After easy way and with my new thinking and understanding, I really can’t relate to the thought of wanting to gamble anymore. I don’t want to appear smug and superior, believe me that is absolutely not my intent. I am humble and only hope to share what is working for me, that it may help others.
When you realize that something you used to think gave you something valuable in return, has actually nothing valuable to give you, then it’s really hard to “unlearn” it and go back to the former way of thinking. I have learned that gambling offers not one helpful thing in solving my problems, and in fact has created most of my problems. I believe this to my core, and that is the key to my now being a non-gambler.
It’s great for me, because I know I will never gamble again. I am ecstatic about it! But I know that others here will think that I am delusional about never gambling again, and that’s unfortunate. I don’t want to appear boastful or overconfident, and I know that my way of thinking does not fit the mold of how a recovery is “supposed to” work. I just happen to believe that the easy way is the surest way to a complete recovery, and it runs quite counter to the GA method.
You see, we as gamblers trained ourselves to believe that gambling is the way to solve our problems. Have a disagreement with a loved one and get upset? Escape to gambling for comfort and calm. Disappointed about a job loss? Gambling will provide the solace you need and help you forget for a time. Facing a large unexpected bill this month? Gambling will help you win enough to take care of it and relieve the pressure. Feeling bored, lonely, or a bit down in the dumps? Gambling will correct all of these problems instantly. For every problem in life, we have convinced ourselves that gambling is the one and only solution.
However after a string of gambling losses and binging has made it quite obvious that we need to get this problem under control, we stop cold turkey. We make vows and promises, and muster all the will power we can. We go to GA and confess our sins. We pray and ask for divine intervention. Gut it out “just for today”. Then repeat this same struggle,day after day. And be forced to believe that our brain is ” addictive”, we have an incurable disease, and we will be addicts for the rest of our lives? What makes us all believe that the GA method is the only way to control this addiction? Because they tell us it is the only way, and we don’t know of any other options! And we are desperate for any help!
But deep down we know that the urges will come roaring back, and it scares us to know that the cycle is very likely to repeat. Even if it doesn’t, we have mental struggles and it is all we can do to keep the monster held back in a corner of our mind, and pray that it doesn’t come storming out to unleash it’s wrath yet again.
There is a better way. The easy way. When stress, problems, disagreements and other misfortunes strike, I get no urge to gamble whatsoever. It’s gone completely. It’s impossible for me to explain it fully here, all I can say is read the book, and read it again after a week or two. It will change your perspective. Cheers!