Weekends are the hardest

Hi chips and welcome....lots of advice here....I've got blocks on my devices so I can't play....your very lucky you have no debts from gambling...I didn't once....that's what slots can do to you....good luck x

Hi chips you have made a great decision coming on here. You will find loads of advice and support here but you will have to employ measures to help you recover and stay gamble free. Time - Money - Location 'the triangle': if you remove one you can't gamble. It helps your recovery if you could tell your husband about your addiction. I too have a well paid job but over the years I became reckless and now have no savings and a huge amount of debt which will take me 3 years to pay off.

Exclude yourself from the bookies and online sites, get some blocking software (K9 or Gamblock are 2 I know of). Contact Gamcare and organise some counselling. It's great you don't have any debt so you don't have that to worry about too, just concentrate on being gamble free.

Best wishes with your recovery and take care x

Great advice from everyone, blocks, blocks, blocks, can't reiterate it enough. Close your online accounts, K9 is free to download. Help is here with helpline number or live chat.

Botox, so funny, that made me laugh, wish I'd thought of that one. In saying that you know yourself it's not nice living a life of deceit (I speak from experience). Good luck with your journey. x

How's it going hun. ...x

what day do most of you feel is the hardest?

Going okay so far today, was really busy in work so that helped, but, I used to gamble every lunch time! My preferred online casino always has extra 50% on Tuesday, I would deposit £100 and get extra £50, but, not today. They will need to lay someone off soon as I am not helping pay the wage bill! Seriously, I am going to do this.

Can't say which day has been worse...some up /down ...but I can say the last week I have been thinking about gambling less and less....take one day at a time love...you can't rush recovery....be very proud of what you have achieved today ...well done....and watch out for those dam on line sites trying to tempt you back x

Hi Chips, well done on one week gamble free! What a great feeling yesterday when you still had that £100 and it wasn't lining the pockets of the awful companies who feed off of our addiction.

Here's to the next week, month, year! You can do it xx

I must have saved a fortune not gambling for 7 days, I feel proud of myself, just hope I keep it up. Every year we visit Las Vegas, not only to gamble but shop, eat, see shows and relax. This year we have booked a flight for October, I think I am going to tell my husband that we should cancel it, he will be shocked, I haven't told him I'm not gambling anymore and the odd thing is he hadn't noticed.

Hi chip...well done on passing first week....good on you...wow...nice holiday to look forward to....so you normally go to the casinos in Vegas...if you do I suppose it will be tricky...does your hubby go with you to them....just thinking how you can still go to Vegas without feeling the lure of the casinos...any way...well done on not gambling x

Hi Chips, I've always fancied Las Vegas but I would need to be chaperoned! It would be too much temptation I think and although online slots have been my undoing, I am a compulsive gambler and an environment like that would only mean disaster!!

Very well done on your recovery, you are doing well. Keep reading those diaries and posting on your own, it's a great tool for reflection (and venting!)

Take care my lovely xx

Hi. Well done. Sounds as if you are doing really well. I am on day 5 this time. I have tried time and time again. But reading stories like yours really helps so keep up the good work

Day 9 - However, it's the weekend, the hardest time for me. Saturday used to be a day of pure joy, I would go to slimming world in the morning, would eat and drink whatever I wanted, my one day off my diet, go to the bookies, put on football bet, play and lose on slots and then come home and gamble online and watch Sky for the football results. I would have a coffee in the bookies and a chat with some of the regular people, my son would pop in and put his football bet on! He would ring me and say "mum see you in 5 minutes". I have told him I have stopped and he helping me, he has stopped betting as much just not stopped completely. Be strong everyone xx

Hi chips....sounds like its going well....one day at a time for all of us x

Hi chips

Hope your getting through the day Weekend are hard with all the sports on just try and keep busy and think your on a guaranteed win today if you don't bet.

KTF