[Normy]

Good day to all. Am new to this website, searching for a way to help me quit my gambling addiction. Am in my late 30s, and it seems a little too late for me to be searching for help right now.

Started gambling in my teens, stopped for a good 7-8 years, back at it for the past 5 years. 5 years of living hell. Have been living from paycheck to paycheck, lost all my credit lines, and now owing a huge sum of money to loansharks.

Had to rely on my family and a few close friends to help bail me out a few times before, and now no one is willing to help me anymore. Am facing legal actions for missing my credit cards bills for months, and loansharks knocking on my door soon.

Not getting my paychecks on time just makes things worse. Previously at least i was able to plan my repayments but no longer able to do so.

Seems no way out, it gets from bad to worse. Now am gambling with hope to win and get money to pay people, but as usual, it didnt turn out that way. All is lost. Just hoping for a miracle right now.

All that aside, I know I need to stop gambling and it has to start this moment. I have to. I can’t carry on my life like this. Let this be the moment. Let it begin.

[Anonymous]

HI Normy welcome to the site, and well done for taking this positive step to get help. Interestingly when I was reading through your post and I got the part where you are still in your thirties I thought great he is young and has lots of time to pull it together.
I can tell you until I am blue in the face, that we will never win back because we have crossed a line which means we never seem to be able to cash out even when we win.
Although it doesn’t seem like it right now remember having a gambling addiction is only one small part of you.

The debts can be overwhelming and in themselves be a trigger for gambling,
I strongly advise you ring one of the free helplines available for debt advice.
You kinda need to understand that even if companies take you to court u can still only pay what u can pay. Many of my debts went to companies who chase bad debts and they are more than happy to take whatever you can afford. The loan shark I know little about. This is where proper free advice is important.

You may not feel young but you still have well over half your life left. Many people went bankrupt in business and managed to start again. I always think of Simon Cowell when I despair.

Decide not to gamble today . We all on here have gambled for long enough to know that the big win will never come , or even if it does it will drive us to more gambling with ever bigger bets.

I hope I have given you the message that you can beat this addiction, that you are so much more than this addiction and don’t let it swamp you or describe yourself by it.

You work, you hold down a job, now you need to hold down that pay check.

Please keep writing on here. Look up the groups. They are extremely helpful and the staff are kind and dedicated .

Normy there is a great life after gambling . I am living it today. True standing in front of a huge pile of dishes doesn’t seem to be as exciting as sitting on my high stool throwing money into a machine, but I have peace.
Peace returns to your life amazingly quickly once you see your way through things.

Well done to your family and friends for saying no more. It’s so hard to do but the only way the addicted part of our brains learns to see that we really need to stop.
We are all rooting for you on here.
Keep posting .

[lizbeth4]

Hi Normy. I am glad that you found this site. You have made the first step. PLEASE talk to someone via the helpline. Put every barrier in place: limit your access to cards and money, counciling, GA, anything that may help you. Life is too short to worry about gambling! Take care. Keep posting.

[vera]

Sadly, there will be no Miracle, Normy, but there is hope and lots of help available. The time has come for you to walk away from gambling. It ruins lives. I am double your age. I should have a comfortable life but instead I will be paying gambling debt for years to come.
Welcome to GT
Ps Not quite double your age, but I feel 80!

[Normy]

Thank you all for the encouragement and kind words. Very much also for the advise.

Didnt gamble today, it feels great. No heart pumping, no adrenaline rush. Still a long way to go, shall take a day at a time.

Tomorrow will need to face the debt collectors. Yes, I guess there will be no miracles. Will just face it as it comes.

Only hope now is to get my paycheck sometime this coming few days. At least it will help me make some payments, and most importantly, to help me carry on this journey.

Fingers crossed.

[Author]

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