Originally posted by framesandy88… LEARN FROM YOUR MISTAKES
Good morning Andy, a belated welcome to GT. I read your first post and have no reason for not responding then, but would still like you to know that you are not alone; we have all experienced your problem and struggles. Also a belated Happy Birthday (your belly-button birthday), you have your whole life before you and can make it more normal and fruitful by also celebrating yearly recovery "birthdays" of living and accumulating gambling free time One Day At A Time.
My name is Larry and I am a compulsive gambler, my last bet was October 17, 2009, a bet made when I found myself unguarded and in the right set of circumstances after over three years of being gambling free — allowing myself to be influenced by the wrong circumstances the same as you a few days ago, we are all one bet away from repeating our past mistakes.
The motto that you are choosing for your recovery is a positive one, but it is also one that our addiction has the power to suppress; we look back at our mistakes and read about the mistakes of others yet when the addiction takes over we care little about the consequences — it is a characteristic of compulsive gamblers. In recovery the best way to learn form our mistakes is to change what caused us to make them, in recovery "without change, there will be no change" we will still make the same mistakes over and over if we hold onto character faults and negative attitudes against doing what is right when it does not agree with an established thought process.
Another thing that might be looked at in keeping yourself guarded is the circumstance that you describe as " Had a few more beers then … …", when we let our rational thinking be influenced by any outside force be it alcohol, medical, or emotional issues, we are giving our addiction the opening to reenter our lives. Working on a positive program of recovery not only changes our lives in regard to gambling, it will also allow us to think and act in more rational ways is all aspects of our lives; when we become stronger in combating the addiction, we also become stronger in recognizing and dealing with the things that the addiction feeds on.
Keep coming back here and reading the stories of others, they may not be repeated in the replies to your post and request, but they are here in the different topics of each member; you have to do after recovery, it does not come to you". Look for a live support group in your area such as Gamblers Anonymous, reach out to your family and friends for support, do all you can to combat this addiction and return to being the person that you are meant to be.
God’s speed, use your Higher Power to guide and strengthen you.LarryThanks to my Higher Power, My 3G's – God, GA, and GT, "Day Two Is Another Day Behind" and with the help from all I hope to continue to remain gambling free.
