Well done on taking two important steps in tackling this addiction.

Limiting access! Close those sites, ban from those that let you do it. Depending on where you are from you make get different advice on how best to shut down your access to online gambling. Blockers i think will work anywhere.

Finding a support system! All of us here are going through are own battle and recovery and support each other along the way.

Keep reading and posting.
Laura

Hello Chrisa and thanks for starting a thread in the Gambling Therapy forums

Here at Gambling Therapy we pride ourselves on being a caring and diverse online community who can help and support you with the difficulties you’re currently facing. We understand that this might be a tough time for you, particularly if you’re new to recovery, so come here as often as you need to and participate in the forums, access online groups and connect to the live advice helpline if you need one to one support. We’re in this together!

Here on the forum you can share your experiences in a safe, supportive and accepting environment. The beauty of writing it all down is that you can take your time and you will be creating a record of your progress that you can look back on if it ever feels like you’re not moving forward. So, share as much or as little as you like but do try to stick to keeping just one thread in this forum so people know where to find you if they want to be updated on your progress or share something with you.

As well as the forums New Members are invited to join Charles in the New Members Practical Advice Group On Mondays at 21:00 (UK) and Thursday at 19:00(UK)

And on that note….

I’m going to hand you over to our community because I’m sure they will have some words of wisdom for you 🙂

Take care

The Gambling Therapy Team

PS: Let me just remind you to take a look at our privacy policy and terms and conditions so you know how it all works!

Good morning Chris. Where you able to get your sites shut down? It’s great that you are talking about it with your wife and that she is supportive. I’m sure she has been aware of your gambling and your moods. As much as we try not to I think our losses and resulting financial issues cause moods that impact everyone around us. If yo u think there will still be temptation even with sites closed I would suggest that you allow your wife to either monitor spending or take care of finances with you so that she would be aware of any gambling. This was something I did so that I wouldn’t be tempted by access to money. It really helped with urges. Keep reading and posting. And have a merrier Christmas.

Laura

Glad you have found the forum, reaching out for help is a great step. Life is a bit easier with support so it’s great to read your wife is on board with you through this.
The gym…….great time filler and you will feel amazing for it!
You’re definitely on the right path…..keep it up!
Look forward to hearing more from you,
Love K x

That’s awesome that you have your wife’s support with your finances. You could get a loan but then how are you going to pay it back without your wife’s knowledge?

Yes, I have accepted as well that the money is gone. Of course now and again something will come up in life where money would help the situation. I will usually have a little twinge of regret that I wasted it the way I did. But! The good thing is I’m not throwing good after bad. I already nearly lost everything once. Do I really want to do it again? Stay the course Chris. It’s how you get to put gambling behind you. If you feel your barriers aren’t enough add something else to your non gambling routines. I hope you have a merrier Christmas, a gamble free Christmas.

Laura

Hi Chris’s,
How are things ?
I have been catching up on your thread .
Please keep posting- the good and the bad

Hi Chris
If you haven’t done so, I would recommend a you tube video. The search is under gambling addiction. It is a video of a man in an MRI machine, He is using a device replicating video roulette. Long and short of the video is it shows how the “pleasure” centers of the brain are continuously stimulated during machine play (win or lose) which is why many of us get hooked. I personally never felt an itch to play a machine, but one day out of boredom I figured “why not”, and gave it a go. Six months later, many thousands of dollars, and major damage to my marriage… I recognize more than ever “why not”.
Best of luck stay strong
Johnny B