Let me begin by saying that banning works for everyone if you abide by it. I was not an avid casino gambler but when I went, boy did I lose big. I was always left with the most horrible feeling afterwards and swore never to go again. I had posted on this site years ago and was told to self exclude from the casino so I did. The next time I went and lost big and felt horrible I followed that feeling to the office and self excluded right away. I went to other casinos afterwards and when I lost and felt horrible I self excluded. It is the right time to do it when you are at your worst because it will prevent you (if you abide by the ban) from going again and feeling as bad. You must understand right now that your mind is holding on right now to hope. If will tell you that the ban is not the answer. It will convince you that you will find a way, maybe when you are busier with a job, and you wont have time to gamble. Bull shit. I have two jobs and still found time. You will still gamble and maybe it will make you lose your job. You must make a vow to yourself that the next time you go to a casino you will self exclude as you leave. Every casino. It will put a greater barrier, as kin says, a higher level of barrier, between you and your addiction. It is the only way. I convinced myself that I could live with a loop hole in my barriers. I could gamble on my phone, but I wouldn’t. I could have just gotten a new phone that would have closed the loophole but I convinced myself that that wasnt necessarily needed. It was my hope, like yours, leaving room for me to gamble if I was really good and disciplined. Bull shit. It’s only when the loophole closed and I was cut off that I began to recover properly and now I can see that false hope for what it was. Desperation. You are dealing with desperation and the thought that you wont be able to gamble when the desire hits you is scary. Fight that with all that you have because that is what will continue to pull you in each time. If the casino is there and you can go, you will. I hope that I am wrong and that you wont, but your brain is going to convince you otherwise. Be safe and gamble free today.
