there are over 2019 reasons to not gamble this year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks Stephan and jw ive definitely got my fight on. I know its early days but I'm feeling confident I can Finnish this year on a high.

​

Hi diary, ive finnished my working week and come home, had some food, a can of cider, and now sipping some milk in bed. Really drained from this whole gambling stress, thoughts of gambling pop into head, well thoughts of go to club and play snooker, only take cash etc, but to be honest snooker never appealed to me neither did the drinks it was just the gambling I liked to be brutally honest, the thrill of it, will I get some easy money. Lets face it when is money ever easy to get. I'll just settle down to the night and enjoy the fact theres money in my account, I have savings, I'm off on holiday Monday and I'm going to relax and unwind over the course of this week. My mum said it would be a good idea to write a list of things I want to buy so I can see rewards for not gambling, the funny thing is I don't want anything, I'm gambling to get money and I don't want to buy anything, its been complete madness.

​

Hope your feeling good Adam and dried off after the deluge at the Victorious Festival. By all accounts it was a great day (even with the rain) and Prodigy got everybody dancing around.

Wishing you happy days on the Isle of Wight this week. A great place to take a holiday.

As all on the diaries know and appreciate, staying gamble free is not easy. For a compulsive gambler to not have a bet takes much courage, common sense and understanding. A really bad habit and old habits die hard. However, we do have what it takes to say "enough is enough." We can expand our horizons, have some fun and explore opportunities that come our way. Take care my friend...stephen

Hiim ba​ck, been on holiday, saw prodigy was awesome but started to get unwell after and started hearing voices and not sleeping thru my holiday in isle of white. Seen my docter and she said to have this week off tn get docter to sign me off after if needed. Good news is I haven't gambled thru holiday and didn't spend much. Even bought a nice jacket yesterday in the sale. Something that I wouldn't be able to do if I was gambling. So going to relax rest of week and see if I can get back to work asap.

Hello Adam,

Good to hear from you even if things aren't so great at the moment, it happens. Don't get yourself down about it. Ride it out. You've shown you can manage in the past. Hope things keep improving in all areas mate. Look after yourself and keep away from gambling, you don't need it.

All the best.

Cheers sjw you're ​allways here, much appreciated

So I've neglected my diary again. Still off work ill, hopefully ill get paid at end of the month but not spent much so will be fine if not. Lots of grand grand thoughts based around religion, money and thoughts of people wanting to kill me and my friends and family. I think being skitsophrenic brings only negative thoughts to my mind scary wise but it also brings grand thoughts that are difficult not to believe. I now more than ever believe in heaven and hell, I haven't ever gone to church apart from weddings and my parents don't go to church much or pass on their beliefs to me but this beleive has brought me through this tough period. I no longer want material things, money doesn't appeal to me I want to enjoy nature that is all around. I have enjoyed visiting the national trust whilst off work, taking photos and relaxing. It sounds like I'm preaching but I'm really new to this. I think hopefully the voices in my head will go away they have lessoned today for the first time in weeks

​

Dear adam123,

sorry to hear you are going through a challenging period with your illness.

Glad to hear however that you have been paying attention to what is going on, getting the help and support you need and make sure also you exercise self-care.

Keep going and keep being kind to yourself.

All the best,

Eva

Forum Admin

Cheers Eva, just back from gym, healthy body healthy mind, trying to lose a bit of weight so watching what I eat, plenty of fruit and veggies along with protein to keep my energy up. Voices still their but they're slipping back to the back of my mind which is reassuring.

​

Hi adam :)) .

I can't comment on the thought's running around in your head but the one's in mine can be aright pain in the @r*e :(( .

You know mate I truly believe we have the power within ourselves to make the changes in life we need to move forward , I found much peace and great comfort in nature in the early day's and would much rather be out walking in the countryside with my dog than pretty much anything , it's all so simple out there and it's a great place to focus on what's important in life and get some clarity .

The Gym sound's like another great idea to focus on yourself mate and as you say " Healthy body healthy mind " .

I've never been much of a churchgoer either and have to admit that my higher power comes in the shape of me imagining my old mum giving me a good talking to , that usually does the trick :)) .

I'm sue given time Adam the voices will ease and fade as the last gambling episode subsides and some clear thinking will return .

Wishing you well my friend , keep looking after yourself and making those right choices :))

All the best

Alan

Thank you very much Alan for taking the time to write to me, yeah nuture I brilliant and it doesn't cost anything. Just back from a walk with my dad I recommended going on a walk we used to go on when I was about 5 lol he talked about when he grew up and about the village he grew up in, all good to hear. Another day done and I'm getting better. Thanks again alan

​

Another couple of days do​wn and I'm up to 40 days tomo horray. Decided I wont drink any alcohol for the foreseeable future as its brought , well its probably not the cause of my illness but its surroundings have brought bad things. I think the voices came from worrying about gambling so for me gambling has even worse effects physically and mentally. Hopefully back to work on Monday after four weeks, such a long time. One week was holiday then three off sick. Cant be helped, well actually if I hadn't started gambling again or thinking I could just play a bit then I wouldn't of become stressed and maybe wouldn't be in this situation. But then I would have lived a completely different person and would

Well done mate it's 40 days for me tomorrow as well! Let's keep it up.

JW

Hi adam :)).

It's that whole cycle stuck on repeat that cloud's your mind , " Gamble , lose / win /lose , worry over finances , then gamble again to win more money " and that just keeps messing with our heads mate .

Your doing great Adam and congratulations on 40 day's winning for real :))

Cheers a9, if Ican not gamble till the new year that will be 260 days of no gambling stints in 2018 such a change from the few years before.