The Real Deal

Hi Eppy

Welcome back

Very well done for keep coming back

It shows you are committed to stopping

One day at a time and you will get stronger and stronger

Best wishes

Suzanne x

Day 2....

Things are looking up, it's going to be a long road & a lot of work is going to be needed along the way, but I'm committed & dedicated 100%.

Stayed at my girlfriends last night after we had a long talk about things. Everything is not sorted, but it was nice to stay with her. I know all this will be easier for me with her than with out her, but I can't hurt her no more & this is why I need to beat this once & for all.

Keeping my mind positive everyday now to ensure that I get positive outcomes.

Day by day, step by step, strength to strength.

What A Good Weekend!

Day 3 & 4 have just gone by & I found them to be relatively easy, but of course that's not taking anything for granted.

Saturday was a good day, worked through the morning & then went out for some dinner with my brother. Spent some time with my girlfriend & then went to the pub with the lads. Managed to enjoy the England game in a way I've not enjoyed a football match in a long time. Pure excitement & hope, instead of desperation of wanting a certain bet to come through. It was a good feeling & a good night.

Sunday spent the whole day with my girlfriend & it was another great day. Went & seen my dad for Father's Day & then we visited our God Daughter & then got a nice tea & chilled out at home.

Considering the amount of sport, especially football the World Cup on at the moment I do feel I am doing well in restricting my thoughts around betting. I would find it hard if I wanted to bet as I'm not looking after my funds at the minute, but even still I've not really thought about it at all.

So Today is Day 5 & I've got a really busy day on, in fact a busy busy week... Work every day until Saturday & lots to do in between. Only 1 thing I won't be doing in between is any form of gambling & that's a fact!!

First counselling session later too, so hope that goes well.

Onwards-Upwards-Forwards.

Hi Eppy

One thing you are doing is staying focused and on track

Keep going and staying focused

Suzanne x

So a week has now gone by & I'm doing rather well, kept myself busy & kept my mind occupied. With the World Cup being on you can't really escape the fact people around you are talking about certain bets they've had, this that & the other. Also the amount of advertising from all the different bookmakers is something else you can't really escape from. However I'm shrugging all this off well & ensuring that I start to think of something different as soon as these come up. So far so good.

This is the start of a long road, but the first small milestone of a week has been reached. Now to make it a month...

Onwards, Upwards, Forwards.

Hi Eppy

Very well done on your first milestone

One day at a time every day and you will win every day and you will get to your next milestone

Suzanne x

Hi Suzanne,

Thanks for the support & yep day by day it all gets better.

Had another good day yesterday, kept my mind busy with work & then went to the pub to watch the football had really no temptation whatsoever of wanting to bet & I find that quite good. Nearly approaching weekend & after all the hours I've been putting in at work this week, I'm gonna be glad to chill out with my girlfriend.

Keeping a positive mind each & everyday is key.

Onwards, Upwards, Forwards..

Hey people, So well over a week off now. Feeling good & more positive each & every day. After a busy busy week at work last week I'm now off for 2 days. Must admit it's a lot easier to keep your mind focused away from betting when you are working & keeping busy.

Saturday was a good day finished work at 10 & spent the rest of the day with my girl, stayed in cooked a nice tea & watched a film.

Sunday now and a rather quite day, gone to the pub to see my dad etc. Whenever a thought of any form of gambling comes into my head I quickly dismiss it now instead of thinking about it which I believe is a good thing to do.

Tomorrow Monday I've managed to keep myself busy without work. Got 2 appointments to attend, getting myself back into my gym routine & then got a counselling session. So my key of keeping the mind & body busy is hopefully gonna work well.

Onwards, Upwards, Forwards... Positive!

Hi Eppy

I have enjoyed reading your success so far ,sounds really positive and a glimpse into your future that you will beat this.

I am on day 3 , finding it hard but makes me feel better coming on this site and reading how well people like your self are doing.

Keep your chin up man , you can do it...

Well done pal

So another weekend done & dusted gamble free. Busy Monday today even though I'm not working. The biggest problem I face at the moment is that the 'World Cup' is on going & 'Wimbledon' has just started.

Although I don't love tennis like I do football, it is the sport I did use to win most of my bets on. Regardless I push that thought to the back of my mind & don't even contemplate the thought of any little bet what so ever.

My girlfriend told me this morning it's 6 weeks till the day in which we go on Holiday for 2 weeks. So the aim & the goal in my head now is to continue to be gamble free for these next 6 weeks so that I have the reward of the holiday too look forward too. Setting yourself short term & long term goals which have rewards at the end of them is something I find useful.

So getting through the day with as positive mind as ever. Get through the day, then through the week & then through the month.... Onwards!

Over 2 weeks in now & I'm glad to say I've not cracked and never really thought about cracking.. Before my relapse the early stages were the easiest & it seems to be the same again this time round. However I say that in the sense I'm going to keep a much wiser head this time rather than for just 6 months.

So be receiving counselling & also reading a book by 'Philip Mawer' - ' A Guide For Problem & Compulsive Gamblers' some of the tips he suggests in there are very useful I feel.

Staying positive is key to me now & he suggests creating a positive music playlist, something which I have done & which really feels good in the mind.

Anyway 2 weeks down, roll on the next 2 because I'm not the loser anymore, I'm the winner.

So 19 days gamble free now, all is going well. I've learnt of new techniques such as introducing new challenges into my daily routine as a way of replacing gambling. One of the main reasons I gambled was to 'problem solve (beat the system) & i like a challenge.... So I've started to do crosswords, word searches, play chess... Although these activities were ones I didn't think I would enjoy, I believe they'll challenge me & focus my mind on something different.

I'm pleased with how I've kept focused the past few weeks especially with the World Cup taking place. I can't actually remember the last major footballing event which I didn't have a bet on. Once again I've started enjoying football matches through the joy of watching the game & not watching because I want a certain bet to come in.

Well onwards towards 3 weeks & a month now. Will be back to post in a few days.

Day by Day, Step by Step, Onwards, Upwards, Forwards.

Hey all, another successful weekend has gone where I've won by being gamble free. As I sit and post in my diary I'm watching the men's wimbledon final (tennis a sport id usually only watch if I had a bet on it). But this is different, feels different & I'm enjoying it for the fact it's simply a good game.

Everything at the moment is all going well. I've not really got complete access to my funds and stuff, but when I do start getting that back, I'm wondering if anybody has any helpful tips as to not get distracted by having the money there to go and gamble. As I believe that was my main downfall to have a relapse.

But still on the right track, & day by day all is going well. Positive!

Well I've completed my first month of being gamble free since my relapse & it's feels good. In actual fact I'm about 5 weeks in to being a non-gambler again.

A couple of weeks ago I'd be annoyed with myself because I'd be thinking, all the hard work of not gambling for 6 months ruined & has to be started over, but when really it doesn't have to be started over, I just have to get back onto the correct path. Those 2 months of me having a relapse were stupid, but I have to take the positive that it has helped me once again realise even more what a dangerous illness gambling is & I have to be positive that I got out when I did.

My diary before the relapse probably lasted around 1-2 months & then I packed it in because I thought 'hey I don't need this' .. Well this time it will it's different & I will post at least once per week!

I'm being strong minded, ridding any thoughts or mentions of gambling away from my head as soon as they occur, even though that's not very often these days. I'm a positive person now & appreciate what I've got & not what I could have by winning more from gambling. Positivity is key & something I aim to be forever now, positive.

Onwards, Upwards & Forwards!