Hello Stuck 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!

Hi and well done on looking for help.

Whilst I can fully relate to the sentiment behind your user name I have to also say that I have never met a stupid compulsive gambler. All the planning to gamble, funding the gambling, covering our tracks, ducking and diving etc takes a lot of doing! Now we just have to apply those “smarts” to recovery.

You have tried to set those limits and control things on your own, i think most of us try that, without success which is why we are here.

So, the good news is – yes there is life after gambling. It is an addiction. Accept that and then there is just one thing in life we can not do, not such a biggy even though it of course seems like it to us.

Read the other stories here, you will see thigns you relate to. You will also see the success stories and the sorts of things that have helped others stop.

You will read how barriers help – get yourself banned from that casino. Limit your access to funds with which you can gamble. Plan your time so both your time and thoughts are filled with other things.

Most importantly of all, don’t try and do it on your own. There is a lot of support avaialble here and elsewhere, it ios important to use it. Again, if we could do it on our own then none of us would be here in the first place. Keep posting.

Hi Stuck and welcome to the forum. I know I surely felt stuck. Stuck on a self destructing loop. In my brain and in my life. And it was spiraling downward fast.
I finally had to admit I had an addiction to gambling and put in place measures that prevented me having money for gambling. I told a few trusted people in my life who helped manage my finances so I couldn’t just go off the deep end. I had minimal access to money and I was accountable for what I had access to. It just made it easier when I had an urge to go gamble when I remembered I couldn’t. My partner would not accept another minute spent gambling and I decided I didn’t want to end my marriage because of gambling. I wanted to be accountable. I wanted to end the madness and had been told repeatedly here that it would help. And it did. I also spent a lot of time here posting and in chat groups. I went to Gambler’s Anonymous meetings and also went for gambling addictions counseling. I was determined to beat this! And it worked. You can get unstuck! One step at a time. One change at a time. One effort at a time! Laura