Uphill struggle

Not too bad thanks Scott, just treading the boards on the usual hamster wheel!!
Payday tomorrow, seems like an age since my last one!
Looking forward to springtime and sunny days - (where that has thought come from? I don't know. My head jumps from one thing to another haha!!)
All good wishes - happy days! x

Hello little one. Hope all is well with you....stephen.

Hi Stephen, I'm OK thanks. Been daydreaming a bit, wishing I could up sticks, travel the world for a couple of months then come back to a house, job, family and money only to do it again 6 months later. Pretty hopeless dream but never say never!!
Not been on the site as much as usual. My head has been a bit full of personal problems. I never know whether I'm doing right or wrong. Decisions, decisions! The number of times I've wished I had a magic wand!!
Also family member having a bit of money trouble, which could easily be solved. If only i could be able to help like most other parents. Thanks to my stupid addiction, I have nothing and I've no means of being able to get anything. Ah well, feeling sorry for myself wont help!
It saddens me to see so many struggles on here. Why do some people seem to have it all and others have nothing?? I know it may be not all what it seems - blah blah blah but you know what I mean.
Anyway, enough moaning, better try and get some sleep. Up for work in an hour! X

Hi Little Miss Lot,

nothing wrong with not visiting the site as much when you have had a lot going on, just find some thinking space for yourself and try relax and stay upbeat where you can, hard I know as so many of us have lost so much due to this illness. All we can do is just keep fighting it.

Wilsy

Morning Little Miss. Wishing you a happy sunday...stephen x

Admittedly Magic Wands are a bit scarce on the ground but let's not ignore the power of positive thinking. I believe thoughts of healing and compassion can reverberate around the world but many people have dark thoughts which drown out the good vibes.

I am sending you angel dust with wishes that you have peace, contentment and wild wacky adventures...stephen x

Hi lil wild child ☺

Good to see you bouncing around the forum and offering support/ advice!

Look after yourself and keep making the right choice - you're doing incredibly well!

S&B xx

Morning Little Miss. Hope all is well.

Wishing you a jolly weekend...stephen x

Hi Stephen, had a busy, busy week. Not been on here much and when I do come on there's so many new posts to read I can't get through them all. This in turn makes me feel sad, knowing all these people are struggling yet still I feel like i want to gamble and fantasise on putting a lot of money on my favourite game - and that's even with my head screaming at me that I'm an idiot to think like that. Why the feelings won't go for me but do for others, I don't know. Maybe my mindset isn't as it should be still.
Anyway, I'm still here, still fighting, still not created any major good shakes in my life. Still hopeful that I can be strong enough to make changes that will lead to contentment and still searching for what those changes should be lol!
All good wishes for a wonderful weekend x

Hang in there Little Miss Wild & Wonderful.

I have been pestered today with thoughts of having a football bet but it is to be expected. The addiction will continue to paint a rosy picture of gambling but I know it leads to somewhere dark and scary.

Take care my friend and have a lovely weekend...stephen x

Hi lml just dropping by to say hi and thank you hope your good all the best x

Hi and thanks for your post on my diary. Stay strong, it can be done. Best wishes, Gazza

I am in your situation now. I have lost a lot and after a few some days of gambling free, I am having a strong pull to go back on betting. How do you beat that urge?

Little miss lost wrote: Hoping starting a diary will prevent me from gambling. I have previously stopped for three months and I think it was because I wanted to be able to tell my counsellor that I hadn't gambled week after week. Will it work if I have to write it in my diary day after day - I hope so. I'm 10 days gambling free and with each passing day I'm finding it more and more difficult. When you've had a big loss it's easier to stop gambling for a few days but then the stupid thoughts come back into my head telling me to have another go - maybe i'll be lucky this time. Thinking about the games I love to play and the buzz it gives me whilst playing is really a strong pull. I've just got to remember how distraught and desperate I feel when I've lost and hopefully this will stop me. I'll sign in again tomorrow. I must stay strong.

To be perfectly honest merlin, I always failed to beat the urge. I'd go a week or a month or even 3 months but in the end I always gave in.
I'd spend night after night thinking should I or shouldn't I? My head really wanting to, telling myself I'll only spend ВЈ20 but we all know we're just kidding ourselves. ВЈ20 became £200 and it wasn't even my money, it ended up been on credit cards.
I'd read books, take long baths, go out to visit friends and generally try to keep busy.
The only way that I am staying gamble free is because I downloaded gamban to my phone, even that hasn't taken away the urges but I know I can't get on any sites so it definitely helps. I just have to accept it now so I don't go back and forth in my head thinking shall I or shan't I because I know it's impossible.
I know it must be harder for those who use bookies or other means to gamble but fortunately for me it was just online.
Can I just say that for most people, strong measures have to be taken. For anyone reading don't be like me, poor willpower meant I got so much more in debt than I should have. It also helped me sharing my problem with my family even though that was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. I was lucky, they have been brilliant.
I hope this helps and I wish you success and happiness.
All good wishes x

Thank you, Little miss, for sharing your thought and experience. I only bet online too and banned myself. Only that lately, I am wanting to have one last big bet and quitting betting.