This Time Will Be Different

Hi Tri,

Thanks for your message. Couldn't agree more, already posted on a couple of others and read other peoples' journey's with great interest. It's strange (and strangely fascinating) how the symptoms of us CGs are all the same but the road to recovery takes so many different paths.

Have a good day 🙂

Day 5 today and my biggest challenge yet...Football and Beer!

Off to the pub to watch the Spurs v City game and then Super Sunday tomorrow.

I WILL stay strong.

Have a great a gamble free day everyone 🙂

Day 6 and I'm pleased to say that day 5 went without a hitch, I enjoyed the football (what a game!) and didn't get distracted by the flashing lights 🙂

Should be meeting some friends today for a few beers (and more football). I know many people try and avoid putting themselves in the way of temptation and it's great if this works for you. I am actually getting more satisfaction from challenging myself to abstain...It feels like a victory.

Waking up without the regrets of a loss is fantasic, long may it continue :D...

Well...I survived! A whole day of drinking and football without a single pound in a fruit machine or bet being placed. At 7pm tonight I will have completed my first week free from gambling 🙂

Well played Phil! keep it going

Brilliant Phil,

Weekend's are tough but well done for getting there.

Thanks Matt & Malkie...In 4 Hours it will be a week...Probably the longest I have abstained in 15 years.

Well done Phil get achievement keep up the good work. Reading ur comments has motivated me. How is the gf money pot doing?? That sounds like a good idea. I'm getting paid tomorrow very scared as gambling might take over. Thinking of transferring it all to my Mrs but she will become suspicious in why I'm doing it as never done it before

Hi Blueteam.

Well, it's day 8 and I'm still GF, there is £90 in the GF pot (£10 per weekday and £20 per weekend day where I would normally gamble more). I LOVE the idea of having a £4k+ pot after a year and being able to splash out on a surprise luxury holiday for myself and the wife JUST by not gambling...It's a long way to go yet but I'm feeling really positive.

I know the fear of payday (mine's Friday), I'm just going to continue being active in quitting (I started a debate in the discussion forum), keep adding to the pot, keep challenging my addiction (an unproved method) and keep telling everyone who will listen. I was chatting to the landlord of my local yesterday and some of the regulars in there, I figure, the more people who know, the more siht I'll get if I fall of the wagon.

So...Day 8...Onwards and Upwards 🙂

Day 9 today...

It's a bit strange, normal routine yesterday, early start (6am), work, quick pint (which turned into a couple which meant a walk to the car this morning...Brrrr!) then a chilled evening with the wife. I was feeling good about remaining GF (and the fact that I already have £100 in my GF pot) but my wife kept asking if I was OK. I didn't feel anything was wrong but apparantly I seemed a bit vacant, strange.

Either way, I'm going to talk to her tonight about it all. I wanted to leave it until I had a week under my belt, I know too many people who rush into a public declaration of "I'm giving up" (be it gambling, smoking, joining a gym or whatever) only to fall at the first hurdle.

Luckily(?) I have chosen to attack this gambling demon before it caused any substantial damage to our family. I got married last year and paid for the wedding so I am expected to have some debt. My wife and step-daughter have never gone without BUT I'm hoping I can treat them more now I'm GF (We haven't ever had a foreign holiday so I'm hoping my GF pot will fund one for next year).

Onwards and upwards and I hope everyone has a nice GF day.

Edit: Tomorrow is 10 days, is this a milestone? I think I might treat it as one. As I have said in previous posts, I am trying to be 'active' in giving up. Setting myself challenges, posting on here (possibly too much, sorry), keeping tally's, starting a GF fund, talking to anyone that will listen. A lot of people suggest getting a hobby, maybe 'giving up' can be a hobby in itself (just a thought).

Hi Phil,

Early on, I had all the milestones. 10 days, 2 weeks, 20 days. Let yourself, every milestone is an achievement. Stay strong.

Thanks Brandon, like I say, I am possibly being seriously over-zealous with this quitting thing but I find that focussing on it and concentrating on the different aspects of abstinence is helping me to control the urges. Thanks for your reply.

As long as you're not gambling mate, do whatever works for you!

An interesting diary Phil. Just keep doing what you are doing mate.

Thanks Tom and Brandon.

Tom, my diary is a bit different to others and my entry into gambling is, almost certainly, different to most but the net result was the same and we're all here for the same, underlying reasons.

Thanks again for your support.

Phil