated welcome to recovery 🙂

I too have noticed your footprints around the forum & they very much suggest that you have a very good idea how to take yourself forward. It was very good of you to ask for more help with megan1george's post but I don't think it could have been said much clearer...If what you're doing isn't working, change it (great advice)!

It was also a very good suggestion to forum admin, hopefully they will take it on board! Maybe you could consider your own recovery diary, the diaries are much easier for us computer dinosaurs to navigate!

I look forward to your next update & until then, keep making the right choices - ODAAT

Hello, Glint,

Hope you're ok, you've gone quiet and looking at your profile just now, it sounds worrying.

Let us know how you're doing.

CW

Big thanks to sbisstopping, Alan, ODAAT and Cynical wife for your excellent input.

Toad.

Cynical wife, thank you for your concern. It's very kind of you.

Your concern is appreciated. I'm very committed and have kept reading. Unless I go over a week without posting on the forum - please don't worry.

Cynical maybe but from reading your posts I can see more obvious qualities. I think yourself, Half-Life and What can I do all do an amazing thing helping us gambling addicts whilst learning to help your partner's/son.

You're good people.

Morning glint , thanks for dropping by my friend , I'm a bit unsure what I'd said to WCID that made you think I'd made a hasty judgement ?. I was under the impression that I'd been only complimentary to her support for her son and the forum ?

Take care ..................Alan