Hi everyone.
I've am 23 days free of gambling.
I have gambled since I was about 16 and I am now 40 years old. I have been thinking a lot about my life recently and about the impact that gambling has had on my life.
I played the slots, in pubs, arcades and bookies. When I was between the ages of 16 and 20, I went out with friends at the weekends, as many people do and while my friends were looking to link up with a girl, I was always stood by a slot machine. Of course I did have girlfriends but the relationships weren't up to much, as I never seemed to have money to take them anywhere or do anything. Only when I went through periods of not gambling did I enjoy real relationships. However these quickly soured when I started gambling again.
I am quite eloquent and intelligent, but I am rubbish with chit chat. I have no interest in anything or should I say I have no interests? I'm not interested in sports; I like to drive but I'm not that bothered about cars; I listen to the same sort of music that I always have; I don't really care what's on the TV and I really believe that this is because I am a compulsive gambler. All of the time when I ought to have been sharing interest with people, I was in my little gambling bubble, completely removed from everyone else.
Gambling has ruined my life. Actually that's not true: my compulsion to gamble has adversely affected my life so far!
I have a 2-year old daughter who is beautiful and intelligent. She can count to 20; knows all the colours of a set of felt-tip pens (yellow, brown, light blue, dark blue and so on), can name shapes (triangle, square, circle, rectangle, oval, star, kite) and can talk about what she likes and how she feels.
I have a stunning wife (definately punching above my weight) who is standing by me while I get the better of my addiction.
I still am not particularly interested in the things that I mentioned before, but now I've realised that my family will be my first real hobby.
Since not gambling, I have spent so much more time with my family and it really has been wonderful, even with the tension between my wife and I after I came clean about the level of debt that I had got into and the extent of my gambling problem.
They say life begins at 40. Here's hoping that it continues!
Hi billy
Welcome to the forum and well done on 23 days
I wish you well on your journey to abstain from gambling
Best wishes
Suzanne x
Hi Billy,
Well done for the 23 days you've gone so far, it's a tough road, but your on the right track.
You summed it all up in a nutshell with your last sentence there pal 'Life begins at 40' - well why not eh!
It's never to late to rid this horrible addiction or illness as some people call it.
Each day just be positive, be as open as you can & you will find things becoming easier & easier all the time. One way of changing your mindset is by finding a new hobby, so maybe try new things (substitutes for gambling) such as, gym, golf, word puzzles, reading. Anything can help!
Best of luck to you & remember positivity is key!
Hi Billy,
23 days is a very good start on your gamble free journey, you sound like the lightbulb has gone ping above your head and you know what you're here for. You know what your inspiration is to give it up, now its time for you to add to that good start and to start building towards a better future.
As Eppy says, I'd also suggest that getting another hobby could also be useful, although for me that ended up being a second job! Eventually I'll find time and money for hobbies too though.
All the best mate, you can beat this addiction.
Ryan
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