Wow it has been 2 years since I last gambled, it honestly feels longer maybe because i was trapped in it for so long i forgot what living was actually like. It´s amazing to not be trapped in the claws of a gambling addiction, wouldn´t change it. I cant believe I actually have money in my bank account and dont spend all of it as soon as the monthly check comes in, have a payed off car and found a loving girlfriend.
I just wanted to tell people that are reading this and feel like they are so deep in it and dependant on the high of it like i was, first of all you are not alone in this and there is a way out, always.
What helped me actual steps if you want to stop, read carefully:
1. First hursh truth you have to understand is that you are NOT EVER going to win and let´s be honest even if you are you would spend it all on gambling again(know it from experience). With this realization I want you to think of the owners of casinos that are feeding off of people like us who are addicted and destroying families and milions of lives worldwide, AND YOU by continuing to gamble are donating even more money into their pockets and they are laughing in your face. Simply villainize casino´s owners.
2. Join a community. I talked with people close to me and honestly they might be trying to help but they have never dealt with this kind of a situation and gambling addiction is no joke and no walk in a park that someone can just guess what you need to do. That´s why you need to join a community of ex gamblers/professionals and talk just TALK it doesn´t matter if it´s stupid or you dont know what to say, share your story, create a new topic, answer other people´s topics anything. Most importantly READ other people´s topics you probably know how bad it has affected your life and your loved ones if you can even feel love(i myself lost the ability to experience love but gained it back), so read stories of other people there is always a worse story, read stories of partners of gamblers read how broken they are because we cant control ourselves.
3. Take it DAY by DAY in the beginning, there is no i will not gamble for the next 2 weeks no. I am not gambling today. Create a dairy on gamcare and every day you did not gamble write a new reply, how long you didnt gamble and what you are grateful for. Listen you are never out you have just been given grace to not gamble another day.
4. HELP other people in need. Very important it´s not only about you there are other people here and in your life too that need help just as much as you do, we can´t do this by ourselves we need each other.
PS : If anyone can do it YOU CAN.
It so inspiring to hear stories like yours. I am still struggling with this addiction, I have gambling for just over 2 years but the damage has been immerse. Thank you for your timely advise. I will follow your advice I want to quit gambling forever now. I has brought me nothing but pain
Well done mate thats excellent i have managed 170 odd days myself, through this online service i realised on thing for recovery why Ga works is if u stick to it you are constantly reminded as some days your more vulnerable then other days time i realised the only way to have success at this is to follow a program as such i previously managed to do 3 years until a relapse which followed on with more relapses the online service is fantastic as the chatroom are easy going sometimes has humans we just need someone to lift us up so yes in my case it can be contained i finally feel more confident this time around as i feel have the right support in need and when i do get tested with it am sure i can use the 24 hour hotline number to get me past it which i didnt have access to before its like a peace of mind
Congrats on staying clean for 2 years I hope you stay clean for another to so your up to 4 o was clear at 2 years once and slipped which is why I’m where I am now. But hearing that your doing great is an inspiration to the rest of us so I say again CONGRATULATIONS
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