Currently I’m on GF day 4 and its going pretty well. I’ve noticed that the cravings mainly start when I’m tired, when that happens I remind myself how much I loathe myself when I’ve gambled and lost plus how I feel blindly invincible when I ‘win’, which is invariably followed by the loathing. I’ve been putting money from the cravings aside and I’ve already managed to buy some art materials that I wanted. Its making me realise how reckless and selfish I have been with money and just throwing it away. I’m praying that I can continue doing well and resisting any urges. It’s definitely helped with having the blocking software as I wouldn’t go into a bookies for fear of someone that I know seeing me.
I’ve seen a couple of ‘responsible gambling’ adverts on the TV this week, it’s a step forward I suppose but I feel its just not enough. The betting companies know when someone is having problems, if someone is spending half their day gambling then its obvious there is an issue that needs addressing. I wish that all gambling adverts were banned, as it just reminds me about gambling every time I see an advert, which is really unhelpful, the regulators need to wake up to the extent of the problems in the community.
Rather ironically I used to work in a bookies that was on a residential estate, I would see the same people come in every single day, sometimes spending several hours in the shop. . It feels like the companies are preying on the working classes, sometimes they win but mostly they lose, money which they probably can’t afford to lose. Betting shops right next to the convenience store where they pop in to buy their milk and newspaper. The planners should be blocking their shop applications, to give us a fighting chance