Hi all,
I have been gambling for around 12 years, i started on the FOBT's and they got hold of me. I tried around 18 months ago to stop and gained some telephone counselling for around 4 weeks and thinking yeah i can cope with this stopped it thinking i can move on. Luckily i had told my parents who helped out with my debt at the time and all the promises that i have stopped, in reality i have continued gambling around 2 weeks after i stopped counselling. I have been lying to my family and work about why I was late or taking extra long lunch breaks i am lucky i am in a position where i manage my own time. The internet had never been the problem for me and i had always gone into bookies. Stupidily i never self excluded from my usual shops. Today i have done this! I have contacted my old councellor and making moves to stop. Now i have to deal with the reality that i have racked up about 15k worth of debt whilst trying to support my other half and young son. I am determined to kick this thing today and know that this will be a hard road but really want to gain control of my life and enjoy things i used rather than constantly worrying about heading to the bookies at lunch and winning the odd jackpot here and there. I look forward to sharing my thoughts with you and be happy to hear from others along the way!
Craig
Sure this is your time to stop
Nothnig stopping you getting in touch with Gamcare and getting more counselling?
Hi spoke to gamcare yesterday and have made contact with my old counsellor it's going to be hard but will update my diary when I'm thinking about it!!
Day 2 started the day feeling a bit more postive. Felt the first big step was on Monday by self excluding, its the feeling that if i do want to go into the bookies is knowing that the staff would hopefully ask me to leave pushes me away. Aim is to take it a day at a time with next monday being my first big milestone
When we fall we pick ourselves up, well done.
Those d**n FOBT's.
Paul
Thats me 7 days in now. Its amazing how the time has flown by. I must admit for anyone looking to stop the self exclusion scheme is working for me even as a barrier knowing i shouldnt be in a shop. Starting to feel pretty stupid and realising there are other things in life rather than waiting for a bonus to appear or hitting a number 16! Still a long way to go but feeling quite pleased at the moment
14 days now without gambling! I feel like i'm doing well, pretty determined to keep going this time. There have been times where i think about popping in but have managed to move away and push forward. i more think of the hurt it will cause my family in the long run. Enjoying the feeling of not coming back to work after lunch after loosing a few hundred pounds and getting home on time now!!
On day 14 myself, I have had a few attempts at stopping in between lengthy relapses. Most important thing is you keep making preventative steps to stop gambling.
What did you think of the telephone counselling? Any good, did you pickup any extra tips for stopping?
Not the first time as i was pretty much not ready to stop i thought i was but didnt really do it. I am going to give it another go and been referred. Last time i did was pretty much 2 years ago and kidding myself i was fine. The key thing is i suppose is just knowing you have to speak to someone and saying that you have not gambled for a week etc. As i have said earlier i really am finding self exclusion a good tool for me
Im considering self exclusion myself, I may have a go at online counselling first. Need to do something new, Im trying to quit the same way i have tried and failed with before.
Indeed! Have to stay positive and keep counting, hopefully the need to keep counting becomes less and less over the hours and days.
3 weeks down and counting. Still feeling good about things. Feel good having kept myself away as there has been times i have thought about nipping in for the odd £20 on the slots but managed to remember what would happen and it would still turn into £300 quickly. Managing to fill my lunchtime with a few walks and busying myself with other tasks still feels good going home after work having not been into a bookies!
4 weeks i cannot believe it myself as i did not see myself getting to this point before of not even popping in for a quick shot on the machines. I feel quite proud but know about it myself. Was with my friends on Saturday night who are quite big sports punters luckily that has never been my thing. Still taking it day by day, week to week!
Well after about 8 weeks of freedom, i relapsed!! Not really sure how but i did. I cannot seem to stop myself. I have recently managed to get a big loan to cover a majority of my debts and consilidate. I need to see this as my final chance to stop. I need to be able to stop this rubbish which is ruining my life, i had self excluded, found shops that i was able to play in outwith my areas and even started playing online, Why i do not know. But now i have self excluded from any accounts i have online!! Just had £100 this morning into an online casino, lost it of course and have self excluded again. Now at 11.27 am i am starting to re write this blog and get going again!
Good evening,
sorry to hear about your slip.
Well done for acknowledging and getting back to your mission in stopping immediately.
Stopping the rot is the hardest thing to achieve after the relapse.
My mind works by convincing myself with the attitude of what is the point in stopping after all the good work I have put in?
I have realised, though great achievements the days are only numbers. it's how in your own mind, quickly correcting your weakness really make you stronger.
Keeping fighting you will beat this.
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