Starting over from today

Good evening fun hun.

Just visiting to congratulate you on your excellent progress. You have a positive attitude to recovery plus you have shown a lot of courage and kept your sense of humour.

The fun stopped for you as it did for all of us when we got trapped in the crazy world of gambling addiction but the good news is that there is a way out of it and that is where we are heading.

There will be sad days for sure but we know that is going to happen. On them days we just have to hang on for dear life and surely but surely our lives will get better. 

Don't know if you have visited the gamcare chatrooms but many people find them to be very supportive and helpful.

Wishing you a good weekend

Stephen 

Thank you Stephen, the down days make me feel like I'm failing as I know the only reason I didn't gamble is because I couldn't. But I suppose the reason I couldn't is down to the blocks I put in place, it's very strange fighting a battle against yourself, I'm sure you and everyone else here know the exact feeling. It's good to be among people who understand. 

Today has been so much better, no urges at all, and a huge relief to still have all my money! Got lots of housework done, then went outside in the sun and done some gardening with my daughter, well planting in pots as we dont actually have a garden, made a lovely tea now going to watch a film with some chocolate. Hope everyone else has had a good day too!

61 days gamble free! Feeling proud not many urges to gamble lately, hasn't been on my mind much at all. I found out during the week that my iron levels are worryingly low so focusing on eating well along with the tablets to get them back up, at least it explains why I've been so tired and had no motivation, its alot easier to fix then depression so I'm actually glad to have found the reason so I can start to improve! Today's plans, big beef dinner with lots of green veg, mybe a little walk this afternoon if it's not raining. I'm hoping restrictions on lockdown will start easing soon so I can visit family, but that all gambling establishments stay shut for a very long time! Permanently would be great!! 

Hi the fun has stopped

Glad to see you’re doing well and a big well done on 61 days - that’s a huge achievement and I’m sure you are noticing all of the positives remaining gamble free has to offer. 

Your Sunday dinner sounds really yummy. Keep focusing on one day at a time and before you know it you’ll be passing the 100 day mark. 

I hope you have a lovely Sunday. 

Lively x

Thanks lively, I've just caught up on your diary, glad your still doing well! I know what you mean about the gambling adverts they're every where, cant switch on TV, go on social media or check emails without being bombarded, it's really frustrating! They should be banned like cigarette advertising was, I personally think gambling is far more dangerous then smoking as it can destroy every aspect of your life not only your health. 

100 days is my target at the moment, I've never made it that far before, got very close once, think it was 96 days when I relapsed and I was so annoyed with myself.

Hope you have a lovely Sunday aswell x

Hi I am new to this group. I am struggling with my gambling

Hello apricot, sorry to hear your struggling. Well done for signing up to gamcare, you'll get lots of help and support here, but your also going to need alot of will power. Try starting your own diary or go into the chat room. 

All the best x

Hello @apricot79 (and hello The fun has stopped as well)

apricot, welcome to the GamCare forum. You might find it helpful to head over to the New Member Introductions section and post a little bit about yourself there? I'm sure you'd get more responses from other forum members as they often check that section to welcome new members. Plus, if we know a little bit about your situation we can help you better.

You're also welcome to contact a GamCare adviser on 0808 8020 133 or by Livechat. We're here 24/7.

Best wishes

Deirdre
Forum Admin

Hi the fun has stopped 

Just popping by to check in and see how you are getting on? Well I hope. 

I hope you get to have a nice bank holiday weekend with your daughter. 

Lively

Hi lively, I'm doing really well thank you, hope you are too. We spent yesterday painting flags and baking ve day cakes then delivered some to family, was nice to see people even it it was from a distance! It's nice to be able to buy all the little things that make isolation a bit easier, and checking my on line banking without getting that awful sick feeling in my stomach! It's now been long enough that I can scroll right down and not see any transactions that fill me with shame. Lots to be thankful for, I'm having alot more good days then bad now.

Thanks for checking in x

Wow just checked in to see how long since I last gambled and its 235 days! I cant believe it, considering how hard it is in the early days I hardly ever even think about gambling now. I know I couldn't have done it without all the blocks I put in place, theres been so many times when I would have if I could have, even now I wouldn't trust myself if I thought I could, I've had plenty of mistakes to learn from when I've tried to stop in the past.

I'm still shocked at how much my life has changed since stopping gambling, just bought a gorgeous new sofa and decorated my front room with money I'd managed to save, nearly finished my Christmas shopping already and I've never felt the awfull guilty feeling of loosing everything for so long its amazing. I just hope I can stay free from gambling forever, wont be letting my guard down as I know how easy it is to fall back into the same awfull trap and how difficult it is to get back out again.

265 days! Gambling is starting to feel like a distant memory, I barely think about it anymore but I do like to keep checking in on here just to keep it fresh in my mind how easily it can creep back in to my life and how soul destroying it is once it does, I often think about the extra money I have now and know it's due to stopping but I do forget about the way it made me feel, the sleepless nights, the guilt and self hate, the constant anxiety, depression, feeling isolated and lying to people I love most, these are the real problems that gambling caused me, it didn't just take my money it took my happiness and I'm so thankful that I'm no longer in the horrible trap. 

I hope everyone on here now that's in the same position I was so many times can see that although it's hard to stop, it is possible and it will get easier and life can be good again! 

Day 330 gamble free! 

I came on tonight because I really wanted to gamble, i started searching for new slot sites to see if I could register, I didn't try though, only because I knew I wouldn't be able to, so thought I'd come back here instead. 

I'm proud of myself for getting this far but its frustrating that after all this time and effort I still have days that all I want to do is lose myself in slots, even when I know how bad the consiquinces would be!

Lockdown is feeling really difficult at the minute as well as working, homeschooling and looking after a baby, I've also got a broken boiler and very expensive vets bill. It's a mix of feeling low and worrying about money that sets off a bad cycle of thoughts. 

I was really angry that I couldn't gamble tonight, wishing I hadn't put blocks in place but I know I'll be glad in the morning, at least I stand a chance of waking up in a better mood now.

Anyway rant over I'm going to read some diaries to make me realise how lucky iam to not be able to gamble!

Day 433 gamble free, over a year without pouring money into slot machine wasting my life away and feeling totally depressed and ashamed every day and I've ruined it all and put myself back to day 1, I'm so annoyed with myself, luckily I didn't stay and empty my bank account, I spent a lot but thanks to stopping for so long I'm in a good place financially so no massive damage done I'm also glad that I never even came close to winning so I have no thoughts of trying again. I'm really disappointed in myself but I'm not giving up!

Dear The fun has stopped, 

I am sorry to read you have gambled again but I am glad you are you staying positive about having a lapse. We cannot change what has happened but we can learn from it and come back stronger. 

We are here 24/7 if you need to chat to an adviser, you can contact us on 0808 8020 133 or via our live chat available from the website https://www.gamcare.org.uk/get-support/talk-to-us-now/.

Take care

John

Forum Admin