Starting again

Hi, I am in the same boat tonight. My first time on this site and I am hoping it helps. Just take it one day at a time. It will be hard I know, and I have no idea where I will find the strength, but good luck.

Hi J24

Give Gamcare a ring. They can offer you counselling and other recovery options. Welcome! Tri

Welcome (or Welcome back) guys! Don't get too down about relapses guys, lots of the successful people on here have had relapses in the last. The site definitely helps so keep popping on here to share your stories and I personally will be grateful to read them and share mine in turn. Good luck guys and keep going on going.

Thanks for the support guys, much appreciated as always.

Day 1 done and dusted. It's only early but I'm shattered after a horrendously busy day at work and heading straight to bed once this is done.

Glad I came back and posted last night, I'm almost certain I wouldn't have done it tonight otherwise. I at least feel like I've made a start to getting back on track.

It's been a long time since I posted anything. Guess I've made the same mistake as most, thinking I can get by without the help of the site. Hopefully I've learned my lesson this time.

Not much to report today, no huge urge to gamble but I'd be lying if I said it hadn't crossed my mind. Obviously, I lost yesterday, money I wish I hadn't, but it's done and it's gone so it's not a good use of my time to dwell on it.

Filled my night up instead by going to my Mam and Dad's. Arrived just as they were starting their tea so I got fed as well...bonus!

Ready to make a start on getting through day 2.

Hi J24

Many of us have had relapses but the importnat thing is to work out why and try to do something different next time. If you have managed to gamble then make the barriers stronger, seek extra help such as counselling. I know that this has really helped me understand my triggers - I had a lot of them. I have focused on breaking those and this has helped me control my urges to the extent where i can talk myself through them. Before when an urge hit i was just like a zomebie, I had gambled before I could try to stop myself. Now I avoid my triggers and although i still get urges they are not overwhelming, I can start to control my actions before it is too late.

This journey is about being gamble free but its also about learning why we gamble. Once we tackle that it helps to put out the spark that starts us down the road of self destruction.

I wish you all the best, you can do this - there are diaries out there that i still read showing it is possible to stay gamble free for years on end!

Thanks for the support Rose80.

Made it through day 2 with no problems. Finished work and pretty much went straight out so no time to gamble even if I'd wanted to.

Slightly more concerned about the weekend, not that I want to gamble now, feeling pretty ok at the moment, but I know that I've got a few hours over the next two days where I'll have the time to if the urge were to take hold.

I've decided to forward plan and use the computer now, while I know I'm ok, to check emails and get that out the way. Then during the free hours, where I could gamble, I'm going to do something productive and tackle the dreaded junk room, which should keep me busy.

That's the plan anyway. So I'm ready to take on day 3

Hi J24, well done on coming back, sometimes that's the hardest thing to do!

You know you're worried about making it through the weekend so make sure you have your barriers in place, keep yourself busy, can you hand your bank card to someone for safe keeping? look in to getting some blocking software for your computer? this is a hard journey but you can do it 🙂