Hi Craig
I’d like to echo what Vera says. Taking nothing away from you, you have done great so far, and long may it continue.
You’ve been a gambler for 10 years, and in your own words “Every single month I struggle financially and it’s all down to gambling”.
Personally I think it would be a bad move to sell your house after only three weeks gambling free. However we are all different. There are CGs on this forum and other websites that have sold their houses to pay off gambling debts and ended up not only skint in a short period of time, but homeless too.
I appreciate your girlfriend says that you can move in with her, but again I think that may be a wrong move at this time. You say that there’s only one mate who knows of your predicament so I presume your girlfriend knows nowt about you being a CG. It would be so wrong to move on to her home mate without first telling her of your gambling addiction. Ultimately the choices are yours but for the last ten years you’ve made your own choices and look where that has left you.
You should be immensely proud for going this first three weeks in the right direction, and there is absolutely no reason why things should go tits up for you. But before you consider these two major changes why not start on a few smaller ones; getting back to the gym for instance. Talking to girlfriend about things.
I’m not trying to burst your bubble mate, and I’m certain that neither is Vera. We have both been around the block a few times and can spot the danger signs. It pays to talk and share, but sometimes that involves being told things that we don’t want to hear.
People told me I was foolish to try and tot up the interest I had paid, or owed. But I went ahead and done it. I will be in debt for the rest of my life even if I live to be a hundred years old, imagine that. Being a hundred and still paying for days out on fobts 50 years ago. Like me mate you have to accept was has happened has happened that money has gone, including the interest. That’s where gambling takes us man.
Does your girlfriend know anything at all about your gambling problem??
Listen mate no one can fault you for what you’ve achieved so far; contacting stepchange and stopping gambling brilliant.
As you say the further you distance yourself from gambling, the better your mindset I hope you wait until you quite a bit further down the road of recovery before you make drastic changes.
I hope with regards to both decisions you learn from other people’s mistakes and don’t end up learning from your own.
Take care Craig.
All the best.
Geordie.