Steady as she goes!

Hi Kev

No were your coming from ie monday, raining,urge to gamble, but hey fella head up, and stay strong , and soon be tuesday.

Gazza

Thanks all for the encouragement.

I have been good today, even though the rainclouds have been gathering. Just got a few hours to go today to hit the 1 week mark.

Will keep going, really appreciate this forum and all you guys and gals on it.

Weldy

How funny Ade!

I was reading your diary at the same time!

Keep going, it will be worth it!

Weldy

Hey 12.00 am! I have made it to my first week - 7 days! and it feels really great!

Managed to get through my day today with no problems so happy bout that.

Will be concentrating on work in the next few days, so don't feel that temptation will call, but if it does I'll be ready for it!

Weldy

Weldy..................you ok today?

Still raining here today but could be worse as the Lake District have had an earthquake! Just made me think things could always be worse than they seem right now.............we aren't going to make things worse are we?

Be strong......as you say don't let it creep up on us.

Jas xx

Hi Jas,

Yes I am good today thank you - hope you are too. Busy working, and not feeling tempted to bet.

Weldy

Hi Weld, thanks for checking in on my diary...Appreciate your comments and you are a million percent correct in what you said about not posting on here being my downfall...I know without a doubt if i had carried on posting here I would still be gamble free as this site is invaluable to people like us!

Congratulations on your progress so far...Long may it continue!

Si

Thanks Simon,

Lets try and help each other through this, good to hear from you, and keep the chin up.

Weldy

Gonna stop moping around...getting up now and going to do the rounds of two little independant bookies that I managed to find that i wasnt self excluded from and self exclude from them!

Speak soon

Hey friend

Just checking in to make sure ur having a good day. Im doin fine today - yesterday threw me a lot and I had some dark thoughts last night about how easily dad got that money and that I just needed some disciplibe - then suddely I felt like slapping myself - how many times have I thought that before and ended up penniless! Anyways onward and upward - day 6 for me. XXX

Hey Weldy ,

Well done on hitting the week mark. I felt proud when i hit that mark. In me experience it got a bit harder the next couple of weeks but then it gets better , much better. I still feel s**t about alot of what I did , but the time these thoughts last gets shorter. Positive thoughts come back the longer away from gambling.

Also just checked your bands website out and yiou play in my neck of the woods so I'll show up at one and say Hi.

Keep up the good work with this mate.

Hi all, thanks all for the messages.

I have nearly completed day 8 and I have to say I am feeling great!!! I am so grateful of this forum, it's just so much help and I feel like I have made many new friends and that we share so much in common.

It's a lonely old place out there in "CG betland" and for me, I can't stand the thought of being there again!

I think people in general, who cannot understand us CG's would find that strange, as we don't really actually know each other, we have never met, talked face to face, been anywhere together.

Yet, I do now already consider myself friends with so many of you, our regular "therapy" type posts are so, so important. I feel elated when I get replies and responses and also when I can add to the debates, encourage and congratulate you all as and when it's needed.

Without this "club" I think I'd not be able to get through this alone.

My urge to gamble has not hit me at all today, probably because I have put together what I believe is a good recovery plan.

I think about the time lost as much as I do the money lost, as if I really got into the financial side I'd almost certainly *** up. I think this helps, as I am quite sure that the money was my biggest draw back into the betting.

Always thinking the "big one" was just around the corner, but now I feel satisfied that I could have continued another 20 years and the big one would still not ever have come.

I have had the most worry free week in the past 8 days that I have had in maybe 10 years.

Got a payment in (I'm self employed effectively) yesterday which covered all the imminent bills and dd's and since my partner now has control of all the finances, these will be paid without me switching around funds, scratching around and all the usual c**P I used to do on a daily basis.

Feels good not to have to mess with it, and I know that as I keep up the non-gambling things are improving and not getting worse.

LE - those thoughts about how easy it can be? You are right! Give yourself a slap! It is never going to be easy for us - we are CG's, and will never have the discipline to walk away from it - we keep going until it's all gone. Our very nature.

Anyway - these so called professional gamblers - where are they? If they get a good streak, get lucky what do they do?

They write books, start a tipping service or get on ATR don't they - JOBS - just like the rest of us, because they know that they can't keep it going - luck deserts them.

Wow - what a ramble! Well, better get back to work.

Weldy

Yeh have to agree that this site has been a major part in my recovery program. I lost tens of thousands online gambling and the mere sight of my pc made me feel a) ill b) like cracking up. Now, I love to get online. All the gambling sites I have self excluded from and this site sits proudly in their place. The strength that this community has provided me with has been my absolute saviour. I dread to think where I would be in my life without this site. I would have to go to GA every night , which is no life. I go once a week and I must say that GA is an enormous help in rediscovering myself and learning all the values of life that I lost as I descended into compulsive destructive gambling over the last 4-5 years. If you need to strengthen your resolve regular GA meetings are brilliant for that.

Hi again city,

I have had two reasonably short stints with GA over my 20 year gambling period. The first in Barnet for about 6 months which I quite enjoyed and found useful before falling off the wagon.

The second in Enfield, for about 2 months which was full of woe and despair and it just wasn't for me.

I have a respect for GA, and for the good work that they do (or at least try to do) but for me, it's just well, not for me I guess.

I have found strength so far through this site and I'm very grateful for it.

Also, like you said about giving time for your wife - I am already out 2 nights a week at band rehearsals - a great time filler, but not something the g/f can be part of, though she does always come to most of the gigs.

But if it's good for you then that's a great thing.

Weldy

8 days completed, and very grateful for them!