struggling to find a way out of this mess

Hi Brad

It is a painful realisation when we realise we can no longer carry on the way we did. It is the end of the line for your old habit and time to get to grips with your demons head on! It isn't easy but very much worthwhile once you settle in to recovery. Try self excluding from all local bookies as well. Be honest with yourself first and foremost. You need to have a relationship with yourself before anyone else. Gambling is no longer a part of your life although the carnage left behind is yours to own. Work through it methodically and take it easy on yourself. Your partner needs some help too as they are just as affected in this as you are. Keep posting and reading and the days will mount up. No turning back from here. Recovery is a journey and not a destination.

Take care

Thank you for taking the time to post guys, i'm still going strong and have been gamble free for just under 70 days now - something i honestly never thought i was capable of doing- this is massivly down to comments like yours and this forum (i've read both your comments over and over and thank you they have helped so much when i get that 'itch'), i've been reading here each morning when i get up and everynight before bed, i'm finding it a bit easier as each day goes by but under no illusions that i will never be free of this horrible addiction. Although i've got blocks on my phone and self excluded from over 20 odd sites there is always a way to gamble my money, i live within 3 miles of probaably 30+ bookmakers.

The damage i caused is becoming real now, my wages no longer cover my bills and i find myself with a trashed credit score, missing credit card payments, phone cut off and falling further into debt, im working 70 plus hour weeks, missing time i should be spending with my beautiful wife and two amzing children and absolutly nothing to show for it, times are really hard but i will be strong asnd get through this. It really makes me wonder some days how this government is allowing gambling to be such a problem, are they not aware or are they soo greedy that they just do not care, dont get my wrong i accept full responsibility for my actions but it makes you wonder how our childrens generation will manage if things do not change soon.

Anyway, it's going to be tough but i will get though this and post on here more when i get that urge to bet.

Keep strong guys and thank you again

Brad

Brad,

You have to keep going and trust that it will get better but there is no question that the road ahead will be tough. I reckon that my addiction cost me over £100k in compulsive poker gambling that has brought us to the edge of bankruptcy. I say it has cost me, but really it was the family's money and I have jeopardized so much, made even worse in the last few months by bad business figures. The worst thing you can do is gamble again, but I am only just approaching day 30. Good luck, keep going.

your doing well keep strong , we dont need the gambling anymore

Hi Brad,

Well done for your gamble free period, while it may still be tough for some time to come, at least it won't be as bad as if you were still gambling and piling on more numbers on to that gambling debt. Firefighting debts is horrible, and you feel like you're doing everything just to stay afloat. Having been there, I can say it does get better.

Keep doing the right things, you are on the right path for yourself and your family, just keep taking those forward steps.

Ryan

Hi guys, Thanks for your kind words of encouragement, i honestly do take them all to heart and even though might not reply as often as i should they are a massive help in part of my recovery (i read on my phone and it wont let me post - maybe due to the blocks i have in place).

Alredo -thanks for your comments, i truley hope your still going strong, Tyler, congrats on you recovery, if your still on track (which I pray you are) then you should be around 45 days now, thats awesome mate, keep it up because it's a great feeling when the weeks start racking up.

Cheers for your advice Ryan, nice to hear off somebody who's on beating this s**t addiction and by the sound of it been through exactly what im experiencing now, I know the light is at the end of this long and depressing tunnel but words from ppl like yourself really help mate.

I'm still really struggling day by day with debts, but im also realsing money isnt everything, im throwing myself into everything to keep me busy like going the gym, spending far more time for my children now, going for walks, even gardening, aswell as working 70+ hour a week. I'm hoping to start clear my bills within the next 5 years, I have a decent paid job so hopfully the bills will start coming down soon.

Still finding that reading this forum is such a big help on my journey but I've unable post off my phone so comments are only made when the family are in bed and im on the laptop (which are situations i try to avoid if im honest).

I'm on day 80 of non-gambling today and this is something i honestly never though possible, im so grateful for all your posts and as bad as it sounds reading the new members forum about the losses and that sick feeling we experienced (which we are all so familair with) brings back why i dont gamble anymore.

Tonight was the first night in a while where i've been out in the pub with mates and had the oppotunity to pop to the bookies or play the fruit machines (my biggets problem) with money in my wallet where i actually did not gamble, dont get me wrong the temptation was massive but all i kept reminding myself was that 'I cannot win because i cannot stop'

Anyway, thanks for taking the time to read if you've got this farm day 100 is not far off

Keep strong

Brad